Case study · Industrial
Complex FDM geometry: overhangs and internal channels
Industrial FDM parts with overhangs, internal channels and fine surface detail, printed cleanly with minimal post-processing.
Place the supports
Supports were placed to protect fine features and keep post-processing short.
Refine the design for AM
Chamfers and fillets improve strength and surface quality without changing function.
Control the finish
The same finishing steps give the same surface on every part.
Challenge
- Overhangs, internal channels and fine surface detail.
- A clean, accurate result.
Result
- Overhangs and fine features printed at the limit of FDM geometry.
- Fine features intact with minimal post-processing.
Why this process and material
Support placement
Supports hold overhangs during printing and leave witness marks. Keeping them off critical surfaces protects fine features.
Design for AM
Chamfering an overhang or adding a fillet lets a part print cleaner and stronger.
Controlled finish
Consistent finishing steps give a consistent surface.
Summary of the engineering approach
Supports hold overhangs during printing but leave witness marks, so they were placed to protect fine features and keep post-processing short. Small design changes, such as chamfering an overhang or adding a fillet, let the part print cleaner and stronger without changing its function. The same finishing steps were then used on every part to give a consistent surface.
Questions about this project
What features were produced?
Overhangs, internal channels and fine surface detail, printed at the limit of FDM geometry.
How were fine features protected?
Supports were placed away from critical surfaces, so fine features stayed intact with minimal post-processing.
Can SLA or SLS go further?
If surface quality or feature size must go further, SLA or SLS can be tested on the same geometry.
Suggested next steps
Recommendations for taking the part further. None of this is completed work.
- Save the support and orientation strategy as a build recipe for repeat orders.
- If surface quality or feature size must go further, test SLA or SLS on the same geometry.
- Check internal channels for support access if post-processing is difficult.
