- 3D Printing: A process of creating three-dimensional objects from a digital model by adding material layer by layer, also known as additive manufacturing.
- Additive Manufacturing (AM): The industry term for 3D printing, emphasizing the process of building objects by adding material rather than removing it, as in subtractive manufacturing.
- ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): A strong, durable thermoplastic commonly used in FDM 3D printing, known for its toughness and heat resistance, often used for functional parts.
- Bed Adhesion: The ability of a 3D-printed object to stick to the print bed during printing, preventing warping or detachment; often aided by materials like tape, glue, or heated beds.
- Binder Jetting: A 3D printing method where a liquid binding agent is selectively deposited onto a powder bed to form solid parts, often used for metal or sand printing.
- Bioink: A material used in bioprinting, typically a combination of living cells and a supportive gel, designed to create tissue-like structures.
- Bioprinting: A specialized 3D printing process that uses bioinks to create living tissues or organs, advancing medical research and personalized healthcare.
- Brim: A flat, single-layer extension around the base of a 3D-printed object to improve bed adhesion and prevent warping, easily removable after printing.
- Build Plate/Bed: The surface on which a 3D printer constructs an object, often heated to improve adhesion and reduce warping, made of materials like glass or metal.
- CAD (Computer-Aided Design): Software used to create digital 3D models that serve as blueprints for 3D printing, examples include Tinkercad and Fusion 360.
- Curing: The process of hardening a material, such as resin in SLA printing, typically using UV light to solidify liquid into a solid form.
- Desktop Printer: A compact 3D printer designed for home or small-scale use, typically using FDM or SLA technology, e.g., Bambu Lab X1 or Creality Ender series.
- Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS): A metal 3D printing technology that uses a laser to fuse metal powder into solid parts, ideal for aerospace and medical implants.
- Extruder: The part of an FDM 3D printer that melts and deposits filament through a nozzle to build layers, often a key component in print quality.
- FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling): A widely used 3D printing technology that extrudes melted thermoplastic filament layer by layer to create objects, popular for its affordability.
- FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication): An alternative name for FDM, emphasizing the filament-based process, often used interchangeably.
- Filament: A spool of material, usually plastic like PLA or ABS, fed into an FDM printer to create 3D objects, typically 1.75mm or 2.85mm in diameter.
- G-Code: A programming language used to control 3D printers, generated by slicing software, instructing the printer on movements, temperatures, and speeds.
- Infill: The internal structure of a 3D-printed object, printed as a pattern (e.g., honeycomb) to provide strength while reducing material use, measured as a percentage (e.g., 20% infill).
- Isotropic: A property of 3D-printed parts where strength and characteristics are uniform in all directions, often achieved with SLA or SLS, unlike FDM’s layered anisotropy.
- Layer Height: The thickness of each layer deposited by a 3D printer, affecting print resolution and speed; smaller heights (e.g., 0.1mm) yield finer details.
- Large-Format Printing: 3D printing on a larger scale, often used for construction (e.g., houses) or industrial parts, requiring specialized printers and materials like concrete.
- MJF (Multi Jet Fusion): An advanced 3D printing technology by HP that uses inkjet arrays and fusing agents to create strong, detailed parts from powder, known for speed and quality.
- Nozzle: The small opening on an extruder through which filament is deposited in FDM printing, with sizes (e.g., 0.4mm) affecting detail and speed.
- Nylon: A strong, flexible polymer used in SLS printing, valued for its durability and ability to produce complex, functional parts without supports.
- Overhang: A part of a 3D model that extends outward without direct support beneath it, often requiring support structures to print successfully.
- Photopolymer: A light-sensitive resin used in SLA and DLP printing, hardened by UV light to form precise, detailed objects.
- PLA (Polylactic Acid): A biodegradable thermoplastic derived from renewable resources like corn, widely used in FDM printing for its ease of use and eco-friendliness.
- PolyJet: A 3D printing technology that jets and cures photopolymer layers, allowing for multi-material and colorful prints, often used for prototypes and models.
- Post-Processing: Steps taken after printing to refine an object, such as sanding, painting, or removing supports, to improve appearance or functionality.
- Print Resolution: The level of detail a 3D printer can achieve, determined by layer height and nozzle size, with lower values (e.g., 50 microns) indicating higher detail.
- Raft: A detachable base layer printed beneath an object to improve bed adhesion and stability, especially useful for complex or large prints.
- Resin: A liquid material used in SLA, DLP, or LCD printing, cured by light into solid forms, offering high precision for detailed models.
- Sintering: A process in SLS and DMLS where a laser fuses powder particles into a solid without fully melting them, creating strong, support-free parts.
- Skirt: A single-layer outline printed around an object to prime the extruder and check bed leveling before the main print begins.
- SLA (Stereolithography): A 3D printing technology that uses a UV laser to cure liquid resin into solid layers, known for its high precision and smooth finishes.
- Slicing: The process of converting a 3D model into layers and generating G-code instructions for the printer, performed by software like Cura or PrusaSlicer.
- SLM (Selective Laser Melting): A metal 3D printing method similar to DMLS, but fully melts metal powder, producing dense, strong parts for industrial use.
- SLS (Selective Laser Sintering): A 3D printing technology that uses a laser to sinter powdered material (e.g., nylon) into solid objects, ideal for complex, durable parts.
- STL (Stereolithography File Format): A common file format for 3D printing, representing a model’s surface geometry as a mesh of triangles.
- Support Structure: Temporary material printed to hold up overhangs or complex features during printing, removed afterward, common in FDM and SLA.
- Thermoplastic: A type of plastic that becomes pliable when heated and hardens when cooled, used in FDM printing (e.g., PLA, ABS).
- Warping: A distortion in 3D-printed parts caused by uneven cooling or poor bed adhesion, often mitigated by heated beds or enclosures.
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
A popular thermoplastic material used in 3D printing, known for its strength, durability, and flexibility. PETG is a glycol-modified version of PET (commonly used in plastic bottles), offering improved printability over traditional PET. It combines the ease of printing of PLA with greater toughness and temperature resistance, making it suitable for functional parts, mechanical components, and objects requiring some flexibility. PETG is less brittle than PLA and more resistant to chemicals and moisture, though it can be prone to stringing if printing settings aren’t optimized.
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
A flexible, elastic thermoplastic material used in 3D printing, valued for its rubber-like properties. TPU is a type of filament that can stretch and bend without breaking, making it ideal for applications like phone cases, gaskets, wearable items, and soft robotics components. It has excellent layer adhesion and abrasion resistance but can be challenging to print due to its flexibility, often requiring a direct-drive extruder and slower print speeds to avoid jamming or deformation.
Bowden Tube
A hollow, typically PTFE (Teflon)-lined tube used in some 3D printers to guide filament from the extruder motor to the hotend. Named after its similarity to the Bowden cable in mechanical systems, it allows the extruder motor to be mounted away from the print head, reducing the moving mass on the print carriage for faster and more precise movements. However, Bowden setups can be less effective with flexible filaments like TPU due to the filament’s tendency to compress or stretch within the tube.
G-Code
A programming language used to control 3D printers and CNC machines, consisting of a series of commands that dictate movements, temperatures, speeds, and other parameters during the printing process. In 3D printing, G-code is typically generated by slicing software (e.g., Cura, PrusaSlicer) from a 3D model file (like an STL). Each line of G-code instructs the printer on actions such as moving the print head, extruding filament, or adjusting the bed temperature. Users can also manually edit G-code to fine-tune prints or add custom behaviors.
Thingiverse
A free online platform and community, hosted by MakerBot, where users can upload, share, and download 3D-printable CAD (Computer-Aided Design) files, primarily in STL format. Launched in 2008, Thingiverse has become a go-to resource for hobbyists and professionals seeking pre-designed models, ranging from simple toys to complex mechanical parts. Users can customize designs (if permitted by the creator’s license) and contribute their own creations, fostering a collaborative ecosystem for 3D printing enthusiasts.
Spool
A cylindrical reel or holder used to store and dispense filament, the raw material for 3D printing. Spools are typically made of plastic or sometimes metal and come in standard sizes (e.g., 1 kg, 0.5 kg) with filament wound tightly around them. The spool is mounted on a 3D printer’s filament holder, allowing the filament to unwind smoothly during the printing process. Proper spool design and filament winding ensure consistent feeding, while some spools include features like transparent sides or labels to indicate material type, weight, and remaining length.
