Fused Deposition Modeling

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing process where an object is formed by extruding melted material in a pre-determined path layer by layer. The process is as follows:

1. A computer program “slices” a 3D object into hundreds of thin cross-sections.
2. The 3D printer accepts the sliced 3D model and begins heating a metal nozzle.
3. A long strand of thermoplastic is fed into the hot nozzle by a system of gears.
4. The nozzle is displaced horizontally by two belts to deposit the melted filament onto a build platform in a pattern that corresponds to a single layer of the sliced model.
5. The build platform and the deposited plastic layer are lower by a fraction of a millimeter.
6. The nozzle prints the next layer.

This continues until every layer has been deposited and the model is complete. The process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to multiple days depending on the size and resolution of the object. An average print in the MIC takes 3 hours of operating time on a machine.

Click here to learn more about FDM printing

Here are the available FDM printers in the RPC:

Prusa i3 MK3S {FFF}

Zortrax M200 and M300 {LPD}

Raise3D Pro2 Plus

What is slicing?

Slicing is the process of turning a 3D model into instructions for the 3D printer. We use different applications to slice our model into STL files (instructions for the 3D printer).

The Prusa i3 MK3S{FFF} uses the software PrusaSlicer to slice the STL files

Here's the guide on how to properly slice your file on PrusaSlicer.

The Zortrax M200+ uses the software Z-Suite to slice the STL files

Here's the guide on how to properly slice your file on Z-Suite

The Raise3D Pro2+ uses the software ideaMaker to slice the STL files

Here's the guide on how to properly slice your file on ideaMaker

Here's the guide to printing on the Prusa i3 MK3S

Here's the guide to printing on the Zortrax M200+

Here's the guide to printing on the Raise3D Pro2+

Here's the guide to harvesting the Prusa i3 MK3S

Here's the guide to harvesting the Zortrax M200+

Here's the guide to harvesting the Raise3D Pro2+