Design for Manufacturability Review for 3D printed parts

Run a DFM analysis to confirm that a part can be made on the FDM, SLA or SLS process and material you plan to order, with a written verdict in about a minute.

  • Same rule set our team uses The automated analysis we run on incoming orders
  • Measured findings Value, limit and location for each one
  • FDM, SLA and SLS rule sets Limits set per process and material

Submit a part for review

Choose a file or drop it here STEP, STL, 3MF, IGES, OBJ or PLY, up to 100 MB
Process and material

Loading processes…

We keep your file for up to 1 year so we can quote it and improve our checks. You can delete it at any time. Privacy policy

Choose a file to get started.

01What the review checks

Design Rules by Process

The limits the DFM analysis checks each part against, by process and material. Every finding names the limit it breaks. Rules last updated October 2026.

FDM Fused filament

  • Minimum wall0.8 mm
  • Holes and slots2.0 mm
  • Blind holes2.0 mmA hole under 3 mm wide and deeper than 10 times its width prints undersize: plan to drill it.
  • Fine raised detail0.6 mm
  • Hollow partsNo escape holes neededSealed voids print hollow, so the check notes them for information only.

Applies to · 0.8 mm wall set

  • PLA
  • PLA Matte
  • PLA Wood
  • PETG
  • ABS
  • ASA

SLA High-detail resin

  • Minimum wall0.2 mm
  • Holes and slots0.5 mm
  • Blind holes0.5 mmNo depth limit.
  • Fine raised detail0.1 mm
  • Escape holes1 opening, 0.75 mm or moreResin has to drain out of any hollow space.

Applies to · 0.2 mm wall set

  • Standard
  • High Temp
  • Biomed Durable
  • Castable Wax 40
  • Dental Comfort LT

SLS Nylon powder

  • Minimum wall0.7 mm
  • Holes and slots1.0 mm
  • Blind holes1.0 mmA hole under 3.5 mm wide and deeper than 5 times its width is too deep to clear of powder.
  • Fine raised detail0.35 mm
  • Escape holes2 openings, 3.5 mm or more eachLoose powder has to clear out of any hollow space.

Applies to · 0.7 mm wall set

  • Nylon 12 (PA12)
  • Meets design rulesNo rule violations were found.
  • Review requiredA person should look at the finding. It does not mean the part is rejected.
  • Info notesFor information. They don't change the verdict.

Not flagged: knife edges and sharp tapers. The tip prints slightly rounded, so a tapered edge is not treated as a thin wall. Very long, shallow tapers are still flagged.

Also flagged: units that look wrong (a part very small or very large for the units you chose, often inches read as millimetres), meshes that are not watertight (wall and cavity results are less reliable), incomplete analysis (the review ran out of time) and parts too large or too detailed for full resolution. These are flagged, never silently passed.

Out of scope: price (use the instant quote), fit with other parts, tolerances, cosmetic finish and support marks. "Meets design rules" means the automated review found no rule violations for the process and material you chose. It is not a guarantee that the part will print perfectly.

All materials and limits Full table
Process Material Minimum wall (mm) Minimum hole (mm) Escape hole for hollow parts (mm)
FDM (fused filament) PLA 0.8 2 –
PLA Matte 0.8 2 –
PLA Wood 0.8 2 –
PETG 0.8 2 –
ABS 0.8 2 –
ASA 0.8 2 –
TPU 95A 1.2 2.5 –
TPU 98A 1.2 2.5 –
ABS-GF (glass fibre filled ABS) 1 2.5 –
ASA-CF (carbon fibre filled ASA) 1 2.5 –
PA-CF (carbon fibre filled nylon) 1 2.5 –
PAHT-CF (carbon fibre filled high-temperature nylon) 1 2.5 –
PET-CF (carbon fibre filled PET) 1 2.5 –
PETG-CF (carbon fibre filled PETG) 1 2.5 –
Polycarbonate 1 2.5 –
PC-CF (20% carbon fibre filled polycarbonate) 1 2.5 –
PC UL94 V-0 1 2.5 –
PPA-CF (carbon fibre filled PPA) 1 2.5 –
PPS-CF (carbon fibre filled PPS, UL94 V-0) 1 2.5 –
PVDF 1 2.5 –
SLA (high-detail resin) Standard 0.2 0.5 0.75
High Temp 0.2 0.5 0.75
Tough 2000 0.4 0.5 0.75
Durable 0.4 0.5 0.75
Biomed Durable 0.2 0.5 0.75
Castable Wax 40 0.2 0.5 0.75
Dental Comfort LT 0.2 0.5 0.75
Silicone 40A 0.5 0.5 0.75
SLS (nylon powder) Nylon 12 (PA12) 0.7 1 3.5

Carbon fibre filled and glass fibre filled materials need thicker walls and larger holes than plain plastics. Metal parts are not covered by the automated review; ask us about metal printing.

02How it works

How the Review Works

  1. Upload the file

    STEP, IGES, STL, 3MF, OBJ or PLY, up to 100 MB.

  2. Select process and material

    FDM, SLA or SLS, and a material. For STL, OBJ and PLY, state whether the file is in millimetres or inches. Enter your email and complete the human check.

  3. Automated analysis

    Usually 20–60 seconds, longer if there's a queue.

  4. Read the report

    Measured value, limit and location for each finding. Then revise the model or get a quote.

You can re-run the same file against another material without uploading it again, up to 5 reviews per file.

03For AI assistants

Run the Review from Your AI Assistant

Add the Morin 3D DFM server to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client. Your assistant can check the parts it designs or the files you give it, fix what fails and check again, all in the chat.

Add the server

https://morin3d.ca/api/dfm/mcp

A remote MCP server over Streamable HTTP. No sign-in, account or API key.

Claude web, desktop and mobile
Open Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector. Name it Morin 3D DFM and paste the URL.
ChatGPT
Turn on developer mode in Settings, under Apps, then create an app with the URL and No authentication.
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http morin3d-dfm https://morin3d.ca/api/dfm/mcp
Cursor ~/.cursor/mcp.json
{ "mcpServers": { "morin3d-dfm": { "url": "https://morin3d.ca/api/dfm/mcp" } } }
VS Code .vscode/mcp.json
{ "servers": { "morin3d-dfm": { "type": "http", "url": "https://morin3d.ca/api/dfm/mcp" } } }
Other clients
Any client that connects to remote MCP servers over Streamable HTTP.

What your assistant can do

  • Look up the limits. It reads every process, material and design limit, so it can design to them before it spends a check.
  • Send the file. From a public link, from a model it generated, or from your computer when it has a shell (Claude Code, Cursor). Otherwise it shows an upload box in the chat, or a link, and you drop the file there.
  • Run the review. The same analysis as this page: a verdict, then each finding with the measured value, the limit, the location and what to change.
  • Fix and check again. It can revise the model and run the check again. Re-checking an identical file with the same settings is free.
  • Send you to order. Every finished check links to the instant quote, where you upload the same file, get a price and order prints. The assistant can't place orders or request quotes.
Try asking
Check bracket.step for SLS in Nylon 12. If anything fails, fix the model and check it again.
  • Your email, once. The assistant asks for it to start a session, which lasts 30 days.
  • Limits. 10 checks in a row, then one more every 6 minutes, up to 40 a day.
  • Your files. Kept for up to 1 year to quote them and improve the checks. See the privacy policy.

Scripts and the REST API

04FAQ

DFM Review: Common Questions

What does it cost?

No charge. It's part of ordering from Morin 3D, and you don't have to place an order to use it. You enter an email address and complete a quick human check before you upload.

Which file formats and sizes?

STEP, IGES, STL, 3MF, OBJ and PLY, up to 100 MB each. STEP and IGES carry exact CAD geometry, and hole sizes are refined from the CAD cylinders. STL, OBJ and PLY are meshes.

Why does an STL need units?

STL, OBJ and PLY files store numbers without units, so the analysis can't tell a 25 mm part from a 635 mm one. You choose millimetres or inches, and the report shows the part size so you can spot a part that is 25.4 times too small or too large. STEP, IGES and 3MF files carry their own units.

How accurate are the measurements?

Wall thickness comes from rays cast at thousands of sampled surface points, confirmed on a fine voxel grid. Parts too large or too detailed for full resolution are flagged, not silently passed. Locations are approximate, and a person reviews anything flagged before production.

How long do you keep my file, and can I delete it?

We keep your file for up to 1 year so we can quote it and improve our checks. You can delete it at any time with the "Delete my file" button on your result. See our privacy policy for details.

Does a pass mean the part will print perfectly?

No. "Meets design rules" means the automated review found no rule violations for the process and material you chose. It doesn't cover price, fit with other parts, tolerances, cosmetic finish or support marks.

Are there daily limits?

Yes. You can run 10 reviews in a row, then one more every 6 minutes, up to 40 per email address per day, and up to 5 reviews on the same uploaded file. The daily limit resets at midnight UTC.

What do you do with my email?

We use it for your review session and, if you ask for a quote, for your quote account. We never sell it.

What if the review flags my part?

A flagged finding needs a person to look at it. It doesn't mean the part is rejected. Each finding says what to change, so you can revise the model and run the review again, or have our engineers revise it for you.

Can I check several materials?

Yes. After a result you can re-run the same file against another process or material without uploading it again, up to 5 reviews per upload.

Can my AI assistant run the review?

Yes. Add the MCP server https://morin3d.ca/api/dfm/mcp to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code or another MCP client. No sign-in or API key is needed. The assistant asks for your email, uploads the part, runs the same review and gives you the link to order. Setup steps are above.

What happens after a pass?

Get an instant quote for your price. There is no minimum order quantity, but orders have a $40 minimum charge, or $70 with SLS.

Review Your Part, Then Get a Price

Run the DFM review above, then upload the file to the instant quote. Need the model revised? Our engineers can do it.

Get Instant Quote CAD Services

Design guidelines by process: FDM printing, SLA printing and SLS printing.