DEFINE THE JOB
Optimize a repeatable accepted part.
Production planning includes the time and material consumed by the complete workflow. A low raw-material price can coexist with high finishing effort or poor yield. Keep the comparison transparent by using the same accepted-part requirement and recording every relevant assumption.
Typical project questions
- Recurring low-volume functional parts.
- High-mix batches where geometry or variants change.
- A controlled move from trial material to repeat orders.
Material systems worth evaluating.
These are selection directions. Compare current exact-grade data and confirm the installed process before approving a material.
| Material direction | Why review it | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| FFF production grade | An established machine/profile and accessible geometry | Build orientation, feeding, labor and repeatability |
| SLS polymer powder | Nested complex parts and integrated features | Refresh, recovery, packing and finishing |
| Engineering resin | Detailed or surface-sensitive parts | Wash/cure throughput, supports and property retention |
A practical trial and approval sequence.
Approve a production reference
Agree on a representative part and measurable acceptance criteria.
Measure the full workflow
Include support removal, washing, curing, recovery and inspection as applicable.
Control repeat orders
Retain the approved grade/lot records, profile and change-notification requirements.
Details to resolve early
- Build capacity and accepted output are different planning quantities.
- Powder charged into a build is not the same as powder consumed by finished parts.
- A successful first batch needs a repeat-order specification to become reproducible.
What to put in your inquiry.
Replace the bracketed fields with your project details.
Part and process: [description/machine]. Trial result/reference: [ID]. Critical dimensions and functions: [criteria]. Quantity per batch/month: [values]. Finishing and inspection: [requirements]. Target pack and documentation: [details]. Please quote trial and recurring quantities separately with any change-control requirements.
Buyer questions
How should two material prices be compared?
Use the same part and acceptance requirement, then include material consumption, time, finishing, yield and the agreed commercial scope.
Can I skip a new trial after a material or formulation change?
Define which changes require reapproval in the purchase specification. A previous successful version does not automatically cover every substitution.
Sources
- Formlabs — SLS cost per part
Packing, build height, refresh requirements and process costs; examples are specific to the referenced system.
- Formlabs — powder usage and packing density
Fresh/used powder mass accounting in a defined SLS workflow.
- Formlabs — FDM, SLA and SLS comparison
Process and workflow differences; manufacturer-specific capabilities are not universal material approvals.
