A quick method for reducing the number of printing and pro totyp ing failures, by Joran Booth
Design for Additive Manufacturin g
Mark Complexity
One Simple parts are inefficient for AM
The part is the same shape as
†O common stock materials, or is
completely 2D
The part is mostly 2D and can
be made in a mill or lathe without
*O repositioning it in the clamp
The part can be made in a mill or
lathe, but only after repositioning
O it in the clamp at least once
The part curvature is complex
(splines or arcs) for a machining
O operation such as a mill or lathe
There are interior features or
O surface curvature is too complex
to be machined O functional
no cycles
Mark Thin Features
One Thin features will almost always break
Some walls are less than 1/16"
O (1.5mm) thick
Walls are between 1/16"
O (1.5mm) and 1/8" (3mm) thick
Walls are more than 1/8" (3mm)
O thick
Mark Functionality
One AM parts are light and medium duty
Mating surfaces are bearing
*O surfaces, or are expected to
endure for 1000+ of cycles
Mating surfaces move
significantly, experience large
*O forces, or must endure 100-1000
cycles.
Mating surfaces move
somewhat, experience moderate
O forces, or are expected to last 10-
100 cycles
Mating surfaces will move
minimally, experience low
O forces, or are intended to endure
2-10 cycles
Surfaces are purely non-
or experience virtually
O channels, or holes
Mark Stress Concentration
One Interior corners must transition gradually
Interior corners have no
O chamfer, fillet, or rib
Interior corners have chamfers,
O fillets, and/or ribs
Interior corners have generous
O chamfers, fillets, and/or ribs
Instructions: Mark one for each category for the part you plan to print. Check da ggers and stars first, then scores
Mark Material Remov al
One Support structures ruin surface finish
The part is smaller than or the
O same size as the required
support structure
There are small gaps that will
require support structures
O O
Internal cavities, channels, or
holes do not have openings for
O removing materials
Material can be easily removed
from internal cavities, channels,
O or holes
There are no internal cavities,
Mark Tolerances
One Mating parts should not be the same size
Hole or length dimensions are
O nominal
Hole or length tolerances are
O adjusted for shrinkage or fit
Hole and length tolerances are
O considered or are not important O surfaces,
be exact
Starred Ratings
Consider a different
* manufacturing process
Strongly consider a different
†
manufacturing process
Mark Unsupported Features Sum Across
Totals
One Unsupported features will droop Rows
Citation: The Design for Additive Manufacturing Worksheet, by Joran W. Booth, 2015. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives
There are long, unsupported
O features x5 =
There are short, unsupported
features
x4 =
Overhang features have a
slopped support
O x3 =
Overhanging features have a
4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-n d/4.0/.
minimum of 45deg support
O x2 =
Part is oriented so there are no
O overhanging features x1 =
Mark Geometric Exactness +
One Large, flat areas tend to warp
The part has large, flat surfaces
O or has a form that is important to
be exact
x5 =
The part has medium-sized, flat
O surfaces, or forms that are
should be close to exact
x3 =
The part has small or no flat
or forms that need to x1 =
||
Total Score
Overall Total
33-40 Needs redesign
24-32 Consider redesign
16-23 Moderate likelihood of success
8-15 Higher likelihood of success
Example parts – Lower Is
Better

Score = 24 Score = 22 Score = 19

Score = 16 Score = 15 Score = 11

 The Design for Additive
Manufacturing Worksheet
• Helps novice/intermediate/intermittent users
• Recommended for industry engineers who outsource 3D
printing for first time or periodically
• Recommended for students, Makers, hobbyists
• Improves the likelihood of a good 3D printed part
• When tested
• Reduced ALL print failure rate 43%
• Reduced repeated print rate 47%
• Quick to use
• Average time 5.4 minutes
• Median time 2.7 minutes
Booth, J., Alperovich, J., Reid, T., Ramani, K. (2016, in Review). The Design
for Additive Manufacturing Worksheet. ASME IDETC