Wall Thickness Guidelines by Material and Technology
Wall thickness is one of the most critical design factors in 3D printing. Too thin and the part will fail during printing or break during handling. Too thick and you waste material and increase cost.
1. Recommended Minimum Wall Thickness
FDM
PLA: 0.8mm
PETG: 0.8mm
ASA: 0.8mm
SLA
Standard Resin: 0.8mm
Tough 2000 Resin: 0.8mm
Flexible Resin: 1.0mm
All other resins: 0.8mm
Industrial SLA
- Draft Resin: 0.8mm
MJF
- Nylon PA 12: 0.8mm
FGF
- All materials: 3.0mm minimum (larger nozzle requires thicker walls)
2. When to Go Thicker
Structural parts bearing load: 2–4mm+
Large flat panels: 3mm+ to prevent warping
Parts that will be sanded: Add 0.5mm for material removal
Outdoor parts: Extra thickness compensates for UV degradation
FGF parts: 3mm is the minimum, 5mm+ recommended for structural applications
Parts with snap fits or hinges: Follow specific design guidelines for those features
3. When You Can Go Thinner
Small, non-structural features (tabs, labels) — 0.8mm minimum still applies
Decorative elements not under load
4. Common Mistakes
Inconsistent wall thickness — Sudden changes cause internal stress and warping. Transition gradually.
Zero-thickness walls — Overlapping surfaces in CAD that look solid but have no actual thickness. Run a wall thickness analysis in your CAD software.
Thin walls on large parts — What works on a 2-inch part may warp on a 12-inch part.
5. Pro Tip
Most CAD software has a wall thickness analysis tool. Run it before exporting your STL. In Fusion 360, use Inspect > Section Analysis. In SolidWorks, use Evaluate > Thickness Analysis.
Not sure if your walls are thick enough? Upload your file at makelab.com/quote and our team will flag any issues during file review.
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