FDM vs SLA vs SLS: Which Technology Fits Your Workshop?
The three families of desktop 3D printing, their true costs, and the parts each one is best at.
FDM (fused deposition modeling) melts and extrudes filament. Cheapest per part, biggest build volumes, strongest functional parts in engineering filaments. Layer lines are visible; fine detail is limited (~0.1mm layers).
SLA/DLP (resin) cures liquid photopolymer with light. Best surface finish and detail (down to 20µm), ideal for miniatures, jewelry, dental. Trade-offs: messy workflow, toxic uncured resin, UV-sensitive parts, and slower build volume economics.
SLS (selective laser sintering) fuses nylon powder with a laser — no supports needed, production-grade mechanical parts, but desktop machines start around $10–15K (Formlabs Fuse series) and powder handling adds workflow. Most workshops start FDM, add resin for detail, and rent SLS time from a service bureau until volumes justify it.