Ultimaker guide

Introduction
 to FFF
 3D printing
 Introduction

3D printing is an ideal technology for creating both prototypes and end-use parts.
As with any manufacturing process, it’s important to understand design requirements that
will leverage the technology effectively. Even small changes to your designs can result in
stronger prints, less material wastage, and reduced print time, labor, and costs.

This guide is written for people who are familiar with CAD and CAM processes.
It explains basic design considerations for fused filament fabrication (or FFF) 3D printing –
the technology used by Ultimaker 3D printers. Best practices are also covered,
detailing how to reduce print time and margins of error.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Introduction

2
 FFF basics

FFF is an additive manufacturing technology that builds an object layer by layer from bottom
to top. It achieves this by extruding thin layers of material (usually a thermoplastic) on top of
one another until the part is completed.

FFF can be used to create robust models and production parts using engineering-grade
thermoplastics. Because parts are printed layer by layer, FFF offers greater design
freedom. Unlike traditional manufacturing techniques, 3D printing enables large overhangs,
undercuts, and interlocking parts. When designing for FFF, it is important to remember
that material cannot be deposited onto air. Every layer must be printed on top of
underlying material.

After designing your part in CAD software, you’ll need to load your design into slicing
software that prepares parts for 3D printing. Ultimaker Cura is an example of slicing
software, and provides a user-friendly, hassle-free 3D printing experience, thanks to
optimized, expert-tested profiles for 3D printers and materials. Ultimaker Cura is also able to
streamline the CAD and CAM workflow by integrating with industry-standard CAD software,
for maximum efficiency.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - FFF basics

3
 Reducing warping

When plastics are printed, they expand slightly due to heating, then contract as they cool
down. If material contracts too much while cooling, it causes the print to deform or curl up
from the build plate, known as warping. To limit this, you can adapt your design using CAD
software, or alter setting in your slicing software.

Selecting specific material profiles

Thermoplastics are proven FFF materials, and offer various useful properties. However, some
materials shrink more than others. Each material also carries different properties that may
affect the adhesion to the build plate, which is crucial to prevent warping. For example, PC has
a higher shrinkage than PLA, which means it’s more likely to warp during the printing process.

Ultimaker Cura includes preconfigured material profiles for each Ultimaker material.
Over 400 individual slicing settings are optimized to account for common print faults, such as
warping, under-extrusion, delamination, pillowing, and others. Material profiles automatically
select the ideal adhesion method per material. Hardware considerations, such as fan speed
and build temperature are adjusted in order to achieve the most reliable results. Each profile
represents hundreds of hours of testing by material engineers at Ultimaker.

Adapting your design for printing

Minor design adjustments can make a significant difference to how well a part will print.
Large flat areas, or sharp corners are more likely to warp. Adding design features such as
ribs, chamfers, gussets, rounded corners, or fillets are able to reduce the chance of warping
when a part is printed.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Reducing warping

Useful design features for FFF 4

 Changing the orientation of the part during preparation so that the bottom has less surface
area, or fewer sharp edges, will make the part print more reliably. This will be more
noticeable with objects that have larger surfaces and sharp edges. Part orientation can
dramatically change the part’s strength and will be discussed in more detail further on.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Reducing warping

5
 Adding support

With FFF 3D printing, steep overhangs or complex geometries are impossible to print
without using support material. Overhangs are areas of a print that are either partially
supported by the layer below, or not supported at all. There is a limit to how much of an
overhang the printer can produce without requiring support material. For FFF this angle
is approximately 45 degrees.

0˚ 15˚
30˚
45˚ < 45˚ Support needed
60˚

75˚

90˚

Ultimaker Cura is able to detect areas of the model which need support material,
and generate it automatically. When printing is complete, support material can be removed
during post-processing.

Water-soluble material, such as Ultimaker PVA, does not require any harsh chemicals for
post-processing – it can be dissolved in regular tap water. As the material is biodegradable,
dissolved material is safe to be disposed of down the drain, provided the water distribution
network is connected to a wastewater treatment plant.

Ultimaker Breakaway is another type of support material for designs with flat overhangs
and water-sensitive build materials. It prints with reliable adhesion to the build material,
and is easy to remove after the print is finished.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Adding support

Using support material efficiently

Using support material will extend print and post-processing time, and use extra material.
It is beneficial to adjust the orientation of the part during preparation so that it uses the
least amount of support material. Ultimaker Cura is compatible with a plugin that is able to
calculate the optimal orientation for your print, to use support material efficiently.

Using water-soluble support material such as Ultimaker PVA will leave an unmarked surface
on the final part. In addition, water-soluble material can extend the capabilities of FFF,
allowing nested and moving parts to be fabricated in a single print.

6
 This part is being prepared in Ultimaker Cura. It uses a brim for adhesion and water-soluble support material.
Ultimaker Cura can automatically generate these structures in areas where they are needed

Modular design
To reduce the number of support structures, it is possible to design a part as separate
pieces in CAD software, which can be assembled at a later stage. Modular design is also
beneficial when you want to:

¥¥ Create parts that exceed the printer’s build volume

¥¥ Print fragile parts in another orientation, to produce a stronger part
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Adding support

To reduce print time, multiple 3D printers can simultaneously create a part of an overall
assembly. This is faster than printing parts sequentially on a single printer. Cura Connect
is a user-friendly platform that can manage multiple Ultimaker 3D printers from a single
interface. It is easy to add more printers as needed, for scaled-up production.

7
 Printing smaller parts

It is possible to print very small parts and structures with FFF, but there is a limit to how
small or narrow you can go. For example, printing thin walls can cause the following issues:

¥¥ Material is likely to bend and buckle before it can cool, resulting in warping
¥¥ There is a risk of delamination, as it is difficult for the printer to deposit a new
layer onto the existing body
¥¥ Due to the part’s fragility, removing it from the build plate and post-processing
can be problematic

Minimum wall thickness

The recommended minimum thickness of unsupported walls is 1.2 mm. Walls designed
at less than 1.2 mm may become distorted or detach from the model during printing.
For supported walls (walls connected with at least two other walls), the recommended
minimum thickness should be 0.8 mm.

In general, the wall thickness should be a multiple of the nozzle size. Wall strength also
depends on the type of filament, layer thickness, and the wall’s size and geometry.
Support features integrated into the design of the part (e.g. ribs) can help to increase stability.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Printing smaller parts

8
 Fillets for stronger prints

Some structures need to be printed with supports, but adding supports to a design can
slow down the print process dramatically. To avoid this, fillets are an efficient option that
increase the surface area at the point where one structural feature merges with another.
Not only does this reduce stress on the feature during printing, but it also adds extra
strength to the part.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Fillets for stronger prints

9
 Printing holes and cylinders

Due to the FFF process and the material used, printed hole diameters can be undersized.
When tight tolerances are required (for example, to connect separate parts), it is beneficial
to either design slightly larger holes, or to enlarge holes later by machining them as
part of post-processing.

Ultimaker Tough PLA is a machinable material that has the toughness of ABS and reliability
of PLA, and is well-suited to handle most post-processing methods.

¥¥ For holes up to 10 mm in diameter, a good rule is to add 2-4% tolerance,

with a smaller percentage for larger diameters
¥¥ The recommended minimum hole diameter is 2.0 mm. The deeper the hole,
the higher the minimum value should be
¥¥ Keep in mind that a hole can always be enlarged, but can’t be made smaller
¥¥ Holes which are oriented to face up or down will print more accurately
¥¥ Holes with a smaller diameter may close over or deform during printing

Use ACME threads

Screws are special kinds of cylinders. When designing screw threads, avoid sharp edges
and 90-degree angles, as they can create ‘stress areas’ in plastic parts. ACME threads work
well with FFF. Their screw thread profile has trapezoidal outlines, is easy to manufacture,
and offers high strength.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Printing holes and cylinders

¥¥ The recommended minimum size for the thread is 0.8 mm. Small threads produced with
FFF won’t work with holes smaller than 3 mm

10
 Part orientation

Your printer’s build volume limits the maximum part size. You may want to adjust a part’s
orientation to make it fit on the build plate, or to reduce support material. For example,
the Ultimaker S5 has a volume of 330 x 240 x 300 mm. To print a part with a base of
300 x 300 mm, you’ll need to alter the orientation of the part.

Designers sometimes overlook the important role orientation plays in the final quality
of the printed part. Part orientation impacts print accuracy, manufacturing time, strength,
and the quality of the surface finish.

To illustrate the point – let’s say we print two tubes. The first has a vertical center axis.
A 3D printer would construct this tube as a series of circles layered on top of one another,
resulting in a cylinder with a smooth outer surface. If the same tube is oriented horizontally,
it will be produced as a series of rectangles with different widths, layered on top of each
other. This would produce a tube with a less-smooth surface, and the surface touching
the build plate would have a flat edge, unless it was printed using water-soluble support
material such as Ultimaker PVA.
Introduction to FFF 3D printing - Part orientation

Part orientation affects the reliability and quality of the print

Part orientation has an impact on:

¥¥ Surface quality
¥¥ Strength (FFF printed parts are stronger in the XY direction than in the Z direction)
¥¥ Print time (more layers can affect print duration)
¥¥ Required support material (which affects print time and cost) 11
 More information about FFF 3D printing

This brief guide covers a few of the design and preparation considerations that will help
you to produce better 3D prints. Equipped with the correct knowledge, you will be able to
streamline your design processes and leverage this powerful technology to its full potential.

Explore more 3D printing knowledge

Learn more from industry leaders and experts, and compare the specs of
our 3D printers, on the Ultimaker website.

Download Ultimaker Cura

Introduction to FFF 3D printing - More information about FFF 3D printing

Read more 3D printing resources Compare Ultimaker 3D printers

12
About Ultimaker

Ultimaker has been in operation since 2011, and over the years has grown to become a
market-leader; creating powerful, professional, and accessible desktop 3D printers with offices
in the Netherlands, New York, and Boston, plus production facilities in Europe and the US.
Ultimaker’s team of over 300 employees continually strives to offer the highest-quality 3D
printers, software, and materials on the market to accelerate the world’s transition to local
digital manufacturing.

General inquiries: info@ultimaker.com

Find a local reseller: ultimaker.com/en/resellers