The time to 3D-printing a part depends heavily on the technology, the part’s size/complexity, and the material. For example, desktop FDM printers typically move their nozzles at ~50–100 mm/s, while SLA/DLP resin printers build in “mm per hour” (often ~20–36 mm/h). In practice, small FDM parts (a few centimeters) often take on the order of an hour (a “small, simple object might take about an hour”), moderate parts several hours, and large solid models can run into tens of hours (multi-day prints are common for big FDM builds). Material matters too: PLA’s low melting point and good flow let it print near the high end of FDM speeds (50–80 mm/s) whereas tougher filaments like ABS or Nylon usually require slower feed rates (often 25–60 mm/s) to avoid warping.
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
FDM (or FFF) printers extrude plastic filament layer by layer. Typical print speeds are on the order of 40–80 mm/s for most desktop printers, Bambulab high-speed FDM 3D printer’s print head can move at a maximum speed of 1000 mm/s. In practice, a small FDM part (e.g. a few-cm calibration cube or simple bracket) often finishes in roughly 0.5–2 hours. A medium part (say a 15–20 cm model or a vase) might take 4–6 hours or more. Very large or dense parts (a 30+ cm assembly or solid block) can easily take 1–3 days of print time. For example, Raise3D notes that printing a “standard-size” vase in FDM/FFF typically requires about 4–6 hours. By contrast, a trivial 1″ (25 mm) cube might finish in ~20–60 minutes.
The choice of filament affects speed. PLA is one of the fastest FDM materials: its low melting point and good flow allow higher feed rates. ABS and PETG generally run at similar or slightly slower speeds (~40–60 mm/s) because they require higher temperatures and slower cooling to avoid warping. Tougher/specialty filaments like Nylon or TPU usually print more slowly (often 25–50 mm/s) due to handling and adhesion needs. Higher extruder temperature (for example, printing Nylon at ~250 °C) also means the filament melts more slowly, effectively capping speed. Ultimately, print time scales roughly with part volume and layer count: thicker layers and larger nozzles reduce time, while fine details, high infill, and many perimeters all increase time.
SLA (Stereolithography / MSLA Resin)
SLA (or LCD/MSLA) printers cure resin a layer at a time. Their print speed is usually given as the vertical build rate (millimeters per hour) rather than nozzle speed. Typical modern desktop SLA units cure ~20–36 mm of Z-height per hour. In practice, a small, detailed part (e.g. a 5–10 cm figurine or jewelry piece) often takes 1–4 hours to print. For instance, Raise3D reports a small, detailed resin figurine prints in about 2–4 hours. A larger or very high-detail SLA print (full build plate) may run 10–24+ hours. For example, architectural models that normally took ~10 h with a standard resin were cut to ~2–3 h by using a fast “Draft” resin. Formlabs’ Draft Resin is advertised as 3–4× faster than standard resins, dramatically reducing print time (a 12 h standard print fell to ~3 h with Draft Resin).
Material choice also matters: some resins (e.g. rigid, tough, or ceramic-filled) may require longer cure times per layer than fast prototyping resins. But generally, all SLA materials follow the same layer-cure process, so differences in time are usually due to layer thickness and needed quality rather than drastically different scan speeds.
SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)
SLS printers fuse plastic powder (often Nylon PA12) with a scanning laser. Build rates are much slower: typical SLS machines sinter only on the order of 10–14 mm of Z-height per hour. In other words, a standard layer (0.1–0.2 mm) is built at only a few layers per minute. For example, Sinterit’s latest Lisa X SLS printer can sinter PA12 powder at up to 14 mm/h, filling its entire 130×180×330 mm build volume in about 30 hours. In practice, small SLS parts (e.g. a few cubic centimeters) often take a few hours, medium parts (tens of cm³) ~6–12 hours, and a full build or large parts can be 24–30+ hours.
Figure: SLS throughput example. Sinterit reports that its Lisa X can produce 540 small PA12 connector parts in ~28 hours (≈6 min each), whereas the older Lisa PRO took ~205 h for only 112 parts. This illustrates typical SLS build times (around 10–14 mm/h) for moderate-volume PA12 prints.
The uniform powder bed means SLS can batch many parts at once, but printing time is governed by the tallest feature. (A solidly packed build could take 30 h or more.) Industrial SLS systems can be faster: for instance, EOS’s large P770 machine (dual 70 W lasers) achieves a build rate up to ~5.6 liters/hour of PA12 – roughly an order of magnitude higher throughput. But entry-level or desktop SLS units like Lisa X operate in the 10–14 mm/h range. Material affects speed only modestly (PA12, PA11, TPU, etc. all require similar sintering; filled or composite powders may need different scan parameters). SLS parts also need cooling time after printing (often up to the same amount of time as printing) before they can be removed.
SLM/DMLS (Metal Powder Bed Fusion)
Metal printing (SLM or DMLS) is generally slower than polymer systems. Because metal parts are usually dense and fully solid, build rates are limited. As a reference, one metal-AM provider cites ~250 cm³/hour throughput for laser-PBF (metal) printing (about 250,000 mm³/h). This means a 10×10×10 cm steel block (1000 cm³) would take ~4 hours at peak, but in practice geometric inefficiencies and multiple lasers make it longer. In real projects, small metal parts (few cm³) often take several hours to print, medium parts tens of hours, and large or dense metal builds can run into hundreds of hours. Indeed, one case study noted a complex metal component took over 200 hours on a DMLS machine. The exact time depends on the metal (e.g. aluminum prints faster than high-alloy steels), part geometry, layer thickness (typically 20–50 µm for metal), and machine.
Overall, expect metal AM to be the slowest: even a small 5–10 cm metal part commonly runs 4–20+ h, whereas large tooling or structural parts often take 3+ days. Post-build cooling, powder removal, and heat-treatment also add to total lead time.
Tips to Reduce Print Time
Increase Layer Height. Thicker layers mean fewer passes. A 0.3 mm layer height prints much faster than 0.1 mm (at the cost of surface detail). For rough prototypes, using the maximum acceptable layer thickness can cut print time dramatically.
Use a Larger Nozzle. A larger-diameter nozzle extrudes more material per unit time. For FDM, switching from a 0.4 mm to a 0.6 mm nozzle can shave ~25% off print time. (This is most useful for large or low-detail parts.)
Lower Infill Density. Reduce internal infill to the minimum needed. A sparse infill (10–20%) greatly shortens time compared to a solid model. For non-structural parts or models, 0–10% infill may suffice. Using simpler infill patterns (grid or lines instead of complex honeycomb) also helps.
Adjust Print Speed Settings. Increasing the printer’s travel speed can cut time (Raise3D notes 15–20% faster print speed reduces time similarly). However, faster speeds may impact quality (more ringing or layer defects). Balance speed with acceptable surface finish.
Orient Parts to Minimize Height. Since printers build slower in Z, laying a model flat (shorter Z) can cut layers. For example, printing a phone case horizontally instead of vertically can roughly halve the build height and thus speed up the print. Finding the optimal orientation (sometimes angled) can reduce layer count or support needs.
Batch Printing (Multiple Parts at Once). If the printer has room, print multiple items in one run. This avoids repeating warm-up and setup time. For instance, printing four small parts together can finish in much less time per part than printing them sequentially. (Raise3D reports that printing four gears at once could be ~2× faster overall than printing them one by one.)
Reduce Shell/Wall Count. Each additional perimeter or thick shell adds print time. Use the fewest walls needed for strength. A single-wall print (or low-perimeter setting) prints faster, though at a loss of rigidity.
Simplify Geometry & Supports. Remove unnecessary fine details, holes or features. Fewer sharp corners means the printhead can travel more quickly. Likewise, minimize support structures or use custom supports – each support adds hours of printing and cleanup.
Other Factors. Heating and cooling times, pre-heating the bed, and slicing efficiency can also matter. Ensure the printer is fully warmed up (ABS jobs especially), and use an efficient slicer path (some advanced slicers optimize pathing for speed).
By combining these strategies (larger nozzle, thicker layers, low infill, fast speeds, etc.) users often cut print times by 50% or more, with only a modest trade-off in detail or strength. For example, Raise3D notes that simply increasing layer height and reducing infill on a functional tool handle could cut print time by tens of percent. Always test and iterate to find the balance between speed and acceptable quality.
Print Time Summary Table
| Technology (Material) | Typical Speed | Small Part (~small model) | Medium Part (~15 cm) | Large Part (~>30 cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM (PLA) | ~50–100 mm/s | ~0.5–2 h | ~4–6 h | ~24+ h (1–2 days) |
| FDM (ABS) | ~40–60 mm/s | ~1–3 h | ~5–8 h | ~1–3 days |
| FDM (Nylon) | ~25–50 mm/s | ~2–4 h | ~6–12 h | ~2–4 days |
| SLA (standard resin) | ~20–36 mm/h | ~1–3 h | ~6–12 h (e.g. 10 h model) | ~24 h+ (full build) |
| SLA (fast “draft” resin) | ~60–100 mm/h (3–4×) | ~0.5–1 h | ~2–5 h | ~8–15 h |
| SLS (Nylon PA12) | ~10–14 mm/h | ~1–3 h | ~6–15 h | ~24–30 h (full bed) |
| SLM/DMLS (metal) | ~250 cm³/h | ~3–6 h | ~20–50 h | ~~100 h (multi-day) |
Notes: Speeds and times are approximate. Actual print time depends on printer model, layer settings, and geometry.