FabNow3D

FabNow3D Custom 3D printing, CNC machining and rapid manufacturing for prototypes and low-volume production.

A fast FDM printer is not automatically a fast manufacturing process.One of the most useful parameters to watch is not j...
17/08/2026

A fast FDM printer is not automatically a fast manufacturing process.

One of the most useful parameters to watch is not just movement speed.

It's volumetric flow:

Extrusion Width × Layer Height × Print Speed

That tells you how much polymer the hotend must actually melt every second.

And that connects several familiar FDM settings:

🌡️ Temperature → melt and flow stability
🏎️ Speed → extrusion demand
📏 Layer Height → detail + material flow
💨 Cooling → geometry stability + layer bonding
🧱 Walls / Infill → structural performance
🧭 Orientation → strength + supports + surface quality

This is also why simple rules such as:

“Higher temperature = stronger”

“100% infill = best”

“More cooling = better”

can quickly become misleading.

Reliable FDM comes from balancing the complete process.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/fdm-3d-printing-parameters-guide/

Does a smaller layer height always make a better nylon 3D printed part?Not necessarily.The answer depends heavily on the...
16/08/2026

Does a smaller layer height always make a better nylon 3D printed part?

Not necessarily.

The answer depends heavily on the manufacturing process.

With FDM, layer height interacts with nozzle size, extrusion, orientation and interlayer bonding.

With MJF and SLS, layer thickness belongs to a qualified powder-bed process involving material, thermal control and machine parameters.

A few practical rules:

🔹 Fine layers can reduce stair-stepping on curves and shallow angles
🔹 Fine layers do not automatically improve every dimension
🔹 Thicker layers do not automatically mean stronger parts
🔹 FDM infill is not the same thing as MJF/SLS internal geometry
🔹 Orientation can matter as much as layer thickness
🔹 Sometimes post-processing is more economical than using the finest possible build strategy

The goal isn't the smallest layer.

It's the right balance of:

Detail + Surface + Strength + Build Time + Cost

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/nylon-3d-printing-layer-height-fdm-mjf-sls/

More laser power doesn't automatically mean a better metal 3D printed part.SLM quality depends on a complete parameter s...
16/08/2026

More laser power doesn't automatically mean a better metal 3D printed part.

SLM quality depends on a complete parameter system:

⚡ Laser Power → melt-pool energy
🏎️ Scan Speed → interaction time
↔️ Hatch Spacing → track overlap
📏 Layer Thickness → resolution and productivity
🔄 Scan Strategy → thermal distribution
🧱 Supports & Orientation → heat flow and distortion control

Change one parameter and several outcomes may change with it.

Too little effective energy can contribute to lack-of-fusion defects.

Too much local energy can create a different problem: unstable melt pools and keyhole-type porosity.

And even the familiar volumetric energy density equation is only a screening tool—not a complete process model.

The real objective is:

Stable Process Window → Repeatable Melt Pool → Controlled Defects → Consistent Parts

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/slm-process-parameters-optimization-guide/

Metal 3D printing and CNC machining do not have to compete.For many complex metal parts, the better strategy is:Print th...
16/08/2026

Metal 3D printing and CNC machining do not have to compete.

For many complex metal parts, the better strategy is:

Print the Geometry → Machine the Precision

Use SLM or another suitable metal additive process for:

🔹 Internal channels
🔹 Lightweight structures
🔹 Organic geometry
🔹 Part consolidation

Then use local CNC machining for:

⚙️ Bearing seats
📍 Locating bores
📐 Datum surfaces
🧵 Critical threads
💧 Sealing faces

The goal is not to machine the whole printed component.

It is to identify the small number of features that actually control fit, movement, sealing or inspection.

And that decision needs to happen before printing, because machining allowance, datums and workholding must be designed into the manufacturing plan.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/metal-3d-printing-local-cnc-machining-guide/

Can PA11 nylon handle water, chemicals, temperature changes and outdoor use?Often, yes—but “PA11 is chemical resistant” ...
16/08/2026

Can PA11 nylon handle water, chemicals, temperature changes and outdoor use?

Often, yes—but “PA11 is chemical resistant” is not enough information for an engineering decision.

For harsh-environment parts, define:

💧 Moisture or immersion
🧪 Exact chemical or fluid
🌡️ Minimum and maximum temperature
☀️ Outdoor / UV exposure
⚙️ Mechanical load
🔁 Required flexing cycles
⏱️ Exposure duration

PA11 can be especially interesting when environmental resistance needs to be combined with toughness and repeated flexing.

But remember:

Bio-based ≠ automatically biodegradable

Chemical resistant ≠ resistant to every chemical

HDT ≠ continuous service temperature

Printable ≠ automatically leak-tight

Our new guide explains how to evaluate PA11 for outdoor, fluid-handling and chemically exposed MJF/SLS parts.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/pa11-nylon-harsh-environments-mjf-sls/

A smoother MJF nylon part is not automatically a more accurate part.For PA12S assemblies, engineers should separate surf...
16/08/2026

A smoother MJF nylon part is not automatically a more accurate part.

For PA12S assemblies, engineers should separate surface appearance from dimensional performance.

Critical questions include:

🔹 Which dimensions actually control assembly?
🔹 How much clearance do mating parts need?
🔹 Which holes should be CNC finished?
🔹 Should threads use metal inserts?
🔹 Will post-processing change the fit?
🔹 Can the same result be repeated across a production batch?

A practical strategy is often:

Print the Complexity + Machine the Precision

PA12S MJF can be a strong option for functional housings, jigs, fixtures and low-volume end-use assemblies when tolerances and inspection are planned around actual function.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/pa12s-mjf-tolerance-fit-precision-assemblies/

PA11 or PA12 for your next nylon 3D printed part?They may look similar, but they solve different engineering problems.PA...
14/08/2026

PA11 or PA12 for your next nylon 3D printed part?

They may look similar, but they solve different engineering problems.

PA12 is an excellent general-purpose material for housings, brackets, ducts and production components.

PA11 becomes especially interesting when the part needs:

🔹 Higher ductility
🔹 Impact resistance
🔹 Repeated flexing
🔹 Snap-fit performance
🔹 Low-temperature toughness

Think clips, buckles, protective parts, outdoor equipment and dynamically loaded components.

But PA11 is not automatically the better nylon. If large elastic deformation is required, TPU may still be the better choice.

Our latest guide explains how to choose between PA11, PA12, TPU and reinforced nylon based on the actual application.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/pa11-nylon-3d-printing-mjf-sls-pa12-comparison/

Do you really need an expensive engineering resin for every SLA prototype?Often, no.If your prototype only needs to vali...
14/08/2026

Do you really need an expensive engineering resin for every SLA prototype?

Often, no.

If your prototype only needs to validate:

🔹 Shape
🔹 Appearance
🔹 Ergonomics
🔹 Assembly space
🔹 Fine detail

a standard SLA resin may already be the right choice.

Upgrade the material when the prototype must prove something more specific:

Impact → Tough Resin
Repeated flexing → Durable Resin
Heat → High-Temperature Resin
Production-material behavior → Consider CNC or another process

The goal isn't to choose the resin with the highest datasheet numbers.

It's to choose the simplest material that can answer the engineering question behind the prototype.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/standard-vs-engineering-sla-resin/

Titanium or aluminum for your next lightweight SLM part?Ti6Al4V and AlSi10Mg can both produce high-performance lightweig...
14/08/2026

Titanium or aluminum for your next lightweight SLM part?

Ti6Al4V and AlSi10Mg can both produce high-performance lightweight components—but they solve different engineering problems.

🔹 Ti6Al4V
Higher strength and stiffness, excellent strength-to-weight performance, and a strong option for compact, highly loaded structures.

🔹 AlSi10Mg
Lower density, better thermal conductivity, and often a more economical option for lightweight housings, brackets, and general engineering components.

The key is not simply asking which material is “better.”

Ask:

Is the design limited by load, stiffness, mass, heat, or cost?

Our guide compares Ti6Al4V and AlSi10Mg for SLM, including fatigue, heat treatment, machining, and process selection.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/ti6al4v-vs-alsi10mg-slm-3d-printing/

A nylon part can be dimensionally correct and still fail cosmetic inspection.That is why MJF appearance parts should not...
14/08/2026

A nylon part can be dimensionally correct and still fail cosmetic inspection.

That is why MJF appearance parts should not be specified only as:

“PA12, smooth, black.”

For customer-facing housings and low-volume products, define:

🔹 Which surfaces are actually cosmetic
🔹 Texture and gloss
🔹 Dye or paint requirements
🔹 Critical assembly dimensions
🔹 Acceptable scratches and defects
🔹 Physical approval sample
🔹 Batch-to-batch consistency

The goal is not to make every surface perfect.

It is to put finishing and inspection effort where customers actually see, touch and use the part.

Our guide explains how to specify MJF nylon appearance parts from prototype through batch production.

Read the full guide:
https://www.fabnow3d.com/blog/mjf-nylon-appearance-parts-quality-guide/

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