Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Technology

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), is an additive manufacturing
process that belongs to the material extrusion family. In FDM, an object is built by selectively depositing
melted material in a pre-determined path layer-by-layer. The materials used are thermoplastic polymers
and come in a filament form.

Main Components of FDM 3D Printer

Z Resolution – Layer thickness

Layer thickness is the minimum thickness of a layer that a printer can lay down in a single pass. The
smaller the number – smoother and more detailed the print is, but the process will be slower. Most FDM
3D printers work with layer thickness of 0.1mm to 0.3mm, but are able to create layers thinner than 100
microns (0.1mm).

100 microns = 0.1mm = 0.00394inches

Build Area
Build area is the maximum size of an object that you can create with the 3D printer. It’s measured in XYZ
dimension. For example 8 inch wide (X) by 8 inch deep (Y) by 10 inch high – 8x8x10 inches. More
complicated or bigger print jobs can be split into smaller parts than can be combined afterwards.

Filament Diameter
Most FDM 3D Printers work with 1.75mm or 3mm filament diameter. The trend is 1.75mm, but few of
the most popular manufacturers stick with 3mm. Machines with Bolden Extruder setup work better using
1.75mm and 3D printers with Direct Drive mostly use 3mm. There are exceptions from that principle.
Some people simply prefer one over the other. Or in case you own a few different brands of FDM 3D
printers it’s more practical if you stick to only one kind of filament size.

Hot End
The Hot End is one of the, if not, the most important part of the 3D printer. This is where the plastic is
melted and extruded in a little tiny layers. There are many different types of Hot Ends available on the
market today.
What’s important in a hot end?
 Maximum printing temperature
 Nozzle size and options to change it
 Active cooling

PEEK Based Hot Ends – max temperature 230°C

While the old hot ends (PEEK based) were able to print only with one or two materials, the new ones
today can be used with variety of thermoplastics. PEEK based hot ends used to jam a lot if not maintained
properly and the maximum temperature limit was about 230°C.

All Metal Hot Ends – max temperature 320°C

Prints with all materials available –

While some great materials extrude at 230°C or less, the most strong and durable materials for 3D
printing (like Nylon, PET and Polycarbonate) extrude at temperature above 240°C

Cleaner prints –
The Hexagon all metal hot end has active cooling in order to isolate the melt zone. A smaller melt zone
means more control. Therefore cleaner retraction and less oozing that results in overall better print
quality.

Easy to maintain (almost jam free) –

Fewer parts and smaller size make it almost jam free and easier to clean. Thus the focus is on printing, not
on repairing. Very little maintenance is required – mainly when changing between different kinds of
filament.

Nozzle
The Nozzle is the tip of the Hot End where the plastics comes out. It needs to be exchangeable when
needed. The nozzle size is really important. It usually varies from 0.25mm to 0.75mm. The most common
size is 0.5mm. The best practice is to change the nozzle sizes depending on your design and desired
results.

Nozzle of different sizes

Smaller Nozzle Size:
Smoother finish –
Smaller nozzle means thinner lines extruded and smaller layer height that will result in a smoother and
better looking part overall.

More ridge parts –

Theoretically more and thinner lines resulting in more layers will make them bond stronger than a bigger
nozzle, which produces fewer layers. Practically that is not always the case.

More accurate prints –

In general accuracy will depend mainly on your 3D printer calibration and the settings of your
slicing software. But with a smaller nozzle size you should be able to get closer to the perfect dimensions
of your model.

Bigger Nozzle Size:

Faster printing –
Bigger nozzle will result in thicker strings and will reduce the number of layers. Therefore the 3D printer
will make less movements and 3D printing time will decrease dramatically.

Better first layer adhesion –

Because of the thicker strings (bigger extrusion width) there is more surface area for the plastic to stick to
the bed for the rest layer.

Less supports (in some cases) –

Bigger nozzles can handle overhangs better than smaller nozzle sizes because the ratio between the layer
height and the extrusion width is greater. But this will depend on your layer height, where the previous
layer has greater surface area to support the next layer.

Better reliability –
Theoretically there should be no difference, but practically there is! Bigger nozzle means faster 3D
printing and more room for error, thus the success rate is higher. For example the filaments diameter has
some variations and with a smaller nozzle this could cause a over-extrusion that will cause a jamming
problem or under-extrusion that will weaken the bond between layers which is extremely important for
parts where structural integrity is our main priority.

Extruder
The Extruder is the part that feeds the filament to the hot end. There are two different types of extruders
available. It’s an outgoing conversation which one is better. Like most things some people prefer one
over the other!

Extruder
Direct
When the filament is fed directly to the Hot End from the motor spindle. With this mechanism the
Extruder is mounted on top of the hot end. It allows finer control over the extrusion and is easier to work
with.

Bowden
When the filament is fed form a certain distance to the Hot End (the extruder is physically separated from
the hot end). The difference is that the filament has to travel a distance until it reaches the hot end through
a tube. This type of mechanism reduces weight and allows for faster movement and less vibrations. In
theory should produce more accurate prints in higher speed because there is less moment to overcome
when changing direction. It’s harder to print certain filaments like Flexible. Due to the distance it’s
oozing more, because the retraction is not as effective. Bowden extruders require better extrusion and
retraction calibration.

Cooling Fan
The cooling fan plays a really important role in the 3D printing process and it’s a must have feature. Not
all 3D printing materials require active cooling, but it’s truly beneficial for most 3D prints. Some
machines use only one fan, where others can have up to 3. The cooling fan will dramatically improve
overhanging features, will crisp the sharp edges, and will result in good bridging capabilities.

Something important to understand here is that not all cooling fans are created equal. Some machines use
a 25mm, others – 40mm. Some fans are designed to blow at the mid hot end area, some are focused at the
tip of the nozzle and some have a different shaped duct

Heated Bed
A heated bed is required for all high temperature extrusion filaments like ABS, HIPS, Polycarbonate,
Nylon and it is very beneficial for almost all the materials. It will keep the plastic warm during the
printing process and prevent it from warping. Also it will ensure a better adhesion between the layers,
which will result in a better structural integrity of the printed parts. Heated Bed is crucial for the first layer
to ensure a good level foundation. The temperature usually will be between 40°C to 110°C and it’s not a
finger friendly zone!

Unheated beds can work only with PLA based plastics and TPUs , which has a lesser tendency to warp
during cooling. Usually the bed is covered with PEI, PET or Painters blue tape to which the material
adheres.

Print Bed Surface

Blue tape (painters tape) –
Works well with PLA and Ninja Flex. It’s outdated and better alternatives are available.

PET 3M tape –
Works way better than Blue tape, a GOO GLUE has to be applied in order for the prints to stick. (GOO
GLUE – IS A SOLVENT OF ACETONE AND ABS PLASTIC). PET tape is easy to replace and is
cheaper compared to other alternatives.
PEI 3M tape –
Works great with the most common materials, no need for solvents and glue. Has a longer life span than
most print surfaces available. It’s relatively expensive compared to other alternatives. PEI tapes is really
easy to maintain – clean it with rubber alcohol or simply apply PVA “school” glue to it and it will get the
job done!

LCD Display
The LCD Display controller allows you to 3D print without the need of a computer connected or using a
software host such as Cura. It needs a SD card to read the G-code instructions. The display allows more
efficient space usage and frees up your computer for other tasks. It’s perfect for day-to-day printing and
will be used in the majority of your print jobs.

LCD Display

Multiple Extruder
With a multiple extruders you can print in multiple colors or materials simultaneously by assigning each
extruder specific color or material. Some printers can be upgraded from single to multiple extruders, some
can’t. The biggest benefit of multiple extruders is when you print you can set your support structures with
a different material that can be dissolved in water or some other type of solvent, depending on the
materials used!

Multiple Extruders
Characteristics of FDM

Printer Parameters
Most FDM systems allow the adjustment of several process parameters, including the temperature of both
the nozzle and the build platform, the build speed, the layer height and the speed of the cooling fan. These
are generally set by the operator, so they should be of little concern to the designer.

What is important from a designer's perspective is build size and layer height:

Build Size
The available build size of a desktop 3D printer is commonly 200 x 200 x 200 mm, while for industrial
machines this can be as big as 1000 x 1000 x 1000 mm.

Layer Height
The typical layer height used in FDM varies between 50 and 400 microns and can be determined upon
placing an order. A smaller layer height produces smoother parts and captures curved geometries more
accurately, while a larger height produces parts faster and at a lower cost. A layer height of 200 microns
is most commonly used.

Warping
Warping is one of the most common defects in FDM. When the extruded material cools during
solidification, its dimensions decrease. As different sections of the print cool at different rates, their
dimensions also change at different speeds. Differential cooling causes the buildup of internal stresses
that pull the underlying layer upwards, causing it to warp. From a technology standpoint, warping can be
prevented by closer monitoring of the temperature of the FDM system (e.g. of the build platform and the
chamber) and by increasing the adhesion between the part and the build platform.

The choices of the designer can also reduce the probability of warping:

Large flat areas (think of a rectangular box) are more prone to warping and should be avoided when
possible.

Thin protruding features (think of the prongs of a fork) are also prone to warping. In this case, warping
can be avoided by adding some sacrificial material at the edge of the thin feature (for example a 200
microns thick rectangle) to increase the area that touches the build platform.

Sharp corners are warping more often than rounded shapes, so adding fillets to your design is a good
practice.

Warping
Layer Adhesion
Good adhesion between the deposited layers is very important for an FDM part. When the molten
thermoplastic is extruded through the nozzle, it is pressed against the previous layer. The high
temperature and the pressure re-melts the surface of the previous layer and enables the bonding of the
new layer with the previously printed part.

The bond strength between the different layers is always lower than the base strength of the material. This
means that FDM parts are inherently anisotropic: their strength in the Z-axis is always smaller than their
strength in the XY-plane. For this reason, it is important to keep part orientation mind when designing
parts for FDM.

Schematic of the FDM layer-by-layer construction

coconstructiconstruction

Support Structure
Support structure is essential for creating geometries with overhangs in FDM. The melted thermoplastic
cannot be deposited on thin air. For this reason, some geometries require support structure. Printing on
dissolvable supports improves significantly the surface quality of the part, but increases the overall cost of
a print, as specialist machine (with dual extrusion) are required and because the cost of the dissolvable
material is relatively high.

Infill & Shell Thickness

FDM parts are usually not printed solid to reduce the print time and save material. Instead, the outer
perimeter is traced using several passes, called the shell, and the interior is filled with an internal, low-
density structure, called the infill. Infill and shell thickness affect greatly the strength of a part.

The internal geometry of FDM prints with different infill density

Common FDM Materials
One of the key strengths of FDM is the wide range of available materials. These can range from
commodity thermoplastics (such as PLA and ABS) to engineering materials (such as PA, TPU, and
PETG) and high-performance thermoplastics (such as PEEK and PEI).

The material used will affect the mechanical properties and accuracy of the printed part, but also its price.
The most common FDM materials are summarized in the table below.
Material Properties
Nozzle Diameter
Choosing the optimum nozzle diameter is very important, not only in terms of accuracy but also in terms
of the extrusion time. The nozzle diameter is in the range from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm . The 0.3 mm diameter
nozzle has been suggested as the optimum value for extruding PLA material in consideration of the
extrusion time. This effect is shown in the formula for calculating the extrusion time as follows

In which V is the volume of the printed part (mm 3 ), d is the nozzle diameter (mm), f refers to the
filament feed rate (mm/s) and l is the total layer thickness (mm).

Nozzle selection
Nozzle are selected on the bases of two factors

Nozzle size

Larger Nozzles (>0.4mm)

High strength

Reduced print time

Fewer nozzle-related print errors.

Smaller Nozzles (<0.4mm)

High precision

Clogs often

Higher quality overhangs

Supports are easier to remove.

3D Printer Nozzle material

Brass (Non-abrasive materials only)

Stainless steel (Light use with abrasive material)

Hardened steel (Heavy use with abrasive material)

Ruby Tipped (Heavy use with abrasive material).