> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://monasheng.gitbook.io/zerotohero/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://monasheng.gitbook.io/zerotohero/3d-printing-zero-to-hero/advanced-skills/advanced-slicing/part-orientation.md). # Part Orientation {% embed url="" %} While most slicing programs provide a means for you to orient your part arbitrarily on the print bed (i.e. translated and rotated however you want), your chosen orientation can have a large effect on print time, quality/surface finish/detail, and the strength of your finished part. ## Strength The load-bearing capability of a print is very-much tied to it's orientation. 3D prints are typically much stronger *along* the direction of layer lines, compared to *across* them. This is because bonding of the plastic chains within a layer is much better than that between layers. Consequently, 3D prints tend to fail sooner than expected when tensile forces act to tear layer lines apart.

These can be unintuitive - especially where bending loads are concerned. In these cases, you should aim to print your part such that in-service bending loads stretch the layers, rather than shear them.

Sometimes, you cannot avoid orienting some aspect of a part to avoid tensile loads. Consider for example a hook, where the two obvious in-plane orientations can both lead to premature failure.

Two hooks printed in the weakest orientations.

In these circumstances, aiming for a "$$45^\circ$$" print orientation is ideal - splitting the difference between these worst-case loadings.

A top and side-on view of the strongest orientation to print a hook.

## Print Time 3D printers typically print faster in-plane than they do out-of-plane. In other words, printing parts 'laid down' on the bed will usually result in faster prints than printing them vertically. It also means that printing batches of parts will be faster than printing them one-at-a-time (even excluding setup/handling times). Additionally, orientation can also have a significant impact on the requirements for [Supports](/zerotohero/3d-printing-zero-to-hero/advanced-skills/advanced-slicing/supports.md). In some orientations, a part may require *no* supports, while in others, significant support material might be needed. Supports take time and filament to print, and thus reducing your requirement for these can also substantially reduce your print time.

A spanner, printed 4 ways. Laying on the bed (top left), this part will print fastest, owing to no support requirements and the minimum number of layers. Incidentally, this will also result in the strongest part due to alignment of the layer lines with the loads. In all other cases, support requirements and increased number of layers will result in a slower print.

## Quality/Detail/Surface Finish As discussed in [Layer Height](/zerotohero/3d-printing-zero-to-hero/advanced-skills/advanced-slicing/layer-height.md), some geometries (especially curves) can lead to long print times when oriented in the $$z$$ direction - requiring many layers to capture their shape. In general, complex/curved geometries benefit from printing in the $$x-y$$ plane - where any amount of complexity is handled equally well.