Wall Thickness in 3D Printing: All You Need to Know

In additive manufacturing, avoiding print failures is paramount, no matter what technology is being used. And for both those starting out and experienced users, there are various traps that they can fall into which make their part not turn out as desired. One of these extremely important but often overlooked considerations for 3D printing is wall thickness.

Not to be confused with infill or layer height, wall thickness refers to the measure of the thickness of the outer wall or shell of a 3D printed part, excluding the top and bottom. Unlike internal structures which can vary in solidity (usually defined by a percentage and a pattern), walls are always solid and play a critical role in ensuring stability and strength of a part. But what is the minimum wall thickness? How can users know if their settings are correct? Why does it matter? We took a closer look at these questions and more in the following guide.

Wall thickness refers to the outside shell of the part (photo credits: Materialise)

Why Is Wall Thickness Important in 3D Printing?

Now you may say to yourself, with so many different parameters to keep track of when 3D printing, what makes wall thickness so important? Well, it is crucial to ensuring not just aesthetic qualities, but also strength and durability. If a wall is too thin or too thick, then the part may not work as intended. Indeed, some say it may even be more important than infill for quality of the final 3D printed part.