Fused Deposition Modeling
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is one of the Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies and is a non-laser process, which on the basis of a Computer Aided Design (CAD) wire-frame, surface, or solid model, deposits layers of molten thermoplastic materials or wax to build a three-dimensional (3D) part, in a temperature controlled oven-like casing.
The casing has a temperature of just below the melting point of plastic.
The FDM system functions like pen plotters, where the building material and the support material are fed in separate filaments from spools, into nozzles or heads, which heats a little and due to the extra heat the melting point of plastic is reached, and the plastic filament coming inside the head melts.
The temperature-controlled head extrudes and deposits the melted material in layers from .001 to .050 in. thick. Each layer quickly solidifies, approximately in 1/10 second, and laminates to the preceding layer.
Varying the speed of the head can control the thickness of the layer. After the necessary layering, the 3D solid part, as designed is produced, with the layering being noticeable. Support structures, if any, are subsequently removed by breaking them away from the created part, or by jets of water if they are water-soluble support structures.
FDM is usually used when an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermal plastic part is required for a working prototype. However, FDM also uses a blend of polycarbonate/ABS, polycarbonate, and polyphenylsulfone, in standard colors.
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