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3D printing is a flexible, efficient and profitable approach to production, but it requires more than a printer and filament. Between storage, ventilation, handling materials and equipment configurations, your 3D printing budget must accommodate additional items, especially if you plan to utilize a 3D printer’s exceptional versatility.Before you explore the world of 3D printing, you’ll need a thorough understanding of the process and all the 3D printing supplies you might need.
Some 3D printers use a laser to cure liquid resin into hardened plastic, others fuse small particles of polymer powder at high temperatures to build parts. Most 3D printers can run unattended until the print is complete, and modern systems automatically refill the material required for the parts from cartridges.
Fused deposition modeling (FDM), also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF), is the most widely used type of 3D printing at the consumer level. FDM 3D printers work by extruding thermoplastic filaments, such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), PLA (Polylactic Acid), through a heated nozzle, melting the material and applying the plastic layer by layer to a build platform. Each layer is laid down one at a time until the part is complete.
FDM 3D printers are well-suited for basic proof-of-concept models, as well as quick and low-cost prototyping of simple parts, such as parts that might typically be machined.
Fused deposition modeling is one of the most well-known 3D printing types. It works by pushing a plastic filament through a heated nozzle. The molten plastic is then placed down layer by layer until the part is complete. There are many different 3D filament types available – from solid thermoplastics to flexible thermoplastic elastomers.
By harnessing the power of automation, manufacturers can produce goods at a faster rate with lower production costs and fewer errors. The result is greater profitability and higher productivity, which in turn facilitate faster business growth. Manufacturing software can also improve customer satisfaction, as it ensures products are manufactured quickly enough to match consumer demand without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is an extrusion process where the object is built by depositing melted material layer-by-layer. The plastics used correspond to the same thermoplastics that can be found in conventional manufacturing processes, like ABS and Nylon.