FFF 3D printing - inexpensive and versatile
FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) 3D printing is often also referred to as FDM printing. It is one of the oldest 3D printing processes and is used in the home and hobby sector as well as in the industrial environment. Conflicts under trademark law have led to different designations being created for one and the same process. While the name FDM belongs to Stratasys, FFF was coined by the open source project RepRap.
With the FFF 3D printer, the plastic threads or filament are melted and then applied to a platform. A heated nozzle liquefies the filament. This is applied to the work platform according to the layers of the 3D model. After one layer has solidified, the next layer is applied. This creates an image of the 3D model.
3D printer FFF and its application
The FFF 3D printer is used, for example, for functional parts or for early prototypes, as it can be printed very quickly, but is also inexpensive. In this way, prototypes can also be corrected after they have been created and tested. However, FFF 3D printing is not only convincing in terms of price, but also with its versatility. A wide range of available materials is available, which can even be combined in one printing process, depending on the machine type.
With an FFF 3D print, however, there are qualitative limits in processing. Depending on the requirements for the component surface, the layers that can still be felt have to be reworked after printing, with FFF 3D printers again scoring with large installation spaces and a large variety of materials. In addition, the devices are not as accurate as, for example, SLA printers. The technology of the FFF 3D printers is compatible with a large number of materials. The corresponding material is available for all applications of the 3D models. Here is an overview of the most common:
PLA and ABS are particularly popular with FFF 3D printing
PLA is the most commonly used material in the FFF 3D printer. This filament can already be processed at low temperatures of around 190 to 220 degrees Celsius. In addition, 3D printing does not cause any harmful or disruptive outgassing and it hardly shrinks. Furthermore, PLA does not have any specific requirements for the printer.
In addition to PLA, ABS is also one of the most important materials in FFF 3D printing. It is a popular plastic for model making. The plastic is used for the production of functional models because it is impact-resistant and has a hard surface. In addition, ABS is ideal for making mechanical parts such as spare parts or simple devices. It is mainly used in the automotive and aviation industries. Disadvantages of ABS are the harmful vapors produced during 3D printing and a pronounced tendency to shrink. Multec PLA-HT is therefore very often used as an ABS substitute. This is a PLA-based material with optimized mechanical and thermal properties. It thus combines the advantages of PLA and ABS.
Materials for demanding applications with the 3D printer FFF
With FFF 3D printing, technical materials such as polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) or polycarbonate (PC) with and without fiber reinforcement as well as PEI or PEEK can be used. However, this sometimes requires very high nozzle and installation space temperatures. Due to the high material and machine costs, PEEK can only be processed with specially designed machines.
The FFF process also allows filaments filled with additives or soft filaments made from thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). These include blowing agents, effect pigments, magnetic particles, metal powder, wood particles or reinforcing fibers.
Furthermore, 3D models can be printed from foods such as chocolate or sugar, or from sand and ceramics if the extruder is replaced with a syringe.
3D printing FFF with the expertise of Multec
The FFF 3D printer offers various advantages. First and foremost, these include a relatively inexpensive purchase, suitability for domestic use, dimensional stability and the processing of different materials. Accordingly, FFF 3D printing is suitable for various products. Regardless of what you have in mind - we at Multec advise you in detail on your project.
Do you have any questions about FFF 3D printing? Then contact us.
