What Is FFF 3D Printing? - Ultimaker

FFF 3D printing, or fused filament fabrication, is an additive manufacturing (AM) process in which thermoplastic material is pushed through a ... UltimakerWhatisFFF?:Fusedfilamentfabricationtechnologyfor3DprintingWhatisFFF3Dprinting?Anintroductionto'fusedfilamentfabrication'technologyFFF3Dprinting,orfusedfilamentfabrication,isanadditivemanufacturing(AM)processinwhichthermoplasticmaterialispushedthroughaheatednozzletocreateobjectslayerbylayer.WhatIsFFF3DPrinting?Whileithasitsoriginsasaproprietarymanufacturingtechnologyfromthe1980s,desktopFFFreallytookoffjustover10yearsagowhenpatentsexpiredandprojectsliketheopen-sourceRepRapinitiativeledtogreaterinnovationandaffordability.Today,FFFtechnologyistypicallyalower-costsolutioncomparedtoother3Dprintingprocesses,bothintermsofinitialinvestmentandrunningcosts.It’salsorenownedforbeingeasytounderstandanduse–makingitidealforbusyengineersandelementaryschoolkidsalike.Butithasprovensoreliable,accurate,andcapableofproducingrobustpartsovertheyearsthatmostoftheworld’sleadingmanufacturing,design,andeducationorganizationsnowuseittodriveinnovation.TheFFF3DprintingprocessFFF3DprintingusesLet’slookmorecloselyattheapplicationsofFFF3Dprinting:Manufacturing.Withfasterleadtimesthanoutsourcingandawiderangeofengineeringmaterials,FFF3Dprintingisusedwidelyinmanufacturingindustries.3Dprintersdeliverrapidtoolingandreplacementpartstomaintainmaximumuptimeandproductivityontheproductionline.Andtheyareusedtoflexiblycreateend-useparts,suchasbespokequalitygaugesorsmallbatchfirstruns,tospeeduptimetomarketofaproductPrototyping.Low-costmaterialsandshortprinttimesmakeFFF3Dprintingidealfortheiterativedesignprocess.3DprintedprototypescanbeusedtovisualiseconceptsorfunctionallytesttechnicalpartsEducation.Affordableandeasy-to-useFFFhardwareenablesavarietyofeducationapplications–fromengagingyoungerstudentswithSTEAMbasicstoprovidingproductionlabsforcollegeanduniversitystudentstoworkonengineeringprojectsanddevelopskillsforthemodernworkplaceFordsavedroughly$1,000pertoolbydeveloping3DprintedmanufacturingaidsusingUltimakerprintersLearnmoreabouttherangeof3DprintingapplicationsandhowexperiencedAMengineersidentifytheminthisepisodeoftheTalkingAdditivepodcast.FFFmaterialsPlasticpolymersarethemostusedmaterialsforFFFtechnology,ofwhichtherearemanyforcountlessuses.Compositesthatcombineapolymerwithfibersofcarbon,metal,glass,orothermaterialsarealsowidelyusedforvariousstructuralbenefits,althoughthesecannotbeprintedreliablyonallFFF3Dprinters.Technicallyitisalsopossibletoprintfoodandbiologicalpastesusing3Dprintingtechnology,althoughthisistypicallyreservedforexperimentalorresearchapplications.AnotherimportantcategoryofmaterialforFFFprintersisknownas“support”material.Thisisneededwhentheorientationorshapeofapartmakesitimpossibletoprintfrombottomtotop–forexample,apartwithalargeoverhang.Supportmaterialsaredesignedtobeeasytoremove.MaterialforFFF3Dprintersistypicallysoldasspoolsoffilament,eachcontainingfrom250gto1kgofmaterial.Some3DprinterscanprintpartswithmultiplematerialsorcolorsLoadingfilamentonanUltimakerS5ProBundleprinterIfyou’rethinkingofbuyinga3Dprinter,alwayscheckthecompatiblematerials.Forsome,youmaybelimitedtousingtwoorthreematerials.Otherprintersmayclaimtoworkwithanymaterial,butsoondeveloptechnicalissuesfromwearingcausedbyprintingabrasivecompositematerials.AndsomeFFF3Dprintersarelimitedtousingthemanufacturer’sproprietarymaterialsonly,whileothersofferanopenfilamentsystem(likeUltimaker)compatiblewiththird-partyproducts.SomeofthemostcommonFFF3DprintingpolymersarePLA(polylacticacid),whichisoftenusedasa“beginners”materialduetoitseaseofuse,andABS(acrylonitrilebutadienestyrene),whichofferssomesuperiormechanicalpropertiesandheatresistance.Butwiththousandsoffilamentsonthemarket,it’sworthdivingalittledeeperintotheirpropertiestogetanunderstandingofhowmanyapplicationsarepossiblewithahigh-qualityFFF3Dprinter.MaterialPropertiesPLA(polylacticacid)Excellentsurfacequalityanddetail.MechanicalandheatpropertiesnotsuitableforsomeapplicationsABS(acrylonitrilebutadienestyrene)Strong,ductilematerialwithwearresistanceandheattoleranceNylon(polyamide)Strongyetflexible,withgoodchemical,impact,andabrasionresistancePETG(polyethyleneterephthalateglycol-modified)Goodtoughnessandwearresistance,withchemicalresistanceagainstmanyindustrialfluids.CPE(copolyester)DurableandflexiblewithaglossyfinishandgoodimpactandheatresistancePC(polycarbonate)Strongandtoughmaterialwithheatresistanceupto110°CTPU(thermoplasticpolyurethane)Flexiblematerialwithrubber-likeproperties.ProvideshighimpactandwearresistancePP(polypropylene)Durable,tough,andfatigueresistant.Retainsshapeaftertorsion,bending,orflexingPVA(polyvinylalcohol)Water-solublematerialusedtocreatesupportsforoverhangsandcavitiesThetableabovecoversthemainpolymersyoucanprintonaprofessional3Dprinter.Wanttofindtherightcompositematerialforyour3Dprintingapplications?Watchourwebinaroncompositesfor3Dprinting.FFF3DprintersAlthoughFFF3Dprintersareallbuiltonthesameprocess,theircapabilitiesdifferalot.Oneofthebiggestdifferencescanbeinmaterialcompatibility(seethesectionabove),withthehardwarebeingespeciallyimportantindefiningwhatsortofcompositescanbeprinted.SizeisanotherkeydifferentiatorofFFF3Dprinters.Theprintablespace(whichlimitsthesizeofasingleprintorbatch)iscalledthebuildvolumeorbuildenvelope.Thiscanvaryconsiderably–from10cm(3.9inches)ofprintablespaceintheX,Y,andZdimensions,uptoaround1meter(39inches)inoneormoreofthesedimensionsinthelargestunits.Notethatastiff,stablebuildplatformaidstheFFFprocess–solargeformatprintersgenerallymeanatrade-offinquality.AnexampleofthedifferentsizesandconfigurationspossiblewithFFF3DprintersThedifferentfeaturesofaFFFprinteraretoomanytohighlightinanintroduction,soherearedefinitionsofafewofthemostimportant:Buildplateorplatform.Thesurfaceontowhichthematerialisextrudedandthencoolstoformtheprintedpart.Itistypicallymadeofglassormetal.Aprofessionalstandard3Dprintershouldofferaheatedbuildplate,whichenablesuseofmorematerialsNozzle.Thenozzleextrudesthemoltenmaterial.Itishousedintheprintheadandpositionedviaagantryoperatedbysteppermotors.Thenumberofnozzlesaprinterhaswilldeterminehowmanymaterialscanbecombinedinoneprint–typicallyoneortwo(knownassingleordoubleextrusion)Feeder.ThemechanismthatfeedsfilamentfromthespooltotheprinterDisplay.TheinterfacethroughwhichtheprinteriscontrolledConnectivity.Many3DprintersofferlocalnetworkorcloudconnectivityforremoteoperationEnvironmentcontrol.WhilesomeFFF3Dprintersarelittlemorethanopenplatforms,enclosingthebuildchamberandaddingenvironmentcontrol(suchastheUltimakerS5ProBundle)offerbothprintqualityandsafetybenefitsMaterialhandling.FilamentisloadedandstoredinmanydifferentwaysonFFF3Dprinters.Thiscanrangefrombasicprinters,wherethespoolmustsitseparately,toprofessionalsolutionsthatofferfront-loadingandautomaticallyswitchspoolswhenafilamentfinishesYoucancomparethefeaturesofUltimaker3Dprintershere.Finally,it’simportanttomentionsoftware.Unlessyouhaveallthe3DprintsyouwilleverneedsittingonaUSBstick,youwillnotbeabletodomuchwithouttherightsoftware.In3Dprinting,softwareplaystwoimportantroles.First,a“slicing”programlikeUltimakerCuraisessentialforpreparingadesignfile(suchasanSTL)forprint.Loadthefileintothissoftware,chooseyourdesiredprintsettings(suchasfastorextradetail),anditwill“slice”itintolayersthencreateafileformattheprinterunderstands.Preparingamodeltobe3DprintedusingUltimakerCurasoftwareThisprintjobcanthenbetransferredtotheprintermanually(suchasonaUSBstick)orsentremotelyoverthenetworkorcloud.Thisiswheresoftwarecanplaytheroleofsending,queuing,andtrackingtheseprintjobs.CloudsoftwaresuchastheUltimakerDigitalFactoryisenablingthenextgenerationofFFFtechnology,deliveringdistributedmanufacturingacrossmultiplelocations.Watchthisvideotoseehowonemanufacturerhascreateda"digitalwarehouse"bycombiningFFF3Dprintersandsoftware.WatchthevideoWanttolearnmoreabouthowthe3Dprintingworkflowcouldlookforyou?Readour‘HowtodesignforFFF3Dprinting’whitepaperforvaluabletipsforgettingstartedwithanFFFprinter,moredetailabouttheroleofsupportmaterials,anddesignforFFFinsightsfrom3Dprintingexperts.Learnthemodelingtipsandtricksthatweusetomaximizeourprintsuccess,including:•Howto3Dprintfaster•Easywaystouselesssupportmaterial•Bestpracticesforfinerprintdetails•Andlotsmore!