Technical Reference
3D Printing Glossary.
A professional reference guide to the technologies, materials, and processes used in commercial additive manufacturing.
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
A common thermoplastic polymer known for its impact resistance and toughness. In commercial settings, it requires an enclosed, heated build chamber to prevent severe warping and delamination.
Anisotropy
The property of being directionally dependent. FDM 3D printed parts are highly anisotropic; they are mechanically weaker along the Z-axis (between layers) than along the X and Y axes.
Bed Leveling
The process of ensuring the build platform is perfectly parallel to the X and Y movement of the print head. Modern commercial machines utilize automated mesh bed leveling to mathematically compensate for microscopic surface deviations.
Bowden Extruder
An extrusion system where the extruder motor is mounted to the printer frame, pushing filament through a PTFE tube to the hotend. It reduces weight on the print head for faster printing but struggles with flexible materials like TPU.
CoreXY
A 3D printer kinematic system where the print head moves on the X and Y axes while the bed moves solely on the Z axis. This architecture significantly reduces moving mass, allowing for exceptionally high print speeds without sacrificing dimensional accuracy.
Direct Drive Extruder
An extrusion system where the extruder motor is mounted directly above the hotend. This provides superior filament control and retraction performance, making it essential for printing flexible and engineering-grade materials.
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
The most common additive manufacturing technology. It works by melting a thermoplastic filament and depositing it layer by layer to build a 3D object. Ideal for durable, functional engineering prototypes.
G-Code
The numerical control programming language used to instruct the 3D printer. It dictates exact coordinates, speeds, temperatures, and extrusion rates for every movement.
Infill
The internal structure of a 3D printed part. Instead of printing parts completely solid, slicing software generates a geometric pattern (like gyroid or honeycomb) inside the model to save material and time while maintaining structural integrity.
Layer Adhesion
The strength of the bond between subsequent layers of plastic in a 3D print. Poor layer adhesion results in delamination and structural failure under load.
MSLA (Masked Stereolithography)
A resin 3D printing technology that uses an LCD screen to mask an ultraviolet LED light source, curing entire layers of liquid resin simultaneously. It offers incredible resolution and rapid print times for high-detail architectural models and film props.
Nylon (PA)
A high-performance engineering thermoplastic known for extreme durability, low friction, and chemical resistance. Often reinforced with Carbon Fiber (PA-CF) to increase stiffness and reduce thermal shrinkage.
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
A highly versatile modified plastic that combines the ease of printing PLA with the strength and temperature resistance of ABS. Highly chemical resistant and excellent for mechanical parts.
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
A biodegradable thermoplastic derived from renewable resources. It prints easily with excellent surface finish and dimensional accuracy, making it the standard material for visual models and architectural floor plans.
Post-Processing
The final steps taken after a part is removed from the printer. In commercial fabrication, this includes support removal, wet sanding, chemical vapor smoothing, priming, and painting.
Resin
A photopolymer liquid that cures (solidifies) when exposed to specific wavelengths of ultraviolet light. Used in SLA and MSLA machines to produce parts with injection-mold-like surface finishes.
Slicing Software
The CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software that translates a 3D CAD model (like an STL or STEP file) into machine-readable G-Code, defining the toolpaths and process parameters.
SLA (Stereolithography)
The original additive manufacturing technology. It uses a highly precise ultraviolet laser to trace and cure liquid resin layer by layer. Known for exceptional precision and smooth surface finishes.
Supports
Sacrificial structures generated by the slicing software to uphold overhanging geometries during printing. They are manually or chemically removed during post-processing.
Tolerances
The allowable limit of variation in a physical dimension. In commercial 3D printing, tight tolerances (e.g., ±0.05mm) are critical for ensuring parts fit together perfectly in engineering assemblies.
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
A highly flexible, rubber-like material used to print vibration dampeners, gaskets, and wearable components. Requires a well-tuned direct drive extruder to print successfully.
Warping
A print failure where the corners of a part lift off the build plate due to rapid thermal contraction as the plastic cools. Most common in high-temperature materials like ABS and Nylon.