Each 3D printing technique has varying degrees of accuracy when it comes to reproducing parts with the correct dimensions.
The kind of additive manufacturing technology used has a significant impact on a part’s accuracy even though other factors also contribute to additional variation.
FDM
It is by far the most economical 3D printing technology available in desktop form, yet it is also employed in professional and even industrial settings.
A desktop FDM 3D printer has an accuracy of roughly 0.5 mm. An industrial FDM printer has approximately 0.2 mm of precision.
Resin
SLA and DLP photopolymerization printing processes cure photosensitive resins with the use of a laser or projector. Some of the machines that use these very accurate technologies are not much more expensive than FDM, and they are used both personally and professionally.
A desktop resin 3D printer has an accuracy of about 0.1 mm. A professional resin 3D printer has an accuracy of about 0.01 mm.
SLS
A laser is used in the 3D printing technique of selective laser sintering to fuse powdered materials, usually nylon. SLS printers are precise, but since they do not require printing support structures, their primary selling point is their ability to manufacture complicated shapes.
An SLS 3D printer has approximately 0.3 mm of precision.
Powder Bed Fusion
A laser is used in metal powder fusion techniques like SLM to melt or sinter metal powder particles. There is no consumer-level version of the accurate technology. However, considerable post-processing is frequently needed in metal additive fabrication.
A powder bed fusion 3D printer has an accuracy of about 0.1 mm.
Material Jetting
Despite being less widespread than related technologies, the material jetting technique used in 3D printing is extremely accurate since it doesn’t include the use of heat, which can lead to distortion like warping.
A material jetting 3D printer has an accuracy of about 0.05 mm.
