FDM vs SLS vs MJF for 50 functional nylon parts — real cost and quality difference?

Question

I need 50 pieces of a snap fit sensor housing 60 × 40 × 25 mm in nylon. Prototypes were printed on my desktop FDM in PA CF and worked fine. For 50 units, is it worth moving to SLS or MJF ? What differences will I actually see in strength, tolerance and finish, and roughly how does the cost compare?

Lukas Novak · Accepted Answer

At 50 units the answer is almost always MJF or SLS:

	FDM PA-CF	SLS PA12	MJF PA12
Isotropic strength	No (weak in Z)	Yes	Yes
Tolerance	±0.3 mm	±0.3% / 0.3 mm	±0.3% / 0.2 mm
Snap-fits	Fatigue at layer lines	Excellent	Excellent
Finish	Layer lines	Matte, slightly grainy	Smoother, grey
Supports	Needed	None	None

Cost per part at 50 pcs is often lower than FDM once you count your own machine time and failure rate. MJF is usually slightly cheaper than SLS at this volume and the grey colour dyes black well.

FDM vs SLS vs MJF for 50 functional nylon parts — real cost and quality difference?

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