3D Printing for Beginners: Your First SLS Part Without Owning a Printer
You do not need your own 3D printer to get a 3D printed part. With a print service, your job is the design file; the printing, cleaning and finishing are done for you. This beginner's guide explains how a part goes from an idea to a CAD model, which file to export, the few design rules that matter most for SLS and the mistakes that most often spoil a first part.
How it works with a print service
Desktop printers are only one way into 3D printing. With a service, you send a design and receive finished parts. For SLS this has extra benefits: the industrial printer, the powder handling, the depowdering and the finishing are all on our side. You can learn the basics of the process in what is SLS 3D printing.
| Your part of the job | Our part of the job |
|---|---|
| Idea, measurements, CAD model | Checking the file and the design review |
| Exporting STEP or STL | Printing in PA 12 on an EOS FORMIGA P 110 Velocis |
| Choosing layer plane, color, quantity | Depowdering, blasting and polishing, optional dyeing |
| Requesting the binding quote | Packing and sending the parts |
From idea to CAD model
- Measure. Start with the parts your new part must fit: screw positions, hole sizes, mating surfaces. A caliper is the most useful tool you can buy.
- Sketch. A rough sketch with the key dimensions saves time in CAD.
- Model. Use a CAD program that exports STEP or STL. For functional parts, parametric CAD is the most practical: you can change one dimension later without redrawing the part.
- Check the fit in CAD. If you have models of the mating parts, assemble them and look for collisions.
Already have a broken part to copy? 3D-printed spare parts describes how to measure it and rebuild it in CAD.
Exporting the file
- STEP is the better choice when your CAD can export it: exact geometry and its own unit.
- STL works too. Export in millimeters and with a fine enough resolution, so curved surfaces do not look faceted. The calculator reads STL in millimeters and has a switch to inches per file.
- One file can hold several parts. The calculator splits them and counts identical bodies as a quantity.
Details in STEP vs STL and units, scale and multi-body files.
Five design rules for a first SLS part
- Walls of at least 0.8 mm. The calculator warns below that; for parts that carry load, 1.5 to 3 mm is a safer range.
- Clearance between parts. Our design guideline is ±0.3 % (at least ±0.3 mm). Holes for pins and moving parts need clearance on top of that; see SLS tolerances and clearances.
- No supports needed. The powder carries the part while it is printed, so overhangs and undercuts are fine. You do not need to design support structures.
- No closed cavities. Unfused powder stays inside a closed hollow. Hollow parts need at least two escape holes of at least 5 mm per cavity; see hollow parts and escape holes.
- Round internal corners. Fillets at the base of ribs, clips and bosses prevent cracks.
All rules in one place: SLS design guidelines.
Common first-part mistakes
| Mistake | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong unit | The part is 25 times too small or large | Switch mm/inch in the calculator or export in mm |
| Zero clearance | Parts do not fit together | Add clearance to holes and slots |
| Walls too thin | Warning in the design review; fragile part | Thicken walls or add ribs |
| Closed hollow body | Cavity warning; powder trapped inside | Make it solid or add escape holes |
| Thread too fine | Printed thread does not hold | Use threaded inserts; see threads and inserts |
| Broken mesh | Odd volume or failed analysis | Check and repair the STL |
What to expect from PA 12
SLS parts in PA 12 are tough, light (EOS gives PA 2200 a density of 0.93 g/cm³) and have a matte, slightly grainy surface after blasting and polishing. They are white unless you choose a dyed color. For strength figures, read how strong SLS nylon is; for a comparison with desktop filament printing, SLS vs FDM.
Your first order
Upload the file to the calculator. You see right away whether the part fits the chamber and what the design review says. Prices appear after you sign in with a free business account. Then request a binding quote; we check the file before anything is printed. The whole process is described in how to order SLS 3D printing online. If you have an idea but no CAD skills yet, the engineers at prototype.builders can design the part with you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my own 3D printer?
No. With a print service you only need a 3D model of the part. We print it in PA 12 on an industrial SLS printer, clean it, blast and polish it and optionally dye it.
What software do I need to design a part?
Any CAD program that exports STEP or STL. Many free and paid programs can do it; for functional parts, a parametric CAD program that exports STEP is the most practical choice.
What is the minimum wall thickness for SLS?
Plan at least 0.8 mm; the calculator warns about thinner walls. For parts that carry load, 1.5 to 3 mm is a safer starting range.
Why is SLS a good process for a first part?
SLS needs no support structures, so you do not have to design for overhangs or remove supports. The part is surrounded by powder while it is printed, and PA 12 is tough enough for functional use.
What if my part does not fit or the review shows a warning?
Read the warning, fix the CAD and upload again. Parts larger than the chamber can be split into pieces. If you are stuck, the engineers at prototype.builders can help with the design.
Get an instant price
Upload STEP or STL files to the calculator and see the price of your parts in seconds: white Nylon PA 12, blasting and polishing included, optional dyeing in 61 colors, three delivery speeds. From there you send the order preview for confirmation.
Another material, an NDA or a large series? Write to us. For design help and prototype development see prototype.builders.
Get an instant price