 |
 |
|
An Overview
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) builds a part in layers by placing melted plastic unto a platform. A plastic filament or pellets are fed into a nozzle that heats the plastic to just above the solidification state. The nozzle places the melted plastic onto the platform in such a manner that the first two-dimensional slice of the part is formed when the plastic solidifies. The platform is then lowered the depth of one layer and the next two-dimensional slice is placed. Either the nozzle or the platform can be moved in order to correctly place the plastic for each layer. The nozzle and platform are contained within a chamber that is heated to the optimal temperature to allow for fusing between layers, just below the melting point of the plastic, while the temperature of the platform is kept at a level that allows the plastic to quickly harden upon contact. A second material can also be placed onto a layer for any needed support structure for the part.
Some of the materials that can be used for this technology include Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and medical grade ABSi, elastomer E20 for flexible parts, polycarbonate, polycaprolactone, polyphenolsulfone, and investment casting wax as well as some water-soluable materials.
The strength of these parts tend to be very good although some fine details and sharp edges can loose some definition. These parts tend to be able to withstand functional testing and are heat resistant.
This technology is very quiet and is available as office-friendly systems. This technology is fairly fast for small parts on the order of a few cubic inches but can be slower for larger parts with wide cross-sections.
This technology was developed and patented in 1989 by S. Scott Crump with his wife Lisa Crump.
Disclaimer
DPT may not provide some of the services and/or techniques presented in the Knowledge Center. For a full list of services we do offer, please visit our rapid prototyping page.
