Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is the most common and well-known method of 3D printing. FDM melts spooled thermoplastic filaments through heated nozzles to their glass-liquid transition state allowing layered part development. FDM printing has a wide variety of applications from modeling and rapid prototyping to working parts or fixtures due to an array of materials, print settings, and postproduction processes.
Materials
Advanced Polylactic Acid (PLA)
Thermoplastic created through a fermentation process of carbohydrate sources, such as corn, cassava, sugarcane, and beet pulp. PLA is the most popular filament for FDM modeling, composite filaments (see composites section), and hobbyists due to its low pricing and ease of prints. We source advanced PLA filaments made to be 5x stronger than standard PLA. Charpy Impact Strength rating at 13.4 +/- 1.2 kJ/m^2.
Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG)
A variation of common plastics found in civilian and industrial applications, PETG benefits from high mechanical strength, temperature resistance, moisture/environmental resistance, durability, and smooth printing at low pricing. PETG is a great choice for civilian and industrial applications such as models, mechanical parts, covers (moisture and chemical), fixturing, and end use.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
The original high strength, high temperature FDM filament, ABS is a common low-cost material for practical application. ABS FDM printing, once leading the high strength, high temperature printing options, is gradually being replaced with PETG due to ABS printing complications, environment restrictions, enclosure requirements, warping, and other print deformities. We generally suggest the use of PETG in place of ABS due to reduced printing cost and better quality.
Nylon
Nylon benefits from a high strength to flexibility ratio while being resistant to heat, shock, and wear. Nylon is a versatile industrial application filament, however, is hygroscopic and should avoid application in excessive moisture environments.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate filament boasts extremely high strength and temperature resistance. Carbon Fiber filed Polycarbonate filament is among the strongest FDM printing material available.
Material Filled (Wood / Metal / Carbon Fiber)
All materials listed above are available with material filled filaments (wood, metal, carbon fiber) which add characteristics such as weight, strength, resistance, and feel.
Quality
Enviornment
FDM Material is sensitive to environmental conditions, most notably temperature and humidity as they directly affect print quality and long-term filament quality. Filament which retains moisture or stored / printed under adverse temperatures may suffer several quality issues such as cracking, lack of adhesion, unwanted holes, bubbles, and inconsistent extrusion thickness.
Our FDM materials are dehumidified, before and after being stored, and kept in vacuum containers and bags under ideal temperatures.
Hardware
3D printers and associated hardware come in a large variety of prices, quality, and ability. We have a variety of printer types including precision cartesian coordinate and high-speed delta (polar coordinate) printers which are capable of high precision prints, with a variety of filaments (including abrasives), a large range of layer heights, and decent overall sizes.
Settings
Every print is unique and should have settings specific to its requirements such as structural stability, expected forces (linear and torsional), quality, print time, associated costs, threading, and part assembly. Settings such as the infill, print speed, nozzle temperature, and supports shall be considered for each unique print.
Post Production
Sanding
Sanding provides a smoother surface and is an effective method to eliminate support scarring, blend layer lines, and prepare the print for painting. FDM prints should be “wet” sanded and on a scale approaching finer grades (coarse to smooth). Sanding will dull the surface of the print and is typically painted afterwards for a smooth, colored surface. Sanding typically requires significantly more time than a resin coating.
Resin Coating
FDM prints may have a resin coating applied to the outer perimeter designed to fill in printer gaps, layer lines, smooth surface, and create a shine. prints are typically not sanded before applying a resin coating due to the new resin surface, however, may be sanded afterwards to dull the shine if desired. Resin coated prints typically hold paint well.
Painting
FDM prints may be painted, however, must be prepared beforehand either through sanding or a resin coating for best results. Painting without prepping the surface will result in less color saturation and visible layer lines. We recommend a resin coating before painting to reduce labor costs of sanding.