Digital technologies/3D printing/3D printing- Intermediate/Print Orientation

Print orientation is crucial to the success of the 3D model print. It heavily influences the speed and quality of the result. There are many different factors to consider when choosing how to orient your print.

Understand the build volume of the printer. The print needs to be oriented in a way that it will physically fit in the printer when printed. If the print is too big, the model can be divided into multiple parts to be printed separately. The Ultimaker 2+ printers have a build volume of 223 x 223 x 205mm.  

To determine which face of your design should face down on the build plate, it is important to choose the best face for stability and bed adhesion. This is typically a face that is large enough to provide stability and a flat surface to minimize the need for build plate adhesion.

It is also important to consider the mechanical stresses that your part will experience. Orient the part so that the direction of minimum applied stress is along the build direction (vertical). The build direction is typically weaker since it relies on the bond strength between layers rather than the strength of the material. The print should also be oriented to minimize print time and supports used. These two factors are connected as the more supports needed, the longer the print will be.