25 microns, explained

Every print service leads with a layer-height number. Here's what it actually means, and when the smaller number is a waste of your money.

The number

A micron is a thousandth of a millimeter. At 25 microns, a 25 mm tall miniature is built from a thousand layers. A human hair is about 70 microns thick — so each layer is a third of a hair. That's why SLA surfaces read as smooth: the steps are physically below what your eye resolves at reading distance.

What 25 µm buys you

Crisp fine detail on things that curve gently — faces, drapery, lettering, knurling. Slopes and domes are where layer stepping shows first, and halving the layer height halves the visible step. Jewelry patterns and display miniatures are printed at 25 µm by default.

When 50 µm is the smarter buy

Vertical-walled parts — enclosures, brackets, architectural massing — gain almost nothing from 25 µm, because straight walls don't step. Printing at 50 µm roughly halves machine time, which shows up in your quote. If your part is mostly vertical surfaces, we'll quote it at 50 µm and tell you why.

What layer height doesn't fix

A bad file prints badly at any resolution. Wall thickness, supports, and orientation matter more than the resolution number — which is why a person checks every file before we print it. Send yours for a free check and quote, or call (239) 880-2698.

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