3D Printing Stack Exchange
3D Printing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [fdm]

Questions about Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) as an additive manufacturing technology.

Fused Deposition Modeling (or FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology that involves plotting the many 2D layers that a slicing engine takes of a 3D model.

102 questions
41
votes
7 answers

When to use 1.75 mm vs 3 mm filament?

Why do we have two standard filament sizes, 1.75 mm and 3 mm? Does it really make a difference when printing? Or is the 1.75 mm just for smaller printers? In what situations should I be using 1.75 mm? When should I be using 3 mm?
Matt Clark
  • 1,892
  • 4
  • 16
  • 31
39
votes
5 answers

How is PLA different from ABS material?

What are the main differences when using ABS over PLA and vice versa?
CJK
  • 719
  • 7
  • 12
26
votes
8 answers

What are the advantages and disadvantages of an all-metal hot end compared to one with a PTFE heat break?

Related to an issue I had in this question, where the PTFE tube feeding my filament to the metal tip of the extruder clogged and became discolored: what are the advantages and disadvantages of changing out my extruder (Mk10 on a FlashForge Creator…
Dustin Wheeler
  • 628
  • 1
  • 7
  • 15
22
votes
2 answers

Mushy small top layers?

I just added a fan to my printer because very small layers seem to come out very badly. For example, the 5mm PLA cube that's the top level of the test shape shown below. Watching closely, I can see that the newly-extruded fiber is pushing the…
TextGeek
  • 3,181
  • 2
  • 12
  • 32
20
votes
2 answers

What are the reasons for my 3D prints having large numbers of strings between parts of a layer?

I am printing a print using PLA on a Prusa i3 printer and an MK8 extruder, at 210 degrees celsius, 60 mm/sec, sliced with slic3r. The print consists of a base, with 4 tower-like projections that then join with a near-vertical overhang slope that…
nanofarad
  • 852
  • 7
  • 21
18
votes
12 answers

What could be causing my y axis to slip?

Occasionally, while printing, my y axis will slip and the layer will, from that point forward, be shifted, ruining the print. What might be the causes of an axis slipping? I have tried cooling the motor which seemed to have been getting warm, and…
Matt Clark
  • 1,892
  • 4
  • 16
  • 31
18
votes
4 answers

How do I keep my extruder head from getting clogged?

Using a thermoplastic MDF printer with a 0.4mm extruder nozzle, I frequently have trouble with the nozzle getting clogged. I am not sure what's causing the clog, but my guesses are dust and/or burnt filament (from leaving the hot end on without…
Martin
  • 1,456
  • 2
  • 15
  • 28
17
votes
4 answers

Are there any metals that exhibit a large glass state?

Plastic is used in 3D FDM/FFF printing partly because it had a wide temperature range for its glass state - where it can be flowed with some force, but won't flow due only to gravity. Most metals have a very narrow, or non-existant, glass state. …
Adam Davis
  • 1,813
  • 9
  • 18
17
votes
4 answers

Resolution Drawbacks

With an ABS or PLA extrusion 3D printer, are there any potentially negative quality differences that could occur if I try to print at a higher resolution? I am not concerned about print time as the equipment is not under high demand. I am, however,…
kaine
  • 960
  • 1
  • 10
  • 20
16
votes
7 answers

How to print an overhanging arc

I am designing a part that has to clamp around a 11mm bushing, and due to other design constraints, it has to be printed with a semicircle-shaped overhang: This is proving very challenging to print. Two copies of this part have to clamp tightly…
Tom van der Zanden
  • 14,588
  • 2
  • 33
  • 60
16
votes
6 answers

3D printing for outdoor use: "What types of filament are most weather resistant?"

I'd like to print modifications for my bird feeder, both to patch over the hail damage from last summer and to try to deter the neighborhood squirrels. I have an FDM printer (and experience with nylon, ABS, and PLA, though don't restrict answers to…
1337joe
  • 471
  • 1
  • 5
  • 10
15
votes
5 answers

My heated glass print bed keeps chipping and cracking. How can I prevent this?

My thermoplastic FDM printer has a heated bed and uses glass as the printing surface. Sometimes the glass will chip or break entirely when I'm removing my print. This happens most often when the print has a large area in contact with the glass. What…
Martin
  • 1,456
  • 2
  • 15
  • 28
15
votes
1 answer

Why does hairspray work as an adhesive for ABS?

Since I have a 3D printer, I worked primarily with printing ABS. I tried multiple methods for adhesion (various soluble glues, ABS juice) but always had the most success with hairspray on clean borosilicate glass, as long as I print with a bed…
TheEquah
  • 153
  • 1
  • 4
15
votes
4 answers

Do 3D printers really reach 50 micron (0.05 mm) accuracy?

I've always been wondering about the actual accuracy of 3D printing devices. When looking for the perfect machine to buy, I looked at the speed, price, filaments supported etc, but also accuracy. I once asked somebody who could give me some advice…
StLuke5
  • 525
  • 1
  • 4
  • 16
13
votes
2 answers

Will I see a noticeable difference switching from a .4mm to a .3mm nozzle?

I currently print with a .4mm nozzle on my extruder, and my prints seem to come out fairly accurate; would I see much of a difference if I went to a .3mm? What are the pros and cons of larger and smaller nozzle sizes?
Matt Clark
  • 1,892
  • 4
  • 16
  • 31
1
2 3 4 5 6 7