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Check out the most frequently downloaded PDFs from Fathom. Can’t find what you are looking for? Just ask! Email a Fathom expert today.

Rhino to STL—Best Practices Best Practices & Procedures for Getting Quality Prints Out of Your Rhino Models
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SolidWorks for Multi-Material—Best Practices Stratasys Connex Multi-Material 3D Printing Gives You the Ability to Create Models with Multiple Materials in a Single Build
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Benefits of 3D Printing Vacuum Form Molds Learn About the Unique Benefits of 3D Printing Vacuum Forming Molds
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Cleaning PolyJet Parts with Sodium Hydroxide An Optional Treatment of Finished Models, Using Inexpensive, Commercially Available Sodium Hydroxide Diluted in Water
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STL File Guidelines 4-Page Guide on How to Get the Best Quality 3D Prints
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Editorial on Additive Manufacturing Fathom Team Recently Worked with Design World Editor Leslie Langnau To Explore the Opportunity with Direct Digital Manufacturing
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Glossary

Explore commonly used terms related to 3D printing, additive manufacturing and traditional processes such as urethane casting, CNC machining, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication.







1-A
2D
Abbreviation for two-dimensional. Often applied to the description of CAD systems (e.g. 2D CAD) indicating that the resulting file is a flat representation that has dimensions in only the x and y axes.
3D
Abbreviation for three-dimensional. Often applied to the description of CAD systems (e.g., 3D CAD) indicating that the resulting file is a volumetric representation that has dimensions in the x, y and z axes.
3D Printing
3D Printing is used by the media and the public as the general term covering technologies that build objects layer-by-layer. The term 3D Printing is often used for the consumer applications of the technology whereas Additive Manufacturing is the preferred term for industrial applications. The term 3D Printing includes a wide range of technologies—laser sintering, FDM, stereolithography and many more. These technologies are used in a wide range of industries from the automotive, consumer electronics and consumables sectors as well as being used for medical applications and by individual consumers. For many companies and individuals, as they try to engineer better products, they are turning to 3D Printing for the benefits it offers over traditional techniques.
ABS
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic commonly used as an additive manufacturing material. ABSplus, ABSi, ABS-M30, ABS-M30i and ABS-ESD7 are all types of ABS. Each offers different properties ranging from transparency to static dissipation.
Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the process of making objects from 3D model data by joining materials layer-by-layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies, such as traditional machining. The term Additive Manufacturing includes a wide range of technologies—laser sintering, FDM, stereolithography and many more. These technologies are used in a wide range of industries from the automotive, consumer electronics and consumables sectors as well as being used for medical applications and by individual consumers. As they try to engineer better products, many companies and individuals are turning to AM for the benefits it offers over traditional techniques.
B-D
BASS
Break-away support structure. A style of support structure for the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process that is manually removed after prototype creation.
Build Time
The time it takes for the 3D printer to construct a part.
Build Tray
A removable build platform inside of the 3D printer on which parts are built on. Also known as Build Envelope, Build Plate, or Bed.
CAD
Computer-Aided Design. Software used to model designs in either 2D or 3D which can then be converted and used for additive manufacturing, computerized laser cutting and other technologies.
E-F
Elastomer
A material that can revert to its original shape after a physical deformation.
Extrude
The process of ejecting material (usually a heated, liquid filament) through an opening (the printhead nozzle).
Filament
A term used to refer to both the raw material for 3D printing before is it used by the machine as well as the extruded plastic that the raw material is transformed into during the printing process.
FullCure750
The non-toxic gel-like photopolymer support structure for PolyJet 3D model builds. The structure is removed by hand and/or with a compressed water machine.
FDM Technology
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), a 3D printing process that constructs parts by extruding thin layers of heated, liquid thermoplastic. ABS, PC and ULTEM are commonly used materials. This technology process is also known as FFM or FFF.
G-H
G-Code
A programming language used to communicate information from a computer to a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine. Programs are available that read an STL file and send G-code to the machine without the need to directly type commands into the machine.
Hardening
A physical or chemical process that results in the permanent solidification of a model. Also known as Curing or Setting.
Heated Bed
A build surface that is warmed in order to prevent the base of a part from cooling too rapidly and thereby warping.
Heated Chamber
A build environment that is warmed in order to prevent a part from cooling too rapidly and thereby warping. Similar to a Heated Bed, but different in that the environment surrounding the part is warmed as well as the base. Also referred to as Heated Build Envelope.
I-O
Infill
The inside of a part. Often patterned (not solid) to reduce the amount of material required for the build.
Layer Thickness
The digital 2D cross section thickness or depth of a CAD model. Every 2D cross section is built layer-by-layer on the 3D printer in succession. Layer thickness can range from 16 – 30 microns. A thinner layer option equals a higher resolution part. Related terms include Micron, and Slicing.
Manifold Edge
A term used to refer to the model of an object when the edges connect to form a solid. This is a requirement for models that are to be 3D printed. Non-manifold edges occur when an edge is shared by more than two faces and the geometry becomes too thin to print. A related term is Watertight.
Micron
A unit equal to one-millionth of a meter. The layer thickness of material in 3D printing is typically measured on the order of microns. Related terms are Layer Thickness and Slicing.
Monomer
A relatively small molecule that binds to other molecules to form a polymer. A monomer is considered as a subunit of a polymer and is often repeated within the polymer.
Oligomer
A compound consisting of a small number of monomers (usually less than 10). This is in contrast to a polymer which consists of a large number of monomers.
P-Q
Parametric
A parametric model refers to a model that has been constructed so that the dimensions of the object and its features can be easily adjusted at any time.
PC
Polycarbonate, a thermoplastic with high tensile strength and flexibility used as a 3D printer material. PC-ABS and PC-ISO are variations of polycarbonate and offer additional properties.
Photopolymer
A polymer whose properties are changed when exposed to light (typically UV light).
PLA
Polylactic acid. A thermoplastic used in 3D printing.
PolyJet Technology
PolyJet is photopolymer-based jetting process that distributes material droplets layer–by-layer onto a build platform (immediately cured by a flash of UV light). At the end of the build process, the object is fully cured and can be handled immediately without post-curing. This technology includes use of a gel-like support material, designed to enable complicated geometries (removed by soaking and/or water jetting).
PPSF / PPSU
Polyphenylsulfone is a thermoplastic used as a 3D printer material. PPSF has the highest heat resistance of the thermoplastics used in FDM printing.
R-Z
Raft
A layer of disposable material that is extruded onto the bed before the building of the part begins. This is a technique used to prevent warping and it is rarely used with heated build surfaces.
Rapid Prototyping
Quickly constructing an object that expresses the forms and/or functions of a product. 3D printing expedites the production of prototypes — significantly reducing lead-time and cost.
Resolution
Used to describe the thickness of each printed layer along the z-axis and the number of points per inch on a layer in the xy-plane.
Slicing
The division of a 3D model into thin layers to prepare for 3D printing.
SLS
Selective Laser Sintering is a type of additive manufacturing. A process in which a high power optic laser fuses small powder particles layer by layer to produce complex and durable geometric parts. Unlike other additive manufacturing technologies, parts are surrounded by loose powder-like material during the build — eliminating the costs and time requirements of tooling.
STL
Stereo Lithographic — A file format commonly used with 3D printers. 3D models must typically be converted to this format before they are able to be processed by a 3D printer.
Support Material
A secondary material used in 3D printing that is added to reinforce thin or overhanging features in a build. Support material is usually classified as soluble or breakaway. A breakaway support structure can be physically removed by hand and/or with compressed water. A soluble support structure is dissolved in a special solution.
Thermoplastic
Denoting substances (especially synthetic resins) that become plastic on heating and harden on cooling, and are able to repeat these processes.
Watertight
A term used to refer to an object when the CAD model is closed meaning there are no breaks in the edges of the model and the model is a complete solid. This is a requirement for CAD models that are to be 3D printed. Related to the term Manifold.

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