Have you heard about Craftcloud, our 3D print… Learn More

3D Printing 101

The Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing – 101 Questions Answered

by Franklin Houser
 BACK TO TOP

Interested in 3D printing? Read the most comprehensive guide to 3D printing answering 101 essential
questions about 3D printing.

This 3D printing guide is split into 101 questions. To help you find the right answer, please enter your
search keyword in the table below. Or click on any topic that interests you.

The Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing

3D Printing Guide: Basics

What is 3D printing? How does it work? What is it good for? What are the benefits? … and much more.

1. What is 3D printing?
3D printing is the automated process of building a three-dimensional object by adding material rather
than taking material away (as in drilling or machining). The process, also known as additive
manufacturing, was first introduced in the late 1980s. It was first commercially used as a rapid
prototyping method in the aerospace and automotive industries. Charles Hull, who later co-founded
3D Systems, had a patent issued for a stereolithography system (or SLA for short).

In 1988, 3D Systems sold its first industrial 3D printer utilizing the SLA technology.

In the early 1990s, many industrial 3D printing companies were founded, they all came up with newly
invented processes. Only three of the major 3D printing companies from that time when 3D printing’s
only application was industrial, are still on the market. The most important ones are 3D Systems,
EOS, and Stratasys.
It wasn’t until 2009 that 3D printing became commercially available to the masses. The RepRap open
source project opened the door to affordable desktop 3D printers utilizing the Fused Deposition
Modeling (FDM) technology. Then, and in the years following 2009, new and other companies started
innovating, creating and improving the consumer/desktop 3D printer to the point where today, we
have high-quality, affordable and also expensive desktop 3D printers utilizing the FDM technology
(and others).

back to top

2. How does 3D printing work?

To create a 3D printed object, you use an “additive process”. The three-dimensional object is created
by laying down successive layers of material until the object is finished.

back to top

3. What is 3D printing good for?

Whether you need a frame for your drone project, simply a door stopper or anything else in between,
you can 3D print it. 3D printing is good for making your life easier with simple hacks and ideas. As of
November 2016, there are estimated 2 million 3D print files in 3D repositories for you to download.

On the industrial side of things, 3D printing has enabled different industries, from the healthcare to
the automotive industry, to do things never before possible and bring products to the market much
faster.

One spectacular area where 3D printing excels is in the medical area. Custom-built prostheses, 3D
printed tissue are becoming more common in labs.

But 3D printing also is strong when it comes to manufacturing small batches of goods. One example:
the aerospace industries’ ability to 3D print small jet engine components with complex inner
channeling, making the engine more fuel efficient. This would never have been possible with the
traditional method of CNC milling.

back to top

4. What are the benefits of 3D printing?

Like most emerging technologies, 3D printing offers benefits in a lot of areas. These include
improvements in financial, logistical, healthcare, creative and environmental areas.

For one, the technology allows for endless customization with regards to design and material. One
notable example of this benefit is in the healthcare sector. Complex prosthetic limbs can be
produced precisely to individual needs for a much lower price.

In the area of aerospace, complex parts that take a long time to assemble can now be 3D printed in
one go. This speeds up the assembly line and reduces the cost of the finished product. Also, mass
production in higher numbers is made possible.

3D printing enables designers to rapid prototype, ultimately saving time in the design process. This
allows new or improved products to hit the market much sooner than with conventional means.

3D printers are portable. That allows end products or components to be 3D printed where and when
they are needed and thereby lowering or eliminating inventory needs. Satellites, for example, will
most likely be 3D printed in space in the future.

Since 3D printing utilizes the concept of adding material rather than subtracting material, the process
leaves behind little to no waste. Although materials used in conventional manufacturing methods are
recyclable, the process of recycling materials costs money that can be saved with 3D printing.

back to top

5. What are the limitations of 3D printing?

Although it is already deeply implemented in the world of prototyping, 3D printing is still some years
away from having a breakthrough in the world of manufacturing. This breakthrough would allow 3D
printing to spread from just prototyping, with the exception of select components already being
manufactured by 3D printers, to being widely implemented in everyday manufacturing processes all
over the world.

The main aspect keeping this from happening sooner is the relatively long time it takes to 3D print
something that can just as well be manufactured using traditional methods (and we all know that
time means money).

3D printing is also limited by the size of the 3D printer. Although there are some pretty big units 3D
printing with cement, for example, high-quality and precision parts are limited to smaller machines
which can also be very expensive depending on what they are designed to be capable of.

Another limitation is the fact that most 3D printers can only print in one material at a time. Multi-
material 3D printers do exist, though, but are not very common yet.

back to top

6. Which types of 3D printing technologies are there?

3D printers use one of the following methods to build an object layer by layer:

3 D P R I N T I N G T E C H N O LO G Y # 1 : F U S E D D E P O S I T I O N M O D E L I N G ( F D M )

This is the most common technology used in desktop 3D printers. Thermoplastic material is heated
and extruded through a nozzle. The nozzle deposits the molten material layer by layer onto a build
platform. Each layer sticks to the one beneath it.

3 D P R I N T I N G T E C H N O LO G Y # 2 : S T E R E O L I T H O G R A P H Y ( S L A )

The build platform is lowered into a bath filled with a special liquid photopolymer resin. The resin is
light-sensitive and becomes solid when exposed to a laser beam. Each cross section of the 3D model
is traced onto the layer of cured resin that came before it. This is repeated layer by layer until the 3D
object is completed.

In FDM the object is built from the bottom up, in SLA it’s the other way round.
3 D P R I N T I N G T E C H N O LO G Y # 3 : S E L E C T I V E L A S E R S I N T E R I N G ( S L S )

This process involves a laser beam fusing powdered material together. The first layer of powdered
material is evenly rolled onto the build platform after which the layer of the 3D model is fused
together by a laser. Next, the build platform is lowered by the width of one layer, and the next layer of
powder is rolled into position. This process is repeated until the 3D object is finished. Since the
object is surrounded by (unused) material throughout the duration of the build, support structures are
not necessary like they sometimes are with the FDM process.

Many different materials can be used with this technology from plastics to metals.

3 D P R I N T I N G T E C H N O LO G Y # 4 : S E L E C T I V E L A S E R M E LT I N G ( S L M )

SLS works on the same principal as the SLS process but uses a higher intensity laser and only metal
powder. In this process, the tiny metal particles are actually melted together to form a solid piece of
metal as if machined from one solid block.

3 D P R I N T I N G T E C H N O LO G Y # 5 : B I N D E R J E T T I N G

Binder Jetting also uses a powder bed as its source of material. But instead of a laser, the powder,
e.g. metal, is first “glued” together using an adhesive binder after which the object is heat-treated in a
kiln to set or fuse the material.

To get colored prints, you can add pigments to the binding materials.
back to top

7. Is there a difference between 3D printing and additive

manufacturing?
The short answer is no. The term “3D printing” comes from the use of inkjet printer heads (in the first
3D printers) to deposit, either layers of UV-curable photopolymer resin or a binding material onto a
layer of powder in a powder bed process. However, the term now universally encompasses all
additive manufacturing technologies.

The more technical, or correct, way of referring to the automated process of building a 3D object
from scratch using a digital file is “additive manufacturing”.

back to top

8. What is the difference between 3D printing and 4D printing?

4D printing is a subset of 3D printing. In “normal” 3D printing, the end product is static, unless some
flexible material is used, and it is meant to stay in that form. 4D printing is a way of “programming”
the material/object to change form or functionality when given the correct impulse.

For example, running shoes could be designed to change the way they feel or fit depending on the
activity of the wearer. Also, clothing could change its functionality depending on the weather.
Although these products and solutions are not yet on the market, various research institutions like
the MIT Self-Assembly lab are working on improving such technologies.

back to top

9. Is 3D printing only good for plastic?

No. 3D printing can be done using with a very wide variety of materials. Literally, just about any
material can be 3D printed as long as it has a practical solid state. For example, a gaseous material
like oxygen has a solid state, but only at a very low temperature which makes it impractical and
pointless to 3D print with.

Most desktop 3D printers can only print thermoplastics. But some of these 3D printing filaments can
be enriched by adding e.g. wood, metal or other materials. 3D Printing machines as used in 3D
printing services can also print ceramics or precious metals. And there are 3D printers used in the
building industry that can even handle concrete or clay-straw mixtures. Below you can see a huge
WASP 3D printer build a shelter structure in Italy.

back to top

10. Are 3D printed goods as good as those manufactured

“traditionally”?
This depends on the product in question. Arguably, a 3D printed Japanese kitchen knife will not be as
sharp as, or retain its edge as good as an authentic, carefully forged steel blade.

On the other hand, 3D printing has enabled certain products to be improved beyond the capabilities
of traditional manufacturing processes like jet engine components.

But on a general level, it would be a subjective statement to suggest that a certain 3D printed product
is better or worse than its traditional counterpart. Seen on an economic level, 3D printing is on its way
to becoming a very efficient, resourceful, and cost effective means of production and will probably
surpass conventional manufacturing processes in those aspects in the future.

back to top
11. Are there myths about 3D printing which aren’t true?
Yes, there are a few common myths about 3D printing. Hopefully, this will clear them up.

3D PRINTING MYTH #1: 3D PRINTERS COST TOO MUCH

From the time when 3D printing was invented until the 2000s, it is true that 3D printers could only
really be purchased for industrial purposes. But nowadays, high quality, consumer-grade machines
are available to anyone at prices under $500 (more information here). There is, for example, a huge
selection of DIY 3D printers based on the renowned Prusa i3 printer (pictured below).

3D PRINTING MYTH #2: 3D PRINTERS CAN PRODUCE GUNS

Yes, it is possible to 3D print a gun. But it is a difficult task, and also a dangerous one. A 3D printed
plastic gun will only last for a few shot before breaking apart, which can be potentially dangerous to
the shooter.

If you are concerned that 3D printed guns are a security issue, know that the cost of making one
includes: the purchase of a 3D printer and the materials, the time to 3D print and assemble the parts,
and still the bullets. At this point, someone might as well purchase a real gun.

Also, 3D printed guns are banned in several countries, in some you can even go to jail by downloading
the blueprints.
3 D P R I N T I N G M Y T H # 3 : 3 D P R I N T I N G M A R K E T I S S T I L L N O T S TA B L E E N O U G H

By definition, a stable market is “A market with low trading volume that can nevertheless absorb a
large sale without a major change in price. In most low volume markets, a single large sale causes a
big jump or drop in price because there are relatively few other sales against which to compare the
large sale. The term is most common in foreign exchange.”

Market analysts say that the 3D printing market has already stabilized and will see more stable
growth in the coming years than in the past years.

(Sources: Investing News Network, Financial Dictionary)

3D PRINTING MYTH #4: 3D PRINTERS CAN PRINT HUMAN ORGANS

Not yet. But researchers are tirelessly working towards that goal. The main problem is that human
organs are not only very complex, but also interdependent.

Right now the focus is on being able to print simple tissue for simple organisms. You can find more
on the topic here.

3 D P R I N T I N G M Y T H # 5 : 3 D P R I N T I N G I S F O R L A R G E - S C A L E M A N U FA C T U R I N G

At the moment it wouldn’t make sense to start manufacturing everything using 3D printing
technologies. 3D printing simply isn’t fast enough to be profitable on a large scale. The exception is
made when custom products come into question. Hearing aids, for example, are highly customized
products with special geometric forms. In this case, it is already cheaper to manufacture hearing aids
with 3D printing rather than with traditional manufacturing processes.

3 D P R I N T I N G M Y T H # 6 : S O O N E V E R Y H O M E W I L L H AV E A 3 D P R I N T E R

Although tempting to believe, 3D printing services are becoming very affordable. This means that for
most people, it wouldn’t pay off to purchase a 3D printer for the limited amount of items they might
want to print every year.

However, it is too early to tell. Just look at how everybody carries a personal computer around in their
pocket.

3D PRINTING MYTH #7: THINGS ARE QUICKER TO MAKE ON A 3D PRINTER

Although it has become faster, 3D printing still takes longer than most traditional manufacturing
processes. Also, reliability is an issue. If the 3D printer screws up, you’ll have to start all over again.
In certain cases, of course, 3D printing would be faster, if the object to be manufactured has a very
complex shape and doesn’t need to be mass produced.

3D PRINTING MYTH #8: SOME THINGS ARE CHEAPER TO MAKE ON A 3D

PRINTER

This depends on the number of items you want to produce and the complexity of the product. The
cost per item stays the same for whatever amount of items you wish to 3D print. Using traditional
means, however, the price of production decreases as the number of items increases. Where the two
graphs cross is where the 3D printing and traditional means cost the same.

So: Yes, some things are cheaper to make on a 3D printer.

3 D P R I N T I N G M Y T H # 9 : 3 D P R I N T E R S W I L L S AV E H U M A N I T Y

No doubt: 3D printing has huge potential for making this world a better place. Some would argue that
3D printing will enable people to cheaply produce high-quality goods and necessities by themselves.
However, this will only be the case if the 3D printing industry becomes fully open source. Open
source technology does wonders in terms of user accessibility and not having to put up with
proprietary products and user licenses.

back to top
12. How many 3D printers are there worldwide?
Statistics found on Statista.com suggest that in 2016, there are close to 500,000 3D printers in the
world. By 2019, the number is estimated to grow to 5.5 million units worldwide.

back to top

13. Who invented 3D printing?

Charles (Chuck) Hull, co-founder of 3D Systems, invented the solid imaging process known today as
stereolithography (SLA). This was the first commercial 3D printing method. He first thought of the
idea in 1983 while using UV light to harden tabletop coatings. In 1986 he received the patent for the
process.

By the way, Charles Hull is also the person who invented the .STL file format, which is the most
common 3D printing file format.

back to top

14. Can I use 3D printing in education?

Yes, 3D printing is already being introduced to students at an early age.

3D printing enables the physical manifestation of someone’s thoughts and ideas. The hands-on
experience makes a technical subject fun and attractive, even for people who aren’t especially
interested (yet) in design, architecture, computer science or engineering and many other fields of
study. For some, what used to be a dry and theoretical and (as a result of that) boring class, can now
become an engaging and hands-on experience.

China, for example, has plans to have every one of its elementary schools equipped with 3D printers
by 2017. The early immersion of students to the new technology will make them fit for the future,
when 3D printing will become more and more important for the workplace and everyday life.

Also, in Japan, Kabaku and Microsoft have developed a 3D printing and programming learning tool.
Based on the popular video game Minecraft, students can design structures in the game and have
their creations output on a 3D printer. This helps the students realize the potential impact that their
imagination and ideas can have. And makes them realize that designing is a process of trial and
error, often involving several iterations before getting it right.

There is no debating whether or not 3D printing can be used in the classroom. It’s more a question of
when. For further reading, check out this article on how 3D printing improves education. Also, there is
an interesting Teacher‘s Guide to 3D Printing here.

back to top

15. Are 3D printing projects on Kickstarter trustworthy?

Most of them are. But unfortunately, there are some black sheep in the Kickstarter community. There
has been at least one major criminal case, where Kickstarter funds were misused by one of the
project leaders.

Peachy Printer Inc. raised $651,091 dollars in 30 days. However, only $200,000 of that sum ever
made it into the company bank account. Confessions made by the company’s co-owner and financial
manager revealed that he stole a total of at least $324,716 of the money raised on Kickstarter to
build a house for himself. But that might not be the whole story. More money was raised on other
crowdfunding platforms to the tune of about $500,000 which the management of the company says
was poured into research and development. However, not much of that R&D has been shown off by
the company. It remains to be revealed, if that money was also mismanaged or not. Here is more on
this: Peachy Printer Funds Stolen to Build a House.

Sure, this is an extreme. More often you will encounter delays in delivery of your Kickstarter or
Indiegogo 3D printer.
On the other hand, there have been many successful 3D printing products that started out on
Kickstarter including the original Formlabs Form One SLA printer, Zortrax M200, the M3D Micro
(image), Printrbot and the 3Doodler printing pen.

Every time you invest money in something, there is a certain risk that something will go wrong. It
comes down to how much you trust the authenticity of the project. In this article, we compiled a few
clues you should consider before backing a crowdfunding project.

back to top

16. Will 3D printing be bigger than the internet?

As 3D printing has only begun to see global acceptance and implementation in recent years, it is too
soon to know for certain whether 3D printing will be a life-changer comparable to the internet. After
all, when computers were first invented, no one knew the tremendous impact they would have. The
same goes for the internet. Growing numbers in the 3D printing industry suggest that the technology
is going to be huge, but only time will tell- if the impact going to be “internet-size”.

back to top
17. How can I connect with other people doing 3D printing?
If you are looking to meet up with other people doing 3D printing, there are a few different routes you
can take. A great place to find people who are interested in the same things as you is
www.meetup.com, a social platform designed especially for that purpose.

Another great place is your local Fab Lab. There, you are bound to meet other makers.

back to top

18. Are there 3D printing events, trade shows or meetups?

Check out ALL3DP’s 3D printing conference calendar.

back to top

3D Printing Guide: 3D Printer Buyers

Interested in getting your own 3D printer? Read on to find out what you should consider before
making a buying decision.

19. Can I try 3D printing before buying a 3D printer?

Yes. A FabLab is a great place to try out and use 3D printers without having to buy one. Just look up
the nearest FabLabs location near you and buy a membership. A membership for 3D printing costs
around €10 per month which is a lot cheaper than buying a 3D printer yourself.

Alternatively, there are a lot of maker spaces, typically in bigger cities. There, you will find at least one
3D printer – and usually some friendly makers who can help you.

back to top

20. What should I know before buying a 3D printer?

Check out All3DP’s article of how to buy a 3d printer.
back to top

21. Which 3D printer is the best one?

The answer to this question would be very subjective. Basically, different 3D printers are capable of
different things. Some are better than others. We have put together buying guides for certain types of
3D printers.

• 20 Best 3D Printers in Fall 2016

• 22 Best Cheap DIY 3D Printer Kits in 2016
• 20 Best Cheap 3D Printers Under $500 / $1000
• 12 Best Resin (DLP/SLA) 3D Printers in 2016
• 25 Best RepRap Prusa i3 Kits in 2016 (DIY 3D Printer)
• 7 Best All-In-One 3D Printers in 2016 (3D Printer, Laser, CNC)
• 8 Cheap DIY SLA Printers (DLP/Resin) from $20

back to top

22. Can I build my own 3D printer?

Yes, you can either buy a 3D printer kit or design and build one entirely from scratch. Typically, kit 3D
printers are cheaper because the manufacturer saves assembly costs. Below, you see a kit of a
Printrbot Metal, which can be assembled and calibrated in just a day.

If you’re interested in building your own 3D printer, take a look at our overview of the best cheap DIY
printer kits and at our roundup of the best Prusa i3 DIY kits.

(Fun fact: 12-year-old Amogh designed and put together a working 3D printer out of LEGO, K’NEX and
a 3D pen. He then uploaded the design and instructions to Instructables for other people to see and
replicate.)
back to top

23. What 3D printer should I buy?

Check out ALL3DP’s 20 best 3D printers article. You may also be interested in the best cheap, SLA,
cheap DIY or all in one 3D printers.

back to top

24. Where should I buy my 3D printer?

You can go through the manufacturer directly. Also, Amazon is a great place to browse, compare and
buy 3D printers. Every month, All3DP compiles a list of the most interesting 3D printers and 3D
printing accessories you can get from Amazon.

back to top

25. What does a 3D printer cost?

Prices range from about $200 for a very basic DIY 3D printer to several thousand dollars for more
advanced, higher quality units.

Industrial 3D printers can cost up to several hundred thousand to over one million dollars.

back to top
26. Is a 3D printing pen a toy or a serious tool?
A 3D pen is both. On the one hand, 3D pens are not capable of producing precision 3D objects like a
“normal” 3D printer which is precision-guided to print exactly what you tell it to. Because of this, a 3D
pen can’t be regarded as a serious tool when compared to desktop or even industrial 3D printers.

On the other hand, 3D pens are serious tools when it comes to artists and children having fun
creating their next masterpieces.

It remains to be seen if the 3D printing pen craze is merely a phase or here to stay.

back to top

3D Printing Guide: Filaments

Everything you need to know about the material you feed most desktop 3D printers with to produce
their output.

27. What are 3D printing filaments? What do I need them for?

The word “filament” comes from the Latin word for “thread” which is “filum”. It is used to describe
anything that is thread-like in structure.

In 3D printing, filament is the name given to the material used by the 3D printer to print. In printers
using FDM technology, the material comes in the form of a filament coiled around a small spool. The
filament is then fed into the extruder through a guide tube. Usually, thermoplastics for 3D printers
using the FDM method come in the shape of filaments.

Some 3D printers, mostly industrial ones, use material pellets instead of filaments. This brings down
the cost of 3D printing material significantly. Other 3D printers, the SLA printer types, use liquid resin
instead of strands of thermoplastics.

back to top

28. What types of 3D printing filaments are there?

There are many different kinds of 3D printing filaments. First of all, they come in two conventional
diameters: 1.75mm and 3.00mm.

The most common materials used in FDM 3D printing are PLA and ABS. They are popular for their
ease of use (ABS being a little more complicated to 3D print), and their affordability.