Frequently Asked Questions

3D printing is a broad term which refers to the additive manufacturing process of creating an object "one layer at a time." There are several types of 3D printing. The most common and affordable type of 3D printing is "FDM" which stands for Fused Deposition Modeling. This method uses a heated extruder with a small nozzle typically between 0.10mm and 0.80mm. Plastic filament is fed through this heated extruder at temperatures between 180C and 300C and is deposited onto a build plate at layer heights of between 0.05mm and 0.40mm. Each layer is fused together by the molten plastic. FDM was discovered and invented by Scott Crump in 1988 when he used a hot glue gun to try to create a model frog for his daughter layer by layer. Although FDM is the most common method of 3D printing method today, it is not the first method of 3D printing invented. "SLA" or  Stereolithography was the first 3D printing technology, invented by Chuck Hull in 1983. SLA uses a laser which shines onto a build plate submerged in liquid resin to trigger local chemical reactions in the photochemical resin which causes chemical monomers and oligomers to cross-link together to form polymers. This method is still not very widely used but is becoming more popular and can create extremely precise parts compared to FDM 3D printing. The main other method of 3D printing is "SLS" or Selective Laser Sintering which uses a high power laser to fuse together powdered metal. This is the most expensive method of 3D printing but if done correctly can create functional metal parts that can be just as strong as cast parts. This method of 3D printing was invented by Carl Deckard in 1987. 

Some of the advantages of 3D printing include the ability to create complex designs, rapid prototyping, and the ability to customize products. It also reduces waste and can be more cost-effective than traditional manufacturing methods for one-off items.

The main disadvantages of 3D printing are related to bulk manufacturing. When needing to produce hundreds or thousands of duplicate parts quickly, 3D printing is not a practical way to do this compared to injection molding, blow molding, or thermoforming.

There are several base materials and hundreds of variations of each material on the market. Our favorite functional materials include: ABS, ASA, PETG, PC, PLA, PP, Nylon, and TPU. You can find more information regarding each material in our Materials section.