Design & Engineering

Tenco designs functional, production-ready 3D-printed parts with a focus on strength, detail, and smart use of additive manufacturing.

Tenco’s DfAM service helps engineering teams in Belgium and across Europe design parts that are optimised for additive manufacturing — from the first concept to series production.

At Tenco, we help you turn innovative ideas into valuable applications. Design is more than just shaping an object — it’s about integrating functionality, ergonomics, and meeting industrial standards. With every project being unique, close collaboration is key. From initial concept to final production, we’re with you every step of the way.

Design & Engineering #1
Design & Engineering #2
Design & Engineering #4

Our proven experience in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) allows us to deliver the full range of AM benefits, often in combination with complementary production techniques. We take into account both creative design possibilities and the technical constraints of each additive technology. Our in-house expertise ensures your design is optimised for strength, durability, and cost-effectiveness — right from the start.

Design Guidelines for Additive Manufacturing

Each AM technology comes with its own capabilities and limitations. Designing for AM requires understanding the layer-by-layer nature of the process, which differs fundamentally from subtractive manufacturing. To avoid issues like warping, poor surface quality, or excessive support structures, specific design strategies must be applied.

Structural Considerations

Wall Thickness

Maintain consistent wall thickness to avoid weak points. Minimum wall thickness depends on the material and technology: typically 0.8 mm for plastics and 1.0 mm for metals.

Overhangs and Bridges

Limit overhang angles to 45° or less to reduce the need for supports. Horizontal bridges should be kept short, preferably under 10 mm.

Supports and Rafts

Design with self-supporting geometries where possible. When supports are required, ensure they’re easy to remove without damaging the part.

Detail and Tolerances

Detail Size

Fine features should exceed the minimum printable size: ~0.5 mm for FDM, 0.2 mm for SLA, and 0.3 mm for SLS.

Tolerances

Include clearance for fit and assembly — typically 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, depending on the printer’s precision.

Part Orientation and Build Direction

Orientation Optimisation

Position parts to reduce support material and maximise structural strength in critical areas. Remember that AM parts are anisotropic, meaning strength varies by build direction.

Layer Height

Choose the right layer height for your needs: thinner layers give better surface finish but increase build time.

Surface Finish and Post-Processing

Surface Quality

If a smooth finish is needed, design with post-processing in mind (e.g., sanding, polishing, or coating).

Text and Labels

Embossed or engraved text should be at least 0.5 mm deep/high for clear visibility after printing and finishing.

Complex Geometries and Lightweight Structures

Complexity by Design

Leverage AM’s ability to produce complex geometries that are difficult — or impossible — to achieve with traditional manufacturing.

Weight Reduction

Use internal lattice structures or optimised infill to minimise weight while maintaining mechanical strength.

Material-Specific Considerations

Material Properties

Always design with the selected material’s properties in mind, such as flexibility, thermal resistance, or tensile strength.

Shrinkage and Warping

Consider shrinkage factors and warping risks, particularly for large parts or high-temperature materials.

FAQ for Design for Additive Manufacturing

There are general guidelines applicable to AM, though they vary by technique. The correct starting point is always your application and its material requirements, since the material determines the printing process.

Polyamide (PA), for example, is typically produced via SLS — so the relevant SLS design guidelines should be applied from the outset. Skipping process selection and going straight to printing is one of the most common and costly mistakes.

Maintain consistent wall thickness throughout the part to avoid weak points. Minimum wall thickness depends on the material and technology — as a general rule, 0.8 mm applies to plastics and 1.0 mm to metals. Walls that are too thin risk warping or cracking; walls that are too thick waste material and can introduce internal voids.

Always include clearance for fit and assembly — typically 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, depending on printer precision, printing technique, material, and application. For SLS, tolerances of 0.03 mm are commonly achieved; with DLP, tolerances as tight as 0.02 mm are attainable.

  • Treating your CAD file as print-ready as A CAD model designed for another technique is almost never optimised for additive manufacturing.
  • Ignoring build orientation; printing techniques differ in their anisotropic behaviour The direction a part is printed determines its strength, surface (finish), support volume, and of course print time
  • Getting wall thickness wrong; this is always finding balance between thin (risks of warping, cracks, or fails to print) and thick (wasting material, extending print time and internal voids)
  • Designing in supports instead of designing them out; one should try to eliminate supports through geometry and orientation. Another smart approach is to apply support as part of a design, especially in metal printing whereas support remove drives a big part of the total production costs.

Topology optimisation can result in an organic, often bone-like geometry that would be impossible or impractical to produce with other techniques. The software’s algorithms reduce material use from low-stress regions of a part while preserving structural integrity.

Applying topology optimisation can result in AM-specific benefits such as weight reduction, parts consolidation or reduced support structures.

Optimised geometries should always be validated through FEA and functional testing before production.

With Tenco as your design and engineering partner, you gain access to both creative and technical expertise in additive manufacturing. From rapid prototyping to functional end-use parts, we ensure your designs are feasible, functional, and production-ready.