© 2018 TKNIKA, IMH, Gipuzkoa, Spain | Nachwuchsstiftung Maschinenbau gGmbH, Bielefeld, Germany
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 | How to use this learning unit |
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Additive Manufacturing - background |
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 | Additive Manufacturing process flow |
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 | Additive Manufacturing for metals |
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Additive Manufacturing processes |
Benefits and impacts of Additive Manufacturing |
 | Benefits and impacts of Additive Manufaturing |
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 | Consumer goods and electronics sector |
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Challenges and opportunites |
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 | Standardisation, regulation, qualification and certification |
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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication
[communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Source: Tknika (Metals Project)
Material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice
Material extrusion is the technology of 3D printing more widespread among the general public in the so-called "desktop 3D printers", for its flexibility of use and relative ease of construction.
The vast majority of printers we can find on the market use material extrusion technology.
The process used is known as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). But as the term FDM is registered by the multinational Stratasys Inc., it is also known as FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) or Manufacture by Fused Filament, to avoid legal problems.
The concept of operation is very simple:
it melts a thermoplastic in the form of
filament (1.75mm or 3mm diameter usually)
that is deposited by a nozzle layer by layer
until forming the piece.