Infill for FDM 3D Printing FDM 3D printed parts are not always made solid. Rather, with this printing method, parts can be made varying degrees of hollow to help control the print time, cost, and weight of the part. This is done by altering the infill percentage of a part on the FDM 3D [...]
Post-Processing: Removing Supports This blog post is part of our Post-Processing series. For more information on post-processing, check out our articles on assembling and smoothing and coloring and coating. The majority of 3D printing projects require some type of support structure to be successfully printed. Understanding how to safely remove these support structures can [...]
Post-Processing: Assembling & Smoothing This blog post is part of our Post-Processing series. For more information on post-processing, check out our articles on removing supports and coloring and coating. Post-processing 3D printed parts often involves multiple finishing methods to make the part look and feel how you want. In this article, we’ll cover the finishing [...]
Post-Processing: Coloring & Coating This blog post is part of our Post-Processing series. For more information on post-processing, check out our articles on removing supports and assembling and smoothing. Most 3D printed parts go through various stages of post-processing to attain the look and feel you desire. In this article, we’ll discuss the finishing [...]
On-Demand 3D Printing 3D printing can be a great way to manufacture your parts. Particularly, when used on an as-needed basis, it can help increase efficiency and better cater to demand. In this article, we’ll discuss how on-demand 3D printing works, the pros and cons of it, and if it’s right for you. How [...]
Jigs & Fixtures Today’s mass manufacturing processes create everything from the cell phones we carry to the cars we drive and make these products with extreme accuracy and uniformity. This would not be possible without the use of jigs and fixtures. In this article, we cover the difference between jigs and fixtures, their benefits [...]
FDM: Filament Extrusion This post is part of our 3D Printing Technologies series. FDM 3D printing is the most common type of additive manufacturing technology. It is a popular choice for desktop 3D printers and has grown to be the most well-known form of 3D printing. While satisfactory results are possible on desktop models, [...]
MultiJet: Material Jetting This post is part of our 3D Printing Technologies series. There are multiple additive manufacturing options to select from for your part's production, and it is imperative to understand how each one works before making your final choice. In this article, we’ll cover MultiJet 3D printing, which is a resin and [...]
PolyJet: Material Jetting This post is part of our 3D Printing Technologies series. There are multiple 3D printing technologies available, including several that deal with thermoset photopolymers. PolyJet is one such technology, and it produces excellent fine details and a smooth surface finish for aesthetically pleasing parts. For best results, industrial PolyJet printers should [...]
SLA: Vat Photopolymerization This post is part of our 3D Printing Technologies series. 3D printing is offered in many forms, including a vat photopolymerization process referred to as SLA. Due to this 3D printer’s design and post-processing handling, SLA parts are best created in an industrial setting. As such, this article will only discuss [...]