3D printing glossary
Terms you will run into with 3D printing, in plain words. For each one we say what it means for the price and quality of your order.
Ordering and prices 15
3D printing price
The price of 3D printing is the sum of the value of the material, printer time and the work around the order. In FDM printing, print time matters most, not the material itself.
BY-NC licence
CC BY-NC is a Creative Commons licence that allows a model to be used and modified only non-commercially and with credit to the author. Without the author's consent it does not suit sales or business use.
Corporate gifts
Corporate gifts are small presents for customers, partners or employees. With 3D printing they can be made with your own shape and logo from just a few pieces.
Creative Commons licences
Creative Commons is a set of licences by which an author allows others to use their work under stated conditions. For 3D models it decides whether you may print them to sell and modify them.
Full bed
A full bed is when as many pieces of one model as possible fit on the print plate and the printer prints them all at once. The price per piece is then at its lowest.
Lead time
Lead time is the time from order to delivery of the goods. For 3D printing it consists of waiting for a free printer, the print itself, inspection and shipping.
Logo keychains
A keychain is a small pendant with a hole for a ring, often with a logo or a name. From 3D printing it comes out in any shape, even in runs from a few pieces.
Logo magnets
A logo magnet is a flat object that clings to a fridge or a board by a magnet. 3D printing can make the body of a magnet in any shape, even in small runs.
Proforma invoice
A proforma invoice is a document in which a supplier asks for payment in advance, before delivery. With us, after you order you receive a proforma invoice with a QR code and production starts after it is paid.
Promotional items
Promotional items are small things with a company logo that are given out to customers and partners. With 3D printing the item can have its own shape even in small quantities.
Prototype
A prototype is the first sample piece of a product, used to check shape, size and function before the whole run is made. 3D printing is fast for this because it needs no tooling.
Quote
A quote is a binding proposal of price and delivery terms for a specific order. For 3D printing with us you get it straight after uploading the model, as a price per piece and a lead time.
Reverse charge
Reverse charge means that VAT is not charged by the supplier but accounted for by the customer in their own country. With us it applies to EU companies with a valid VAT number in another member state.
Small batch production
Small batch production is making a smaller number of identical pieces, from tens to thousands. 3D printing needs no mould for it, so it pays off where injection moulding would not.
Spare part
A spare part is a component that replaces a worn or broken part of a device. 3D printing suits this when nobody sells the part any more or it is disproportionately expensive.
Files and formats 9
3MF
3MF is a 3D printing file format that carries units, colours, materials and several parts as well as the shape of the model. It succeeds STL and is the best choice for multicolour printing.
AMF
AMF (Additive Manufacturing File Format) is a 3D printing format that stores colours, materials and curved surfaces as well as the shape. It was meant to replace STL, but caught on only marginally.
G-code
G-code is a list of commands for a printer or CNC machine that sets the movements, speed, temperature and amount of material. In 3D printing a slicer creates it from a 3D model.
IGES
IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) is an old neutral format for exchanging CAD drawings and surfaces between programs. Today STEP has replaced it.
OBJ
OBJ is an open 3D model format that describes the surface as a mesh of polygons and can refer to materials and textures. Graphics programs and 3D scanners commonly export it.
PLY
PLY (Polygon File Format) is a 3D model format created for data from 3D scanners. It stores the points and faces of a model, often with a colour for each point.
STEP
STEP is the standard format for exchanging 3D models between CAD programs, defined by ISO 10303. Unlike STL it describes exact geometry with curves and surfaces, not a mesh of triangles.
STL
STL is the most common file format for 3D printing. It describes only the surface of a model as a mesh of triangles, with no colours, material or units.
SVG for 3D printing
SVG is a vector image made of curves that has no height, so it cannot be printed directly. It has to be extruded and saved as STL or 3MF.
Materials 31
ABS
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is a strong, tough engineering plastic that LEGO bricks are made from. In 3D printing it warps easily and gives off fumes, so it needs an enclosed printer.
ASA
ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) is an engineering plastic for 3D printing that withstands UV radiation, rain and heat well. It is used mainly for parts that have to last a long time outdoors.
ASA vs ABS
ASA and ABS are related engineering plastics. ASA withstands UV radiation and outdoor weather better, while ABS is usually cheaper and is used mostly indoors.
Biodegradability
Biodegradability is a material's ability to be broken down by bacteria and fungi into water, gas and biomass. PLA has it, but only under certain conditions.
Carbon fibre filament
Carbon fibre filament is a plastic (PLA, PETG, nylon or another) mixed with short carbon fibres. The part is stiffer and lighter, but more brittle, and the filament damages ordinary nozzles.
Filament
Filament is a thin plastic strand wound on a spool, which an FDM 3D printer melts and layers into a part. The type of plastic decides the part's strength, heat resistance and price.
Filament diameter
Filament diameter is the thickness of the strand the printer prints from. The most common is 1.75 mm, and the older standard is 2.85 mm (often loosely quoted as 3 mm).
Filament moisture
Filament moisture is water the plastic absorbs from the air. When it is heated in the nozzle it turns to steam and the print is spoiled.
Filament spool
A filament spool is a plastic or cardboard core with a strand of filament wound on it. The most common spool holds 1 kg of material.
Food safety
Food safety means a material does not release harmful substances into food. A printed part behaves that way only if the material, the manufacture and the surface are all safe.
Glass transition temperature
The glass transition temperature (Tg) is the temperature at which a plastic changes from a hard, strong state to a soft, bendy one. For PLA it is around 60 °C and for PETG around 80 °C.
Glow-in-the-dark filament
Glow-in-the-dark filament is a plastic (usually PLA) with a pigment that glows in the dark after being lit. The pigment is hard, so it damages ordinary nozzles.
HIPS
HIPS (high impact polystyrene) is a plastic similar to ABS that dissolves in limonene. In 3D printing it is used mainly as a dissolvable support material.
Matte PLA
Matte PLA is a PLA filament with fillers that make the printed surface non-glossy, almost like velvet. It reflects less light, and so hides layer lines better.
Metal-filled filament
Metal-filled filament is a plastic, most often PLA, mixed with a fine metal powder such as bronze, copper or steel. The part is heavier and looks like metal once polished, but it is not metal.
Nylon (PA)
Nylon (polyamide, PA) is a tough plastic with good resistance to wear and fatigue. In 3D printing it is demanding because it absorbs moisture, shrinks and needs high temperatures.
PEEK and PEI
PEEK and PEI (Ultem) are high-performance plastics that withstand temperatures above 150 °C and heavy loads. They print at roughly 370 to 400 °C on industrial printers.
PETG
PETG is a tough 3D printing plastic, a close relative of the material in PET bottles. Compared with PLA it withstands more heat, impact and moisture, so it suits technical parts and outdoor use.
PETG vs ABS
PETG and ABS are two common plastics for functional parts. PETG prints more easily and copes better with water, while ABS withstands higher temperatures and can be finished further.
PLA
PLA (polylactic acid) is the most common 3D printing material, made from plant starch. It is cheap, accurate and easy to print, but it does not withstand heat above about 60 °C or long exposure to sun.
PLA vs PETG
PLA vs PETG is the most common choice in 3D printing. PLA is more accurate and enough for most things indoors, while PETG is tougher, withstands more heat and also suits outdoor use.
PLA+
PLA+ is a trade name for PLA with additives that make it less brittle and a little tougher. It is not a standard, so the composition depends on the manufacturer.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate (PC) is a transparent, very impact-resistant plastic that tolerates high temperatures. In FDM printing it warps and needs a nozzle above 260 °C.
Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene (PP) is a flexible plastic resistant to chemicals and fatigue, used for example for food containers. In 3D printing it sticks poorly to the bed and warps.
PVA
PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) is a water-soluble plastic. In 3D printing it is used for supports that dissolve after printing, leaving a clean part.
Recycled filament
Recycled filament is a printing strand made from remelted plastic that has already been used once, for example from PET bottles or 3D printing waste.
Resin
Resin is a liquid photopolymer that cures under UV light. It is used in SLA, DLP and MSLA printers and gives very fine detail, but the parts are brittle.
Silk PLA
Silk PLA is a PLA filament with additives that give the printed part a pearly, silky or metallic sheen. It stands out for looks, but is mechanically weaker than ordinary PLA.
TPU
TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is a flexible 3D printing material that can be bent and squeezed much like rubber. It is used for seals, bumpers, pads and phone cases.
UV resistance
UV resistance is a plastic's ability to withstand sunlight without losing colour and strength. Of our materials PETG does better than PLA, and ASA gives the best results.
Wood filament
Wood filament is usually PLA mixed with fine wood fibres or flour. The part then looks like wood, but the filament clogs easily and does not tolerate high temperatures.
Print settings 31
Adaptive layers
Adaptive layers are a mode where the slicer varies the layer height to suit the part: thinner layers on sloped and curved surfaces, thicker ones on vertical walls.
Bed temperature
Bed temperature is the temperature of the heated build plate on which the first layer is printed. The right value prevents peeling and lifting corners, while too high a value spoils the underside of the part.
Brim
A brim is a thin flat edge of one or more layers around the base of a part, which increases the contact area with the bed and stops the part coming loose.
Cooling
Cooling in 3D printing is a stream of air from the fans on the print head that quickly sets freshly laid plastic. It improves overhangs and detail, but too much of it weakens the bond between layers.
First layer
The first layer is the first layer of plastic that the nozzle lays on the build plate. If it does not stick, the whole print fails.
Flow
Flow is the amount of plastic the nozzle actually extrudes compared with what the slicer calculated. It is tuned with a ratio, for example 0.98, and affects both dimensions and surface.
Fuzzy skin
Fuzzy skin is a slicer setting where the nozzle randomly wobbles sideways for a moment as it prints. The outer wall comes out matt and grainy instead of smooth.
Gyroid
Gyroid is a type of infill inside a 3D print made of a smoothly wavy structure with no sharp corners. It holds about equally strongly in every direction.
Infill
Infill is the sparse lattice that fills the inside of a part in 3D printing. It is given as a percentage, and the higher it is, the stronger, heavier and dearer the part.
Infill pattern
The infill pattern is the shape with which the slicer fills the inside of a part at a density below 100%, for example a grid, honeycomb or gyroid.
Ironing
Ironing is an extra pass of the nozzle over the top layer of a part with a very small flow of plastic. It evens out tiny bumps and gives a flat top a smoother surface.
Layer height
Layer height is the thickness of a single layer, from which the printer builds the part from the bottom up. It affects how visible the layers are on the surface and how long printing takes.
Model orientation
Model orientation is the position in which a part lies on the build plate. In FDM printing it decides the strength, the surface finish, the amount of supports and the print time.
Modifier
A modifier is a helper shape or region in the slicer that changes the print settings for part of a model. The rest of the part is printed with the original values.
Multicolour printing
Multicolour printing is 3D printing in which the printer swaps between several filaments and prints one part in several colours at once, with no gluing or painting.
Nozzle temperature
Nozzle temperature is the temperature the hotend is heated to so the filament melts. It decides how fluid the plastic is, how strong the bonds between layers are and how the surface looks.
Print speed
Print speed is the speed at which the nozzle moves while laying plastic, given in mm/s. Higher speed shortens the print, but it is limited by surface quality and by how much plastic the nozzle can melt.
Purge on colour change
Purge is the extra plastic the nozzle pushes out at a colour change to clear out what is left of the previous colour. It never goes into your part and is thrown away after printing.
Raft
A raft is an underlay layer of plastic printed under the part, on which the model is printed instead of directly on the bed. It enlarges the contact area and evens out the base.
Retraction
Retraction is a brief pull of the filament back out of the nozzle before it moves to another place. It reduces pressure in the nozzle, so no plastic leaks out during the move.
Seam
The seam is a vertical line or a row of tiny bumps on the surface of a part, where the nozzle starts and ends the outline of each layer. In FDM printing it cannot be avoided completely.
Skirt
A skirt is one or more thin lines printed around the part on the first layer that do not touch it. It is used to prime the nozzle before the actual print.
Support interface
The support interface is a few dense layers on top of a support that directly hold up an overhang and decide how smooth its underside will be.
Supports
Supports are auxiliary columns of material that hold up the overhanging parts of a part in 3D printing. They are removed after printing, but they add material, time and marks on the surface.
Tolerances
Tolerances in 3D printing set how far a printed dimension may differ from the model and how much clearance to leave between parts that are meant to fit together.
Top and bottom layers
Top and bottom layers are solid, continuous layers of plastic that close a part from above and below and hide the sparse infill.
Tree supports
Tree supports are supports shaped like branching trees, which grow from the bed or from the part and touch overhangs only at small points.
Vase mode
Vase mode (spiral vase) is a way of printing where the nozzle moves continuously upwards in a spiral and builds a single wall with no infill and no seam. It suits vases, plant pots and decorations.
Walls (perimeters)
Walls, technically perimeters, are the outline lines with which the nozzle draws the outer and inner contour of every layer. Together they form the shell of the part.
Wipe tower
A wipe tower (also called a prime tower) is a helper column next to your part where the nozzle flushes out leftover plastic from the previous colour at each colour change. It is thrown away after printing.
Z-hop
Z-hop is a small lift of the nozzle, a fraction of a millimetre, whenever it travels between two points on the print. It protects finished layers from scratches and helps against the nozzle catching on the part.
Designing models 22
Bridging
A bridge is a horizontal run of print that crosses an empty gap between two supported points. The printer stretches it like a rope, without supports.
CAD
CAD is computer-aided design, that is software for creating precise 2D and 3D models. A model from CAD is exported to STL or 3MF and sent to print.
Chamfer
A chamfer is a straight angled cut instead of a sharp edge, usually at 45 degrees. In 3D printing it prints cleanly even on the bottom edge.
Digital sculpting
Digital sculpting is shaping a 3D model much like clay. It suits characters, animals and organic shapes that would be hard to draw in CAD.
Fillet
A fillet is a smooth rounded transition instead of a sharp edge or corner. It reduces stress concentration, so a printed part cracks less.
Heat-set inserts
A heat-set insert is a threaded brass insert that you press into a hole in plastic with a heated tool. The plastic melts around it and holds the insert firmly.
Hollow model
A hollow model has a closed cavity inside instead of a solid volume. In FDM printing, infill takes care of the inside, so hollowing by hand is usually not needed.
Lithophane
A lithophane is a thin printed plate of varying thickness that shows a black and white image when lit from behind. Thinner spots let more light through, thicker ones less.
Living hinge
A living hinge is a thin bendable strip of material that joins two rigid parts and replaces a classic pin hinge. It can be printed in one piece with both parts.
Manifold (watertight model)
A manifold model is a 3D model whose surface has no holes or overlapping faces, so it is clear what is inside and what is outside.
Model repair
Model repair means editing a polygon mesh to close holes, fix flipped faces and remove self-intersections, so the model can be printed.
Model scale
Model scale is the ratio by which a model is enlarged or reduced from its original dimensions. In the calculator you enter it as a percentage and the price and lead time are recalculated.
Overhang
An overhang is a part of the model that sticks out over empty space with nothing underneath it. In FDM printing, only up to a certain angle can be printed without supports.
Parametric modelling
Parametric modelling is a way of designing where the shape is defined by dimensions and rules, so you change it by editing a number instead of redrawing.
Polygon mesh
A polygon mesh is the surface of a 3D model made up of a large number of small faces, most often triangles. The printer reads the shape of the model from it.
Print in place
Print in place is a design approach where several moving parts are printed at once in an assembled state, with no assembly. A small gap between the parts keeps them from fusing.
Relief and text on a model
Relief is a raised or engraved image or inscription on the surface of a model. In 3D printing, legibility depends on line width and letter height compared with the nozzle diameter.
Smallest feature
The smallest feature is the smallest element that still prints cleanly in 3D printing. For FDM with a 0.4 mm nozzle it is about 0.8 mm in width and 0.2 mm in height.
Snap-fit joint
A snap-fit joins two parts by a flexible hook that bends as you push it in and then snaps into a recess. It needs no screws or glue.
Splitting a model
Splitting a model means cutting a large or complex part into several pieces that are printed separately and joined afterwards. It is used when a model does not fit on the bed or prints better in parts.
Threads in 3D printing
A thread in 3D printing is a helical ridge printed straight into a part. It works at larger diameters and coarse pitch, but fails at small ones such as M3.
Wall thickness
Wall thickness is the distance between the outer and inner surface of a part. In 3D printing it decides the strength and whether a thin detail prints at all.
Print problems 16
Blobs and zits
Blobs and zits are small bumps of plastic on the surface of a 3D print that form when the nozzle lays down more plastic in one spot, most often at the seam.
Clogged nozzle
A clogged nozzle is a state where no plastic, or only a little, passes through a 3D printer's nozzle, so the print breaks off or under-extrusion occurs.
Elephant foot
Elephant foot is a 3D printing flaw where the first layers spread outwards, so the bottom of the part is wider than the rest and looks like an elephant's foot.
Ghosting (ringing)
Ghosting is a 3D printing flaw where faint ripples, like an echo of the shape, appear behind sharp edges and corners, caused by printer vibration after a sudden change of direction.
Heat creep
Heat creep is a phenomenon in FDM printing where heat from the hotend travels up into the cold section and the filament softens too early. The plastic then jams and printing stops.
Layer delamination
Delamination is the separation of two neighbouring layers of a 3D print that did not bond well enough during printing, so the part cracks along a layer.
Layer shift
A layer shift is a 3D printing flaw where the print head loses its position at some point and all the following layers are printed offset from the previous ones.
Over-extrusion
Over-extrusion is a 3D printing flaw where more plastic comes out of the nozzle than the slicer calculated, so lines are thicker, the surface is lumpy and dimensions are larger.
Pillowing
Pillowing is an FDM printing flaw where the top surface of a model is not flat but covered in small bumps or holes. The top layers sag into the gaps in the infill.
Poor first-layer adhesion
Poor first-layer adhesion is when the first layer of plastic does not stick well enough to the build plate, so the part comes loose or shifts during printing, or only a clump of plastic forms.
Sagging overhangs
Sagging overhangs are a 3D printing flaw where plastic over empty space droops downwards and the underside is rippled. It shows mainly on an overhang with no supports.
Spaghetti (failed print)
Spaghetti is a failed 3D print where the model comes off or falls apart and the nozzle keeps printing into mid-air. The result is a tangled mass of plastic strands.
Stringing
Stringing is a 3D printing flaw where plastic leaks from the nozzle during a move between two points and forms thin wisps like a cobweb.
Under-extrusion
Under-extrusion is a 3D printing flaw where less plastic comes out of the nozzle than the slicer calculated, so lines are thin and gappy and the part is weaker.
Warping
Warping is a deformation of a print where corners and edges lift off the plate or the whole part bends, because plastic contracts as it cools.
Z-banding
Z-banding is a 3D printing flaw that shows up as regular horizontal bands on the side walls, because the print head or the bed does not move perfectly evenly on the Z axis.
Post-processing 9
Acetone smoothing
Acetone smoothing is a finish in which acetone vapour slightly dissolves the surface of the plastic so the layers melt into a smooth, glossy skin. It works on ABS and ASA, not on PLA or PETG.
Annealing prints
Annealing a print means reheating the finished part to a temperature above the material's glass transition, where the polymer partly arranges itself into a crystalline structure. It is most often done with PLA so it can take a higher temperature.
Epoxy coating
An epoxy coating is a thin layer of two-part epoxy resin applied to the surface of a print. It floods the layers, cures to a hard glossy finish and usually stiffens the part.
Filler and putty
Filler is a paste that, once dry, fills dents, gaps and layer lines on a surface. After it dries it is sanded and the surface is smoother.
Gluing prints
Gluing prints means joining PLA or PETG parts with adhesive. Most often superglue or two-part epoxy is used.
Painting and lacquering
Painting and lacquering means coating a print afterwards to give it a different colour, an even surface or protection. For PLA and PETG, acrylic paints and sprays are used.
Primer
Primer is a base paint applied before the main coat. On a 3D print it evens out the surface, partly fills fine layers and improves paint adhesion.
Sanding prints
Sanding is wearing down the surface of a print by hand or machine with sandpaper to reduce visible layers. It is the first step if you want to paint a part or have it smooth to the touch.
Support removal
Support removal is a step after printing in which the auxiliary structure holding up overhangs is broken off. Small marks remain where it touched.
Printer and parts 20
Bed leveling
Bed leveling is measuring or adjusting the distance between the nozzle and the build plate across the whole surface. It means the first layer has the same height everywhere and the part sticks.
Bowden
Bowden is a 3D printer layout where the extruder is fixed to the frame and a long tube guides the filament to the print head. The head is lighter, but the metering of plastic is less precise.
Build plate
The build plate is the flat surface of a 3D printer onto which the first layer is printed and from which the finished part is removed once it has cooled. Its surface affects adhesion and the look of the part's underside.
Build volume
Build volume is the largest block that fits in a 3D printer, set by the size of the plate and the height of the Z axis. With us a single part can be at most 246 × 246 × 256 mm.
CoreXY
CoreXY is a way of moving a 3D printer in which two fixed motors move the print head on the X and Y axes through crossed belts, while the bed moves only up and down. It is fast and stable.
Direct drive
Direct drive is a 3D printer layout in which the extruder sits directly above the hotend and feeds filament over a short path. It is more precise and also suits flexible materials.
Enclosure
An enclosure is a cover around the build area of a 3D printer that keeps the temperature steady and protects the print from draughts. It matters for materials that shrink a lot as they cool, such as ABS and ASA.
Extruder
The extruder is the mechanism in a 3D printer that pushes filament into the hotend with a motor-driven toothed gear and pulls it back out again. It decides how much plastic comes out and how precisely.
Filament changer
A filament changer is a device that automatically swaps filament spools during a print. It lets a single part be printed in several colours with no one stepping in.
Filament dryer
A filament dryer is a device that warms a spool of filament to a low temperature and draws the moisture out of it, so the plastic does not form bubbles or strings or weaken during printing.
Hardened nozzle
A hardened nozzle is a 3D printer nozzle made of hardened metal that does not wear out as quickly on abrasive filaments, such as those with carbon or glass fibres.
Heated bed
A heated bed is a build plate with built-in heating that keeps the bottom layers of a part warm. The plastic sticks better and cools more slowly, so the part warps less.
Hotend
The hotend is the hot part of a 3D printer's print head where filament is melted and from where it goes to the nozzle. It consists of a heater, a temperature sensor, a heatsink and the nozzle.
Input shaping
Input shaping adjusts a printer's motion commands so that frame vibrations cancel each other out, which gives cleaner edges even at higher speeds.
Klipper
Klipper is open source firmware for 3D printers that does the motion calculations on a small computer, such as a Raspberry Pi, and sends the control board only the finished motor steps.
Nozzle
The nozzle is the replaceable metal tip of a 3D printer's print head that molten filament comes out of. Its diameter sets the width of the printed line, and with it the detail and the print speed.
PEI build plate
A PEI build plate is a flexible steel sheet with a polyetherimide surface that filament sticks to well when warm, and the part releases once it has cooled. It is the most common build surface today.
Printer firmware
Printer firmware is a program stored directly on the printer's control board that reads G-code and turns it into motor movement, nozzle and bed heating and fan operation.
Stepper motor
A stepper motor is an electric motor that turns in small precise steps, which lets a 3D printer control head movement and filament feed without a position sensor. It normally has 200 steps per revolution.
Z-offset
Z-offset is a setting that moves the print nozzle higher or lower above the build plate by fractions of a millimetre. It decides how firmly the first layer is pressed onto the plate.
Processes and tools 19
3D printer
A 3D printer is a machine that makes a physical part from a digital model by adding material layer by layer. The most common are printers that use plastic filament (FDM).
3D scanning
3D scanning is capturing the shape of a real object as a digital 3D model. After clean-up, that model can be printed as a copy or used as a base for your own design.
Additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing is the technical name for 3D printing. A part is made by adding material layer by layer from a 3D model, rather than removing it from a block.
Binder jetting
Binder jetting is a 3D printing technology where a print head jets liquid binder onto a layer of powder, gluing the grains together. The material can be sand, metal, ceramic or gypsum.
CNC milling vs 3D printing
CNC milling vs 3D printing compares cutting material away from a solid block with a milling cutter and building a part up layer by layer. CNC is more accurate and stronger, while 3D printing handles more complex shapes and small batches more cheaply.
DLP
DLP (Digital Light Processing) is a 3D printing technology where a projector shows the image of a whole layer onto liquid resin, and the resin hardens wherever it is lit.
FDM
FDM is a 3D printing technology where the printer melts plastic filament and lays it down through a nozzle layer by layer. It is the most widespread and cheapest way to 3D print.
Injection moulding vs 3D printing
Injection moulding vs 3D printing compares two ways of making plastic parts: molten plastic is injected under pressure into a metal mould, or the part is built layer by layer with no mould. Injection moulding wins on large batches, 3D printing on small ones.
Metal 3D printing (SLM, DMLS)
Metal 3D printing (SLM, DMLS) melts metal powder with a laser layer by layer to produce dense metal parts. It is an industrial technology with expensive machines.
MJF
MJF (Multi Jet Fusion) is a 3D printing technology from HP. A print head applies a fusing agent to a layer of plastic powder, and infrared light sinters it into a solid part.
MSLA (LCD)
MSLA is resin 3D printing where LED light passes through an LCD screen showing the image of a layer and cures the resin only where it is lit. It is also loosely called LCD printing.
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is a way of calculating a 3D model of an object from many photos taken from different sides. A phone is enough for taking them.
PolyJet
PolyJet is a 3D printing technology from Stratasys where a print head jets droplets of liquid photopolymer and UV light cures them immediately. It produces smooth parts with very fine detail.
Print farm
A print farm is a group of 3D printers that work together like a single production line. That means more parts can be made faster and more reliably than on one machine.
Rapid prototyping
Rapid prototyping is a way of quickly making a physical sample part from a digital design. Today 3D printing is what is most often used for it.
Reverse engineering
Reverse engineering is a process where you work out the shape and dimensions of a finished object and create a new model from them. In 3D printing it is how copies and replacement parts are made.
SLA
SLA is a 3D printing technology where liquid resin is cured by light layer by layer. It handles very fine detail and a smooth surface, but parts are more brittle than FDM ones.
Slicer
A slicer is a program that cuts a 3D model into thin layers and works out the nozzle path for each one. The result is G-code for the printer and exact figures for material use and print time.
SLS
SLS (selective laser sintering) is a 3D printing technology where a laser fuses fine plastic powder layer by layer. Nylon is the most common material.
Software and sites 17
Bambu Studio
Bambu Studio is a free, open source slicer from Bambu Lab. It is used mainly by owners of Bambu printers, but it is an ordinary slicer and we can accept a 3MF project from it.
Blender
Blender is a free, open source program for 3D modelling, sculpting and animation. For 3D printing it suits mainly organic shapes, characters and edits to downloaded models.
Cults3D
Cults3D is an online platform where designers sell and share ready-made models for 3D printing, some free and some for a fee. You download the model as a file and get it printed.
FreeCAD
FreeCAD is a free, open source parametric CAD program. It suits precise mechanical parts that you want to edit later by changing dimensions.
Fusion (Fusion 360)
Fusion, long known as Fusion 360, is a parametric CAD program from Autodesk. It suits precise mechanical parts, assemblies and changing dimensions afterwards.
MakerWorld
MakerWorld is a website with a database of 3D models, run by Bambu Lab. Many models come with a ready-made 3MF project with colours and settings for Bambu printers.
Meshmixer
Meshmixer is a free Autodesk program for editing triangle meshes. It was used for repairing holes, smoothing, simplifying and making hollow models.
Onshape
Onshape is parametric CAD that runs entirely in your browser, with no installation. Models are stored in the cloud and can be shared and edited together.
OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD is a free 3D modelling program in which a shape is not drawn but described by a script. It suits precise, parametric parts that are easy to change with a single number.
OrcaSlicer
OrcaSlicer is a free, open source slicer derived from Bambu Studio. It supports many printer brands and has built-in calibration tools.
Printables
Printables is a website with a database of free 3D models, run by Prusa Research. Models are shared under various licences and most of them can be downloaded for free.
PrusaSlicer
PrusaSlicer is a free, open source slicer from Prusa Research. It converts a 3D model into instructions for the printer and lets you set up the print in detail.
SketchUp
SketchUp is a simple 3D modeller for designing buildings, interiors and furniture. It works with surfaces, not solid bodies, so a model for 3D printing needs checking first.
Thangs
Thangs is a website and search engine for 3D models that collects models from various sources and lets you browse and compare them.
Thingiverse
Thingiverse is one of the oldest and largest websites with a database of free 3D models. You will find hundreds of thousands of files in it, from useful parts to toys.
Tinkercad
Tinkercad is a free 3D editor that runs in your browser and builds models from basic shapes. It suits simple parts, stands, boxes or lettering, not complex shapes.
UltiMaker Cura
UltiMaker Cura is a free, open source slicer from UltiMaker. It is one of the most used programs for preparing models for FDM printers.
We will print it for you
Upload a model and see the price per piece, the total with shipping and the date at once. We print in Košice, Slovakia, from PLA and PETG.
No model? No problem, pick a ready one
These sites have thousands of free models. Download an STL or 3MF and upload it here. If you sell it or use it for business, check the model licence. How to pick a model and licence