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Why your part broke: it was the orientation

A printed part is up to five times weaker along the stacking direction. How to design and orient so the load does not peel the layers apart.

3 min read

A printed part is not a homogeneous block: it is hundreds of layers glued together. Within a layer the plastic is continuous and strong. Between layers there is only a weld. Guess where it breaks.

Flat — strongload crosses the layers✓ holds wellUpright — weakpeels the layers apart✕ snaps along a layerAn FDM part is always weakest along the stacking direction
Same part, two orientations, very different strength. The rule: get the layers perpendicular to the force, not parallel to it.

The classic case is a hook or bracket printed upright: it looks perfect, survives a couple of uses, and one day snaps at the base, cleanly, along a single layer. Laid flat, the same part takes several times the load.

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