How to Orient Models in SLS 3D Printing for Stronger, Cleaner Results
SLS 3D printing is known for producing sharp, high-quality parts with impressive precision. But like all additive manufacturing processes, it’s influenced by gravity and heat during production. While selective laser sintering manages these challenges by using unsintered powder to support the part, orientation still plays a key role in determining part strength and surface quality.
Even with the near isotropic properties of SLS, your parts will often be stronger along certain axes and weaker along others. Similarly, sharp edges and precise features will appear cleaner in one direction while slightly smoothed in another. Large parts must also be positioned carefully to avoid excess heat buildup, which can cause warping.
Let’s look at why orientation matters and how to position your models for the best possible results from SLS 3D printing.
Why orientation matters in SLS 3D printing
Part orientation is often ignored during design but it directly affects print quality. Correct positioning improves strength and dimensional accuracy, and poor positioning can lead to weak areas and surface flaws especially when printing large or complex parts.
How to orient your models for SLS printing
There’s no universal setup that works for every part. You’ll need to make trade-offs based on the most critical features of your design. That said, there are key steps you can follow to get the best results from SLS 3D printing:
Identify your part’s key features
Before printing, decide which areas of your model matter most. That could be the sharpness of an edge or smooth surface finishes. If your design has multiple critical features, rank them by importance.
Some positioning strategies conflict with each other, so knowing your priorities helps guide the setup process.
Choose orientation based on critical features
Once you’ve identified your priorities, adjust the orientation of your part to support those features. Rotate your model as needed to align important areas in the direction that produces the sharpest, cleanest results.
Do this for each part you plan to print before moving on to arranging them within the build area.
Arrange your models on the print bed
Your goal is to distribute models evenly across the build space. Keep in mind that energy from the laser tends to accumulate near the top of the print area, so avoid placing large or dense parts at the bottom—they can affect other parts by releasing excess heat.
For homogeneous models, even spacing works best. If you’re printing a mix of sizes, place smaller parts lower in the build area and larger parts higher up to reduce the risk of heat-related issues.
We’ll handle part orientation for you
Not sure how to orient your models for the best SLS results? HLH can help. We’ll take the guesswork out of the process and set up your print to maximize strength and surface quality without compromising quality.
Contact us today for a free project review and see how our SLS 3D printing solutions can deliver stronger, cleaner parts.