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Design for Additive Manufacturing Flashcards

7 cards from real 3D Product practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Design for Additive Manufacturing flashcards as text

  1. What is the generally recommended minimum wall thickness for structural FDM printed parts using a 0.4mm nozzle?

    Answer: 1.2mm

    1.2mm equals approximately 3 nozzle widths at 0.4mm, providing adequate structural integrity for most FDM applications.

  2. What is the maximum overhang angle from vertical that typically does NOT require support structures in FDM printing?

    Answer: 45°

    The 45° rule states that overhangs up to 45° from vertical can self-support because each layer only slightly overhangs the previous one.

  3. Which computational design technique removes unnecessary material from low-stress regions while maintaining required structural performance?

    Answer: Topology optimization

    Topology optimization uses algorithms to iteratively remove material from low-stress areas, producing lightweight, organically shaped parts that still meet load requirements.

  4. What is the primary reason to minimize support structures in a DfAM design?

    Answer: Supports increase print time, consume material, and require post-processing removal

    Support structures add print time, waste filament, and must be manually removed in post-processing, often leaving surface blemishes at contact points.

  5. What is a 'living hinge' in the context of 3D printed product design?

    Answer: A thin flexible section integrated into the part that functions as a hinge without hardware

    A living hinge is a thin, flexible region printed integrally with the part, allowing repeated bending without separate fasteners or hardware.

  6. Which design strategy best exploits additive manufacturing's unique ability to create complex internal geometries?

    Answer: Integrating internal cooling channels, hollow cavities, or lattice infill

    Additive manufacturing uniquely enables internal channels, hollow structures, and conformal features that are impossible or prohibitively expensive with subtractive methods.

  7. A designer is creating a tall, narrow FDM part with a small footprint. Which printing aid should be considered during design to prevent warping?

    Answer: Adding a brim or raft in the design file or slicer settings to improve bed adhesion

    Brims and rafts increase bed contact area for parts with small footprints, preventing warping caused by thermal contraction forces pulling the part off the bed.