3D Printing - FDM

FDM (Fused-deposition modeling) or FFF (Fused filament fabrication) are two synonymous terms for the most common method of 3D printing available on the market today. These take a plastic filament and extrude it through a hot end to build thin layers of a design repeatedly until the full object is completed.

There are a variety of plastics available for the process, the most commonly used being PLA. It’s an easy to work with material and comes in a wide variety of colors. Other types like PETG, ASA, and Flex have their own mechanical properties that may make them better suited for different projects.

There are other kinds of 3D printing, such as SLA Printing that uses a liquid resin isntead of filament, but FDM is the most common available.

Some of the most common brands of FDM printers today are:

• Anycubic
• Bambu
• Creality
• Prusa
• Ultimaker

Printers typically come in one of two options, as a kit or semi to fully assembled. As a kit, it is up to the owner to put together the entire printer on their own. This method usually saves the owner a good chunk of money. If you order one assembled, then it comes fully put together and ready to go, but you’ll pay for it. Some printers come semi-assembled where you only have to attach a few larger assemblies together to get the finished printer.