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Fused Deposition Modeling

FDM 3D Printing – Simply Explained

by Emmett Grames
Sep 9, 2020

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CONTENTS
Fused Deposition Modeling: An Introduction Advantages and Disadvantages
Variations in Design and Capability

What exactly is FDM 3D printing? We simply explain how it works as

well as cover the advantages and disadvantages.

FDM 3D PRINTING – SIMPLY EXPLAINED

Fused Deposition Modeling: An

Introduction
 A diagram illustrating FDM 3D printing. Source: Emmett Grames / All3DP

Fused deposition modeling, or FDM 3D Printing, is a method of additive

manufacturing where layers of materials are fused together in a pattern to create an
object. The material is usually melted just past its glass transition temperature, and
then extruded in a pattern next to or on top of previous extrusions, creating an object
layer by layer.

In layman’s terms, a typical FDM 3D printer takes a plastic lament and squeezes it
through a hot end, melting it and then depositing it in layers on the print bed. These
layers are fused together, building up throughout the print, and eventually they will form
the nished part.

FDM is the same as fused lament fabrication (FFF), but the term “fused deposition
modeling” and the abbreviated “FDM” were trademarked by Stratasys in 1991, creating
the need for a second name.

Many types of materials can be used with FDM techniques, including the most
common thermoplastics, chocolate, pastes, and even “exotic” materials like metal- or
wood-infused thermoplastic.

Widely accepted as the simplest way to achieve 3D printing, FDM is cheap and fairly
e cient. FDM 3D printers dominate the 3D printing market, almost drowning out more
expensive methods. For a list of all 10 methods of 3D printing, take a look at this
article, and to nd the best 3D printers available today, have a look at this curated list.

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FDM 3D PRINTING – SIMPLY EXPLAINED

Variations in Design and Capability

A diagram of Cartesian and delta designs. Source: SciELO

Variations in the extrusion system of fused deposition modeling 3D printers include,
but are not limited to:

• Filament extruders, the most common and versatile variation which utilizes reels
of thermoplastic lament
• Pellet extruders, exchanging the lament for granules of plastic
• Chocolate extruders (whoopee!)
• Paste extruders, where any paste can be extruded. Common uses are with
ceramics and food. Paste extrusion is sometimes left in its own category, as the
paste is not necessarily a thermoplastic material.

The common theme with all of these variations is that a substance is being extruded
through a nozzle onto a build plate and/or fusing through heat or material adhesion to
a previous layer in speci c patterns to create a shape, which is the basis of an FDM 3D
printer.

Other variations in FDM 3D printing include the systems of movement for all 3 axes on
a printer. The two main variations are Cartesian 3D printers — like the RepRap/Prusa
i3 or the CoreXY designs — and delta 3D printers. Each has advantages over the
others, but they all use the same general method of printing. For a comparison of
designs, see this article.

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 FDM 3D PRINTING – SIMPLY EXPLAINED

Advantages and Disadvantages

A simple part printed using various methods. Source: 3D Hubs

FDM offers a number of advantages over other 3D printing methods, but it also has
some downsides.

Pros

One of the biggest advantages of FDM 3D printing is scalability: It can be easily scaled
to any size. This is because the only constraint in the size of a build area is the
movement of each gantry – make the gantry rails longer and the build area can be
made larger. Of course, there are a few minor issues, and at a certain point the cost is
no longer offset by the bene ts, but no other printer design is capable of being scaled
as easily with as few issues as FDM.
Get it 3D printed for the… Learn More
PRO
One of the more obvious bene ts of having an easily-scalable design is the cost-to-
size ratio. FDM printers are continually being made bigger and less expensive, due to
low part costs and the simple designs involved. Other styles of printer cost many
times more per unit area of build volume, simply because they are di cult to scale up
and the key components are still quite expensive. Check out this article for a list of the
best cheap FDM machines.

Another advantage is material exibility. On any FDM printer, a wide variety of

thermoplastic materials and exotic laments can be printed with relatively few
upgrades and modi cations, something that cannot be said of other styles where a
material must be a resin or ne powder.

Cons

One of the most often referenced downsides of FDM 3D printing is part

quality or detail. Because the material must be extruded in layers, and has a certain
thickness prede ned by the nozzle, high detail prints are hard to achieve and often
require lots of post-processing to acquire a professional, nished look. Another
downside of the layers in FDM printing is that they create and inherent weak point in
the print where each layer is joined, making prints less sturdy and unsuitable for
certain applications.

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License: The text of "FDM 3D Printing – Simply Explained" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License.

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