FDM 3d printer

An industrial-grade 3D printer is increasing with time, replacing different traditional printing technologies, such as injection molding and other processes, such as CNC milling. Such machines have emerged as the ideal go-to option in the field of rapid prototyping and small-scale production.

An industrial 3D printer’s fantastic ability to offer intricate small pieces and stunning details makes it ideal for high-quality parts and prototype productions. Before diving deep into the guide of buying a perfect industrial grade 3D printer, let’s know about little more regarding the industrial 3D printer.

Unlike the entry-level 3D printers developed for the makers at home or educational institutions, the industrial 3D printers are primarily aimed at businesses who want to lower the manufacturing costs and develop new prototypes using 3D printing technology.

Different industries are widely utilizing industrial 3D printers for rapid prototyping, and you will be able to create your own in-house 3D print. There will be no time lag as you don’t have to wait for the manufacturers to send the prototypes. The machines are so advanced and powerful that they can print multiple products at the same time.

In some cases, these are used for producing 3D models, like fixtures, jigs, tooling, and equipment for manufacturing. In some situations, this ancillary use is more widespread. Thousands of dental intermediates, dental crowns, jewelry casts, hearing aids, and more are being developed using the industrial 3D printer. However, high volume manufacturing still rare in the case of 3D printing.

Remember that there is no such thing as “the best industrial 3D printer”. It all depends on you and your work requirements. Depending on the amount of space you have, your workflow, materials you want to use, and the products’ shape, you can find machines that can work better. The object’s wall thickness, size, strength, and other variables can make a 3D printer an obvious choice based on the details.

However, when choosing the best, you can go for the FDM 3D printers as they are very versatile. You will find them the best option for your 3D printing requirements in terms of technical aspects and safety features. Here you will get to know everything about FDM 3D printers and how to choose the best one for your company. Let’s get started with this.

Before understanding the concept of the FDM 3D printers, it is crucial to know about the technology they use, i.e., FDM- Fused Deposition Modeling. This 3D printing technique was introduced during the 1990s by Stratasys.

It may be noted that the term FDM is a registered trademark of Stratasys. This company is a leading 3D printer manufacturing company. Also known as PJP- Plastic Je Printing, FFF- Fused Filament Fabrication, and AD- Additive Manufacturing, different layers of materials are correctly fused together in a particular pattern to form the objects.

The printing material is generally melted just past its glass transition temperature and after that, extruded in a particular pattern on the top of other extrusions for object creation through a layer-by-layer process.

In simple word, an FDM 3D printer uses plastic filament and then squeezes it through a nozzle, that melt the plastic filament and then deposit the melted filament in layers on the build platform. After that, the layers are fused together, and gradually they will come up as the finished products.

Different types of printing materials can be utilized with FDM printers, such as pastes, thermoplastic, chocolates, and some exotic printing materials, such as wood- or metal-infused thermoplastic.

Known as the simplest and most cost-effective way to carry out 3D printing, FDM printers are reasonably efficient and cheap. It can be said that these printers are currently dominating the global 3D printing market by drowning out expensive printing methods. To find the best FDM 3D printer for you, have a look at the below-mentioned points.

Variations in Design and Capability of FDM 3D printers

Variations in the extrusion system of an FDM industrial size 3d printer includes, but not limited to:

1. Chocolate extruders
2. Filament extruders and the most versatile and common variation uses thermoplastic filaments.
3. Paster extruders, where any types of pastes canbe used. Some common uses are in the food ad ceramic industry.
4. Pallet extruders, which exchange the filaments for plastic.

Even though you will find a significant variation in terms of extruders, there is one thing that will remain common, and that is the substances will be extruded by a nozzle on to the build platform and properly fusing through heat and adhesion to a previous layer in a particular pattern to form a 3D object. This is the basis of all the FDM 3D printer.

Some other printing variations may include the movement systems for 3 axes in an FDM 3D printer. Even though each has some advantages over others, they all utilize the same 3D printing method.

Some significant advantages of FDM 3D printers

FDM 3D printers offer a significant number of benefits over other printing methods used for 3D printing. Some of the significant benefits are:

1. Better level of scalability

One of the crucial advantages of using a professional FDM 3D printer is the maximum level of scalability. You can scale the print to any size. How? The only constraint factor in the build area size is the movement of the gantry.

If you can make the gantry’s rails longer, the build area can also be made larger for printing.  There is no doubt that you will face a minor issue, but no such printers can be scaled.

2. Fewer post-processing requirements

You all know that time is money, and using an FDM based 3d printer, you can easily optimize your production time and save money. The post-processing requirements are low, and you don’t have to spend time thinking about how you can use the expensive printing liquids in other printing methods, as it creates the object or 3D model that is all set to be used.

3. Better material flexibility

Most of the business is governed by the printing materials they are using during the producing the products. When it comes to FFD or FDM 3D printing, you can go for different types of printing materials, and all are economical and easily accessible.

With a few modifications, you can use exotic filaments and thermoplastic materials.  Some industrial 3D printers can also support materials like woody PLA, PLA, TPU, water-soluble materials, 95A, customizable ABS, PETG, PC, carbon fiber, Nylon, glass fiber, and more.

4. Easy to handle

The industry and technology of 3D printing are now evolving constantly. So, it will be wrong to say that a time will come when the FDM 3D printers will become an ideal option for creating objects and parts. It has dramatically simplified the manufacturing process, enabling companies to produce, test, change, and make a final product within a few days.

No matter what are your printing requirements, you can efficiently operate these machines. The ability to use 3D printing technology to significantly enhance business operations, improve efficiency, and lower costs is why FDM 3D printers are getting very popular.

1.1, Principle of FDM 3d printer

To understand the principle of FDM 3D printers, you need to know how they actually work. So, let’s discuss this in detail. The 3D printers that utilized FDM printing technology have a nozzle called printer head, the raw materials, and the printer platform.

1. The printer head or nozzle

The nozzle or printer head is generally attached to the chassis that utilizes a belt or screw system for movement. The entire assembly can be moved in X, Y, and Z dimensions using the machine’s motorized system. There will be a fourth motor known as the step motor used to send the printing material or thermoplastic into the printer head. The movement of raw material and nozzle is operated through a computer.

2. The printer platform

This is also called a build platform or printing bed and generally made of hard plastic, ceramic, or metal. Each layer is deposited on this.

3. Printing raw materials

The raw materials used in the FDM 3D printers can include production grad thermoplastic. However, sometimes, based on the requirements, meta can also be used. Thermoplastic can be melted continuously by applying heat and can be resolidified by letting it to cool.

The thermoplastic is applied on the mounted spool and then processed through the nozzle. If you go for advanced industrial-grade FDM 3D printers, they allow the nozzle temperature to remain constant while thermoplastic or metal is being extruded.

This will extrude the printing material in a semi-liquid and reset immediately. So, such printing provides you with a better level of dimensional accuracy.

In general principle, any types of thermoplastic can be used as FDM printers’ raw material. However, commercially, you can use some other materials, for example, ABS-Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Nylon, ply-lactic acid, polycarbonates, thermoplastic urethane, polystyrene, and more.

The printing process of an FDM 3D printer

First, the nozzle is heated to the desired temperature. After that, filament or printing material is feed to the printer’s extrusion head, and then it is melted in the nozzle.

Now, the extrusion will move in X, Y, and Z directions. While moving in different directions, the extrusion head releases melted materials in thin standards. The melted material is properly deposited layers wise on the build platform, and once done, it will be cool.

After done with one layer, the build platform will go down, and the extrusion head will move up. A new layer will be created. This process is repeated until the completion of the part.

In some 3D models, you will get some fragile overhangs that will break unless provided with some supports. Most of the FDM 3D printers have a mechanism to create the support structure while printing the objects. You can remove the support structure once the object is complete. Some printers come with a secondary extruder that can deposit soluble thermoplastic strut.

Some rules related to FDM 3D printers

• The general build size of a desktop edition FDM 3D printer is around 200 x 200 x 200 mm. However, an industrial-grade 3d printer can offer you a larger build size.
• FDM 3D printers can print functional parts and prototypes fast and at a low cost utilizing different thermoplastic materials.
• FDM is anisotropic, so you should not use this to make mechanically critical components.
• To eliminate wrapping, you should avoid large flat areas and can fillet in sharp corners.   

This is all about how an FDM 3D printer works. Now, let’s explore the materials that can be used in an FDM 3D printer.

1.2, What materials can be printed by FDM 3d printer?

Most of the FDM 3D printers are very safe and easy to use, and you can also use them at home to prints things that don’t require complex post-processing methods. With this, manufacturers are now introducing different types of materials to be used in these printers.

When it comes to industrial FDM 3D printing, you will get different types of materials to choose from. All the materials have their own features, weakness, and strengths. Besides, some factors like cots, texture, material type, and more should be considered to avoid mistakes.

Even though it is quite challenging to choose the right material for a specific product, here are some popular materials that you can use in your FDM 3D printer.

1. PLA

PLA- Polylactic Acid, is a classic and common 3D printing material used in every industry. This material is bioactive thermoplastic polyester and also a biodegradable product. It is generally made of natural products such as corn starch, so you will find it very environmentally-friendly compared to plastics.

Some of the ideal applications for PLA include products, parts, and prototypes that are not made for extreme stress levels.

Some advantages of PLA in terms of the finished product are

• They are easy to post-process.
• The layers will be deposited precisely, and you will get an excellent surface finish.
• The material is biodegradable.
• You can bake the finished products made of PLA to enhance the strength.
• You will enjoy different color options.

However, there are somethings that you should always keep in mind while using PLA. The 3D model will not be very durable, and it can get softer at a temperature of 60-degree C or 140-degree F.

2. ABS

ABS- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is one type of amorphous polymer produced through the emulsion process by combining around 3 components. The ABS is widely utilized in manufacturing different types of everyday goods, such as keyboard keycaps. When your parts need extra strength, you can trust ABS. However, some newly-introduced composites are now gradually displacing it.

Some unique characteristics of ABS

• It is an easily accessible and cheap material for FDM 3D printing.
• ABS is highly available and comes in different colors.
• This material offers a longer lifespan than Nylon material.
• ABS is mechanically robust.
• This is not suitable for hobbyists. It is generally used by engineers and manufacturers who want to do high-quality prototype production.

Benefits of ABS finished product

• Easy to paint and post-process
• Easy to recycle
• Better level of durability and stiffness
• The maximum level of abrasive resistant
• It can easily withstand a temperature of 100-degree C or 212-degree F.

It may be noted that the 3D product can be UV sensitive, so be careful about this.

3. Nylon

Nylon is a perfect 3D printing material having a solid reputation for prototypes. It has some unique mechanical properties. The best thing about nylon filaments is they can be made from different polyamides having different properties to achieve the desired level of toughness. This is a common material for SLS 3D printing.  

Some advantages of Nylon finished products

• They produce high tensile strength
• The products can be painted, coated, and dyed to give a better appearance.
• When it comes to durability, you can trust Nylon.
• For the good quality parts, manufacturers use Nylon.
• These parts made of Nylon can have better flexibility
• Another best thing is they will be temperature resistant.

This can be a little hard to print, and a scratch mark can appear on the product due to its elasticity.

4. Carbon fiber

Carbon fiber filaments use short carbon fibers combined with thermoplastic, known as the base material. As an extremely strong material, by adding PLA, Nylon, or ABS to carbon fiber, you can increase the stiffness and strength.

Benefits of carbon fiber

• The product will be strong.
• Layers will come out smooth.
• Printing carbon fiber is not a difficult thing.  

5. PC

PC- Polycarbonate is a super-strong material that is designed and developed for different engineering applications. This material supports better temperature resistance and can easily resist physical deformation up to 150-degree C. However, the material can absorb moisture from the air. This is highly valued by the additive manufacturing industry for its transparency and strength.

6. PETG

This is made from PET by adding Glycol. It is a transparent amorphous thermoplastic and makes the PET material very durable and stronger.

PETG finished product advantages

• Layers will look and feel smooth and nice.
• 3D prints are strong and will last longer.
• It can be sterilized and is a food-safe option.
• The products are moisture resistant.
• The material is recyclable.

It can change the color during the printing process. Sometimes, you can see the scratches on the product. Besides, the material is sensitive to UV light. At 80-degree C, the object can get the software.

7. PVA

This material is best for low-end home 3D printers. This printing material is perfect for support materials having a dissolvable variety. You can’t use this to produce 3D models that require higher strength. However, this can be a perfect low-cost printing material option for temporary-use items.

8. TPU

TPU- Thermoplastic Polyurethane is a material with rubber-like characteristics. This is widely used to form semi- flexible parts. Generally, TPU is a polyurethane plastic and the block copolymer. The structure of TPU is made of a chain of soft and hard segments.

TPU finished products

• The object can be semi-transparent.
• The flexible level is right.
• The abrasion resistance level is good.
• The strength level of the 3D model will be impressive.
• TPU made products can easily withstand a temperature of 80-degree C.
• TPU 3D printing is wear-resistant.

One of the significant disadvantages of this 3D printing material is finding it difficult to glue parts and post-process the products.

9. HIPS

HIPS- High Impact Polystyrene is one type of plastic filament generally used to offer support structure in the FDM 3D printers. Compared to the ABS material, it is easy to use. The only difference that you will find is its unique ability to get dissolved. This printing material is soluble in limonene, a liquid hydrocarbon.

Characteristics

• It offers good machinability.
• You can use HIPS to make complex structures.
• It feels very smooth and lightweight.
• The product made of HIPS is water-resistant and impact-resistant.
• It is an inexpensive material.

While processing, this can produce strong fumes. So, it is advisable to use the FDM 3D printer in a well-ventilated area.

10. ULTEM

ULTEM is one type of branded material that is generally used for professional FDM 3D printers. In terms of chemically, it is a resin that belongs to the PEI- Polyetherimide family. ULTEM’s best thing is the material offers better heat resistant features, and the performance level is also impressive.

ULTEM finished products advantages

• The 3D models will be dielectric and robust.
• They will be stress, heat, and chemical resistant.
• Some products can be biocompatible and can pass the smoke test.

What should you keep your min while choosing printing material for the FDM printer?

When it comes to choosing robust and resistant materials, they are processed through high temperatures for printing. That means not all types of desktop FDM 3D printers can create 3D models from those printing materials.

However, with some types of upgrades, you can hack the machines and can print some of the materials in the comforts of your home. No matter how hard you try, the 3D printer selected and the operators’ skills will play a significant role in determining the final product. Some of the factors that you can consider are:

1. Object’s strength

There are some factors which as make or break a strong material and printing objects. Too high and too low printing temperature, poor storage, and inadequate cooling can make printing materials like ABS, PET, ULTEM perform lower, and the product can develop a crack. Even though you are using a material that can handle heavy stress, if the printing condition is not right, they will not bond with each other.

2. Surface quality

Apart from printing temperature, nozzle types, slicing settings, and printer settings (speed and type), which can lead to spot, color changes, and unparallel surfaces if not configured correctly.

3. Dimensional accuracy

Inaccurate printing can arise with any type of filament. Flexible printing materials such as Nylon and TPU are challenging to control. Heated printing materials can lie entirely, but printing the first layer of liquid filament cools and begins shrinking and warping. This can make the objects to appear inaccurate and deform.

Moreover, it is crucial to understand that most of the printing materials can be developed by manufacturers. As a result, they can differ in terms of properties and compositions. For instance, a standard ABS can be developed with various proportions of 3 to 4 monomers. Based on the concentration level, the performance can vary.

On the other hand, adding some extra components to the printing material can enhance its properties. The FDM 3D printers are great for trying out different materials. Remember that there is no such all-purpose printing material that can be used for different products.

So, it is advisable to pick a filament considering your requirements. Don’t try to combine all the properties into one printer as this can be harder to work with. For more details and how to choose the right filament for your 3D FDM printer, you can feel free to get in touch with us.  

1.3, Why is Dreambot3d’s FDM 3d printer so prominent?

When it comes to buying the best industrial 3d printer or FDM 3D printer, you can always trust one brand, i.e., Dreambot3d. No matter your requirements, with Dreambot3d’s FDM printers, you will never face any disappointment. Some significant reasons behind the popularity of the printers are:

1. The printers come with an integral and enclosed metal chassis. You will find the chassis structure very stable, and the printers’ XYZ axis can print very stably while operating at a higher level. That means you will get better printing accuracy. With others, you will get machines with a simple structure and acrylic outer box.
2. All the printing machines have a constant temperature system. This system’s work is to heat the chassis’ printing control to a better state for 3D printing. This way, the heat-resistant materials (such as Nylon, carbon fiber, ABS, PC, and more) will not be drawn or wrapped during printing. You will not get this system from other manufacturers.
3. The machines’ operating system is simple, and you don’t have to go through any extensive training to learn how to use the machines.
4. The printers come equipped with a 7-inch large color screen. Besides, they support different languages. Many competitors of Dreambot3donly offer a 5-inch screen with their printers.
5. You will enjoy a large size selection. The market condition is now stable, and you can choose any model you want, like L5-400/500/600/800/1000, L8-400/500/600 to enjoy different sizes. On the other hand, some manufacturers only offer a few regular sizes, and the market is not stable.
6. Dreambot3dhas 8 years of experience and expertise in producing industrial-grade machines. Besides, we have massive R&D and production capacity and robust OEM and spot capabilities. Others only offer desktop-level printers with limited R&D facilities, experience, and market. They only deal with an incidental model.
7. We are well-known for manufacturing industrial-grade and large printing machines. In terms of size and style, we have a massive collection of 3D printers. Besides, Dreambot3dhas sufficient stock, and once you place the order, it will be shipped within 3 to 5 days. Are you looking for a customized printer? We can offer you that, and it will be shipped within 10 to 15 days.  

Want to know more about our industrial-grade printers? Visit our site or call us now.