Which 3D printing process should you use?
Answer four quick questions about your part and we'll recommend the right process and material — FDM, SLA, SLS, DMLS metal, sheet metal or injection tooling — with the reason why. Built by a triple-certified studio that runs all of them under one roof, so the advice is honest, not a single-process sales pitch.
How do I choose between FDM, SLA, SLS and DMLS?
Start from the material and the part’s job. FDM is the cheapest route to standard and high-temp thermoplastics; SLA gives the smoothest surface and finest detail; SLS produces strong, isotropic engineering-nylon parts with no supports; DMLS builds fully dense metal geometry. Our selector maps your function, material, tolerance and quantity to the right one.
What is the most accurate 3D printing process?
SLA holds the tightest as-printed tolerance (around ±0.05 mm at 25-micron resolution) for plastics. For metal, DMLS holds ±0.1 mm as-printed and we CNC-finish critical faces to ±50 µm. FDM and SLS realistically hold ±0.2–±0.3 mm.
Which process is best for end-use production parts?
For low to medium volumes, SLS gives repeatable, functional nylon parts. Past roughly 1,000 units, injection tooling wins on unit cost and material properties. Metal end-use parts go to DMLS, with sheet-metal parts laser-cut and press-brake bent.
Can you 3D print metal parts, and to what tolerance?
Yes — DMLS metal 3D printing in Ti-6Al-4V, 316L, 17-4 PH, AlSi10Mg and Inconel 718, under an AS9100 Rev D quality system. As-printed tolerance is ±0.1 mm; critical features are CNC-finished to ±50 µm, with a CMM report supplied on every order.
What material should I use for a high-temperature part?
For true high-temperature or chemical-resistant thermoplastics, FDM in ULTEM (PEI) or PEEK is the practical route for solid functional parts. For stiff, heat-tolerant complex geometry, SLS in carbon-filled nylon (PA-CF) is support-free and isotropic.