New to 3D printing? The terminology can feel like a foreign language. This glossary covers the essential terms every collector and aspiring maker should understand to navigate the 3D printing world confidently.
Printing Process Terms
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling): the most common consumer 3D printing method, building objects by depositing melted filament layer by layer. Layer height: the thickness of each horizontal layer, measured in millimeters. Infill: the internal structure pattern and density inside a print. Build plate: the flat surface where prints are constructed.
Material Terms
Filament: the plastic wire that feeds into 3D printers, typically 1.75mm diameter. PLA (Polylactic Acid): plant-based plastic, the most common printing material. PETG: a stronger, more heat-resistant alternative to PLA. TPU: flexible, rubber-like printing material for bendable prints.
Design Terms
STL: the standard file format for 3D printable models. Print-in-place: designs where moving parts are printed fully assembled. Articulated: having joints that allow movement and posing. Support material: temporary structures printed to support overhanging features, removed after printing.
Quality Terms
Layer lines: visible horizontal ridges on printed surfaces from the layer-by-layer process. Stringing: thin threads of plastic between features caused by oozing during travel moves. Warping: curling of print edges caused by uneven cooling. Resolution: the fineness of detail a printer can achieve.
Business Terms
Commercial License: legal permission to produce and sell designs created by others. Print farm: a facility operating multiple 3D printers for production-scale manufacturing. Print-on-demand: producing items only when orders are received, eliminating inventory risk.
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