Fused Deposition Modeling //
FDM 3D Printing
- Prototyping and Production with Thermoplastic Materials
- Unrivaled Toughness for Demanding Applications
- Parts As Soon As 3 Days
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Additive Parts for Your Toughest Needs
with Fused Deposition Modeling 3D Printing
Do you need 3D-printed parts fast so you can validate your prototype designs? Do you also need to produce production parts? Do you wish they could withstand challenging environments?
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a versatile technology that can help you do this and more.
FDM is often used for rapid prototyping, part validation and low-volume production. It uses the same type of materials as injection molding – thermoplastics. Fathom’s FDM printing service can help you produce high-quality parts to meet a variety of needs.
FDM Parts in as Soon as 3 Days // Get A Quote
How Does FDM Manufacturing Work?
FDM is a filament-based 3D printing process. The filament is first fed into the printer via a spool and is heated. The melted material is extruded in thin strands through a narrow nozzle to build a single layer of the part. The thermoplastic cools and solidifies. The build table then moves down and the process repeats, layer by layer, until the part is built.
A second material can be extruded at the same time to build support structures. They are dissolved or physically removed after the part is built.
FDM thermoplastic parts are strong, durable and dimensionally stable. Here at Fathom, we offer multiple in-house finishing options to meet your requirements.
Applications of FDM
Work Holding Tools // FDM is a fast and affordable way to build customized jigs and fixtures for manufacturing.
Rapid Prototyping // The toughness of FDM parts makes them ideal for testing your designs for fit, finish and functionality. Because these 3D-printed parts are built from thermoplastics, they’re an excellent way to finalize your designs before you build tooling.
Production Parts // Some materials used to build FDM parts are chemical resistant and can endure extreme conditions. They’re ideal for demanding applications like aerospace and industrial equipment.
Aviation and Aerospace // Manufacturers are increasingly replacing metal parts with FDM components to reduce weight. Applications include components for aircraft interiors and engine components.
Consumer Products // Parts made with FDM have excellent chemical and impact resistance. That makes them a popular choice for consumer products.
Medical // You can use FDM to build surgical instruments, dental implants, hearing aids and other medical devices. In these applications, durability is a must.
What Does FDM 3D Printing Make Possible?
FDM 3D printed parts are tougher than many other additive technologies. That makes them a popular choice for prototyping and production applications. Fathom’s FDM printing service offers engineering-grade thermoplastic materials, including high-performance polycarbonate and high-heat deflection resins.
You can also build jigs and work-holding fixtures using FDM. This gives you the flexibility to take on new projects while lowering your costs. Most importantly, it eliminates the need for custom metal fixtures, which may take months to fabricate.
Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printing enables the production of large parts. That minimizes the need to section and post-bond parts to achieve the part sizes you need.
Advantages
Printing Speed // FDM machines can print parts faster than many other additive technologies. That means you can get your parts faster.
A Wide Range of Materials // Materials for FDM printing include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymers, polycarbonates, polycaprolactone and polyphenyl sulfones.
Exceptional Toughness // FDM parts are rugged and durable. They’re ideal for demanding applications like jigs and work-holding fixtures.
The Same Material, From Prototype to Production // Often, when engineers develop prototype part designs, they must settle for a material that only approximates the physical characteristics of the final production part. That’s because they’re unable to use the same material for both manufacturing methods. With FDM, you can print prototype parts using the same materials you’ll be using for your injection molded production parts.
Build Functional Prototypes Fast // Your FDM printing service can build functional prototype parts in a few hours or days, depending on the complexity of the design. FDM can help you accelerate your time to market.
Support for Low-Volume Production // FDM manufacturing isn’t just for building prototype parts. Thanks to its speed and print quality, you can also use it for low-volume runs of production parts.
Variable Infill Density // Like many additive technologies, printing thick part walls with FDM can be challenging. It significantly increases print time and uses a lot of material without increasing wall strength. With FDM additive manufacturing, you can fill these areas with customizable lattice structures. They use less material, reduce print time and provide excellent structural strength. Your FDM 3D printing service can help you decide if variable density infill is a good fit for your part designs.
Disadvantages
Anisotropic Characteristics // Because of the way the layers of FDM parts are joined together, they tend to be weaker in the Z direction than other additive technologies.
Not Ideal for Small Parts or Details // With a minimum nozzle size of 0.4 inches, FDM isn’t well-suited to print small parts or larger parts with tiny details.
Surface Finish // Because the material is extruded in layers, the surface finish of FDM parts may not be as smooth as some 3D printing methods. That means FDM parts may need post-processing to achieve the required surface finish. Be sure to ask your Fathom representative about finishing options for FDM.
What Can FDM be Paired With?
FDM parts can be post-machined to meet specific tolerances. You can bond them to other parts, such as fiberglass panels and other additive parts. In addition, they can accommodate post-installable hardware and inserts.
Traditional Technologies That Can Benefit from FDM
Are you using CNC machining, injection molding or other traditional methods to produce your prototype parts? If so, FDM may be a faster and more flexible alternative.
FDM manufacturing is well-suited for low-volume production of thermoplastic parts. That makes it a great match for your bridge production needs.
FDM Materials Available
Fathom’s FDM printing service can print parts using a variety of high-performance engineering thermoplastics, including ABS, polycarbonate (PC) and Ultem.
Not sure what you need? Talk to a Fathom expert today!
Finishing Options for FDM Parts
Fathom offers these post-processing services for its FDM printing service:
- Sanded
- Tumbled
- Media blasted
- Vapor smoothed
- Painted (EMI shield)
- Painted (sand and paint, non-cosmetic)
- Painted (sand and paint, cosmetic)
- Painted (customer spec paint)
- Specialty coated
- Plated
- Decals
- Pad printed
- Screen printed
- Inserts
- Post-machined
- Assembly
Our craftspeople are ready to meet your post-processing needs. Talk to an expert now.
Vapor Smoothing
Fathom offers AMT’s PostPro3D technology, a smart and automated post-processing solution for smoothing FDM printed parts. PostPro3D can achieve a high-quality surface finish that matches injection molding techniques when using 3D printing processes.
Why Choose FDM 3D Printing?
Material Characteristics
If you need thermoplastic parts that are strong, durable, and dimensionally stable, FDM additive manufacturing is an excellent choice.
Performance
FDM offers a wide range of materials with performance characteristics that meet many high-performance needs, including heat, chemical, impact, fatigue resistance and biocompatibility.
Prototype to Production
FDM manufacturing is suitable for both prototyping and production runs. It provides a closer approximation to end-use production manufacturing methods because it uses the same thermoplastic-grade materials.
Size Capacity
If you need to build larger parts, Fathom’s FDM printing service offers one of the largest build sizes of any additive technology.
Why Choose Fathom’s FDM 3D Printing?
Fathom has the expertise and technology to help you meet your needs faster.
Fathom’s FDM printing service has the capacity and knowledge to help you produce high-quality FDM parts to meet your prototyping and production needs. An experienced engineer will help you first determine if FDM manufacturing is the right solution for your needs. We will then help you optimize your part design for the best results.
Get a quote on your FDM project today with our SmartQuote platform.
