Introduction to FDM

FDM or Fused Deposition Modeling is a style of 3D printing where molten plastic is placed down by a hot extruder. The molten plastic is placed in layered shaped to create 3D shapes.

Untitled

The Sherman Center Maker Space has three Original Prusa 3D printers which use this style of 3D printing.

Untitled

Advantages:

  1. Fast turn around time for iterating on a design.
  2. Simple to use and post process
  3. Large range of material options

Drawbacks:

  1. FDM printed parts are not isotropic. This means that the material does not have the same strength in all directions. Because each layer is placed on top of one another, the Z-axis breaks more easily.
  2. Overhangs don't print cleanly. Because the extruder relies on material below the current layer to print, if there is an overhand in your print, it doesn't come out cleanly. Support material can be added, but the surface finish and dimensional accuracy is not as good as normal features.
  3. Small features don't print well. The hot end of the printer often makes small features melt and deform.
  4. Large/flat parts warp. Depending on material choice, large and particularly flat parts can warp and pop off of the print bed.

Part Design:

To understand how to design parts for FDM printing, visit Designing Parts for FDM 3D Printing

Slicing Parts for Printing:

NOTE: Before you print anything, make sure you have passed the required 3D printer training.

Installation and Setup: