3D Printing with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) — How Does it Work?
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), sometimes referred to as Fused Filament Fabrication, is well known among the masses. This is the 3D printing technique often used in home printers. However, it’s capable of much more than that.
Within the industrial market, FDM offers quality prints without long lead times that retain mechanical properties over time. Parts made with FDM can contain just about any geometry you can think of and are durable, thanks to the impressive materials available for the technology. It’s a stable 3D printing option, meaning that manufacturers can expect reliable repeatability of high-quality parts.
For these reasons, demanding industries such as aerospace and automotive rely on FDM for their applications. It’s a great fit for jigs, housings, covers, and prototypes in engineering plastics.
Want to learn more about Fused Deposition Modeling? Browse our technology page to find all of the details on the materials, finishing degrees, and design guidelines when using this 3D printing technology: https://mtls.am/3D551kP
Let’s take a closer look at the eight material options we offer at Materialise:
ABS, which stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, provides high durability and fine feature detail — https://mtls.am/3eFcs8L
ABS-ESD7 is a durable and electrostatic-dissipative material suitable for applications where static charge could impair performance — https://mtls.am/3D55rrp
PC, polycarbonate, has excellent impact strength and temperature resistance — https://mtls.am/3ToSYUA
PC-ABS is a blend of PC and ABS plastic. It offers high impact strength and thermal resistance — https://mtls.am/3ePDWIK
Ultem 9085 is strong, lightweight, and flame-retardant. It has superior mechanical performance and strength-to-weight ratio — https://mtls.am/3yPmpYg
ABSi is an ABS-type thermoplastic with high impact strength. This material is stiffer and more durable than standard ABS and appears translucent — https://mtls.am/3VzAEdv
ABS-M30 is 25-75% stronger than standard ABS with higher durability. ABS-M30 parts are smoother with finer feature details — https://mtls.am/3TBmg2C
ABS-M30i is similar to ABS-M30, but it’s additionally biocompatible in its raw state and complies with ISO 10993 — https://mtls.am/3SdwvZC
Plus, discover some case studies where we turned to FDM to create reliable applications.
Airbus relies on FDM for its certified processes, speed, and light weight: https://mtls.am/3DbeRld
The Wakati climate-controlled unit prototypes were printed in FDM for its cost-effectiveness and functionality: https://mtls.am/3ETFpIX