FDM vs resin 3D printing: tolerances explained
Tolerance is the difference between a part that fits and a part that starts an argument. Here is what each technology actually holds — and how to write it into your job so nobody has to guess.
What a tolerance actually is
A tolerance states how far a finished measurement may deviate from the drawing: 20.0 mm ±0.1 mm means anything between 19.9 and 20.1 mm passes. Without one, 'accurate' is an opinion. With one, accuracy is a number anyone can verify with calipers.
What FDM holds
A well calibrated FDM printer holds ±0.1–0.2 mm on small parts, and ±0.3 mm is a safe expectation for larger parts or budget machines. Holes tend to print slightly small and outer dimensions slightly large, because the extruded line is round, not square. If a shaft must fit a hole, ask for the pair to be measured — not the model dimensions.
What resin and SLS hold
Resin (SLA/MSLA) holds ±0.05–0.1 mm and resolves far finer detail, which is why miniatures, dental models and press-fit parts go to resin. SLS sits at ±0.1–0.3 mm with no support marks and isotropic strength — the choice for functional nylon parts. On PrintBid3D the tolerance you can demand is tied to the technology you select, so a resin job can specify ±0.05 mm while an FDM job starts at ±0.1 mm.
How to specify it in your job
Pick the two or three dimensions that actually matter — a bore, a mating face, an overall width — and write them as measurement points with tolerances. The printer photographs the calipers at delivery, and approval is decided by numbers instead of feelings. That is the entire trick.
When tolerances do not matter
Figurines, vases and most visual models need no measurement points at all. Choosing a 'simple' quality level opens your job to more printers and lower bids — reserve tight tolerances for the features that genuinely have to fit.
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