Category Archives: 3D FDM Printers

3D printing is an additive process. But what does that mean? An additive process of creating is when material is added to create the object. As you see in the illustration to the right the layers are stacked one on top of the other to create the object. This is much different from types of manufacturing processes in the past where material is removed to create a piece. Think of Michelangelo chipping away at a block of marble. 3D Printing takes a three-dimensional drawing and converts all that math into a solid shape one thin layer at a time. There are different types of 3D printers and technologies they use to create prints, but all are additive in nature. 3D printers are getting cheaper and cheaper everyday with reliable machines starting at 180.00.