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3D printing technology comparison, FDM, SLA and SLS side by side

FDM, SLA and SLS answer different questions, not the same question at different prices. Put them side by side and read the figures that actually decide which one gets you a usable part: machine cost, strength behaviour and how long post processing really takes.

Open the technology comparison Free and open, no account needed: 12 technologies by resolution, speed, materials, price, complexity and post processing.

How it works

Three steps, and the free account is the only one that costs you anything.

  1. Log in to your EduFacturing account

    The comparison table itself lives inside the EduFacturing dashboard, not on this page. A free account is enough; there is no separate purchase for this specific tool.

  2. Pick two or more technologies

    Choose from the processes EduFacturing documents, FDM, SLA and SLS among them, and add them to the comparison.

  3. Read what actually separates them

    Machine price range, layer bonding behaviour, support strategy and post processing time line up for each technology you picked, so the difference is a number, not a sales pitch.

Built around the technologies EduFacturing already documents

Every figure shown against a technology in this comparison traces back to a manufacturer specification or a documented production price range.

FDMSLASLS

What actually separates FDM, SLA and SLS

Four things a spec sheet buries that decide whether a technology fits the part in front of you.

  • Machine price ranges barely overlap

    FDM spans the widest range of the three, from around 200 euros for a hobby machine to over 500,000 euros for an industrial system. Desktop resin printing (MSLA) starts near 150 euros, laser SLA runs from about 3,000 to over 100,000 euros, and DLP resin systems sit from roughly 5,000 to over 80,000 euros. SLS has no cheap end at all: the least expensive desktop systems start around 10,000 to 20,000 euros, and industrial machines reach 150,000 to over 500,000 euros.

  • Only one of the three is genuinely isotropic

    FDM parts are strongest in the XY plane and structurally weaker along Z, typically 60 to 80 percent of the XY strength, because each layer only bonds to the one below it. SLS parts are practically isotropic instead: the whole powder bed sits close to melting temperature before the laser ever touches it, so the bond between layers is nearly as strong as the bond within a layer.

  • Support strategy is built into the process for one of them

    SLS needs no generated support structures at all: the unsintered powder surrounding every part holds it in place during the build, which also allows assemblies to be printed already interlocked. FDM and SLA both need supports for steep overhangs, and SLA's support behaviour further depends on machine kinematics: top down systems carry no peel force on their supports, while bottom up desktop machines do.

  • Post processing time is not proportional to machine price

    An FDM part can often be used straight off the bed once supports are removed. An SLA part needs washing in solvent and a secondary UV cure. An SLS part needs the entire build chamber to cool for 8 to 24 hours, at least 12, before the parts can safely be dug out of the powder cake, regardless of how small the part itself was.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an account to use the comparison?

No. The comparison opens in English without an account: pick 2 to 4 technologies and the table highlights where they differ.

Is a desktop SLA printer cheaper than a desktop SLS printer?

By a wide margin. Desktop resin (MSLA) machines start around 150 euros, while the cheapest desktop SLS systems start around 10,000 to 20,000 euros. There is no budget SLS tier the way there is for both FDM and resin printing.

Why do people call SLS parts isotropic and FDM parts anisotropic?

FDM builds a part from extruded lines that fuse mainly to the layer directly below, so strength along the vertical Z axis typically comes out at 60 to 80 percent of the strength in the XY plane. SLS keeps the whole powder bed near melting temperature during the build, so the bond between layers is close to the bond within a layer, in every direction.

Does SLA need support structures the same way FDM does?

Broadly yes, but the details depend on the machine. Top down SLA systems lower the part into a deep vat with no peel force acting on supports. Bottom up, inverted, desktop SLA machines pull the part away from a film with every layer, so supports there also have to survive real peel force, not just hold geometry up.

Which technology needs the least post processing?

FDM, in most cases: a part can often be used directly off the bed once supports are removed. SLA needs a solvent wash and a secondary UV cure. SLS needs the longest wait of all, 8 to 24 hours of cool down in the closed chamber, minimum 12, before parts can be removed from the powder.

Does the comparison cover more than FDM, SLA and SLS?

Yes. The comparison covers 12 technologies: FDM, SLA, DLP, LCD (MSLA), SLS, DMLS/SLM, EBM, PolyJet, BJ / FCBJ, MBJ, WAAM and LOM (SDL). This page describes the three verified in detail here.

Other tools

Technology comparison is the first decision; material and software comparison follow once you know which process you need.

3D Printing Material ComparisonCompare the materials each technology in this comparison can actually print.3D Printing Software ComparisonCompare the slicers and software that drive FDM and resin printing.Technology SelectorAnswer a few questions about the part and get a recommended technology instead of a side by side table.