Part orientation in 3D printing
Orientation is the cheapest design decision. It costs nothing and it changes the support volume, the print height, which surfaces come out rough and the direction in which the part is weakest.
What orientation decides
| Effect | What changes | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Support volume | every face that looks down and is steeper than the limit needs support | FDM, SLA, metal; not SLS |
| Print height | a taller build takes longer, and in SLS and metal it changes how many pieces share a build | all |
| Surface quality | faces that touched support and sloped faces with visible steps are rougher | all |
| Strength across layers | layers bond weaker than the material is in the layer: PLA keeps about 85 % across layers, PETG 70 %, ASA 60 %, ABS 55 %, PA6-CF 47 % (working assumptions) | FDM |
| Peel force | a large flat layer pulls hard when it separates from the film | SLA |
| Warping | a large flat area in one layer concentrates heat | FDM, SLS, metal |
A real comparison
In one study the same gripper finger needed from 4.3 to 32.6 cm³ of support depending on position, and the print height went from 40 to 90 mm. The least support was not the only criterion: see the full study.
How Dokimion chooses
The check tries a set of rotations, scores each one for support, height and the area under support, and shows the three best with a picture. For FDM, when you state a load, it also estimates which share of the load acts across layers and prefers positions where it acts along them.
Rules of thumb
- Put the largest flat face on the build plate.
- Keep thin features and fine detail pointing up or sideways, not down.
- Load an FDM part along the layers, not across them.
- Accept some support on faces nobody sees rather than on the face that must be smooth.
- Do not chase the lowest support volume alone: compare it with height and the area that touches support.
Compare positions for your part
Check a partLast updated: