Part orientation determines layer shear strength

Because FDM printing stacks discrete 2D layers, the resulting 3D object is highly susceptible to shearing along the Z-axis. Engineers must orient parts so that load-bearing forces run perpendicular to the layer lines, as Physics provides the ultimate hard constraints on engineering.¹

Footnotes

1. Prusa Research. (2023). Mechanical properties of 3D prints. ↩