High-Quality Large Format FDM 3D Printing
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Xometry’s Instant Quoting Engine is covered by U.S. Pat. Nos. 11,086,292, 11,347,201, 11,693,388, 11,698,623, 12,099,341, and 12,189,361. Other patents pending.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing technology widely known for its speed, accuracy, and competitive cost. FDM machines precisely extrude melted material to create a part. FDM parts can be made in as fast as one day.
Xometry’s FDM 3D printing service offers large build volumes up to 24″ x 36″ x 36″ on Stratasys Fortus platforms. FDM 3D printing offers the largest variety of colors and selection of production-grade thermoplastics of any 3D printing process. Material range from general-purpose ABS or ASA to high performing polycarbonate and heat resistant ULTEM.
| Material Name | Color(s) | Tensile Strength, Yield (XZ MPa-ZX MPa) | Elongation at Break (XZ%-ZX%) | HDT @ 66 psi (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS-M30 | Black, Blue, Dark Grey, Ivory, Red, White | 32 MPa-28 MPa | 7%-2% | 96 °C |
| ABS-ESD7 | Black (electrostatic dissipative properties) | 36 MPa | 3% | 96 °C |
| ABSi | Translucent Natural, Translucent Amber, Translucent Red | 37 MPa | 4.4% | 86 °C |
| ASA | Black, Dark Blue, Dark Gray, Light Gray, Green, Ivory, Orange, Red, White, Yellow | 27 MPa | 9%-3% | 98 °C |
| Nylon 12 | Black | 49.3 MPa-41.8 MPa | 30%-6.5% | 91.9 °C |
| PC-ABS | Black | 41 MPa | 6% | 110 °C |
| PC | White | 57 MPa-42 MPa | 4.8%-2.5% | 138 °C |
| PC-ISO | Translucent Natural, White | 57 MPa | 4% | 133 °C |
| Prototyping PLA | Black, Blue, Red, White | 50 MPa-37 MPa | 2.9%-1.9% | 55 °C |
| ULTEM 9085 | Black, Tan | 47 MPa-33 MPa | 5.8%-2.2% | 153 °C |
| ULTEM 1010 | Amber (Natural) | 64 MPa-41 MPa | 3.3%-2.0% | 216 °C |
Properties apply to US-based production (Fortus FDM and Desktop FFF). Not all options are available for Xometry’s international economy option.
Our available materials include Prototyping PLA, a low-cost, rigid thermoplastic produced via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) using an array of desktop 3D printers. Our standard PLA offering comes in four colors: black, red, white, and blue. PLA is great for developing concept models or low-wear indoor products.
Because of lower overhead and material costs, PLA is typically less than half the price of our other FDM options. In exchange, there are trade-offs with lower heat deflection (130°F compared to 186-420°F), lower print volume (~9” max dimension compared to 36”), and fewer plastic options. Keeping that in mind, PLA prints have finer layers, vibrant colors, and quick lead times.
FDM parts are built with support material that is removed during post-processing. The part surfaces are left with fine layer lines.
Xometry can provide additional processing such as painting or vapor smoothing to meet your needs.
Free shipping available for domestic 3D printing orders ; learn more!
Greg Paulsen, our Director of Application Engineering, gives a brief overview of FDM 3D Printing.
The speed and versatility of FDM lets engineers create physical snapshots of their designs.
An FDM machine can be used to create durable prototypes that withstand thermal, chemical, and mechanical stress.
High-performance materials make FDM ideal for producing jigs, fixtures, and production tooling.
We use the most advanced industrial FDM printers designed to meet tolerances of +/- a single build layer thickness (e.g. 0.010″) for the first inch and +/- .002” for every inch thereafter.
FDM printed parts are available in a variety of high-performance plastics for applications that require resistance to the elements.
Xometry can produce FDM parts with large build volumes up to 24″ x 36″ x 36″
FDM parts do not require tooling which reduces the manufacturing lead time from weeks to days.
FDM has the highest variety of real engineered thermoplastics.
An FDM printer is capable of producing end-use parts on-demand, increasing throughput and helping you get to market faster.
| Tolerance Notes | Description |
|---|---|
| General Tolerance | +/- a single build layer thickness for the first inch and +/- .002” for every inch thereafter. |
| Build Size | Up to 24" x 36" x 36" |
| Layer Height, less than 16" | 0.010" Layers (0.008" for PLA) |
| Layer Height, greater than 16" (up to 36") | 0.013" Layers |
| Minimum Wall Thickness | 0.047"(less than 16"), 0.060" (greater than 16") |
FDM 3D printed parts can be built up to 24″ x 36″ x 36″. Stratasys Fortus 400/450-series machines will produce parts up to 16″ and Stratasys Fortus 900MC or F900 platforms are used for parts larger than 16″. Prototyping PLA is built on Prusa MK3S/MK4 or Bambu Lab X1C desktop FFF machines with a build volume of 9.8″ x 8.3″ x 8.3. General tolerances apply before secondary finishing or post-processing unless otherwise specified. To learn more tips about FDM 3D printing, check out our Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Design Guide. Applies to US-based production only.
Our quick reference guides let you quickly compare different 3D printing processes!
How Fused Deposition Modeling Works
With FDM technology, a spool of the chosen feedstock is introduced to a typical fused deposition modeling system via an extruder, which regulates the feed movement of the polymer to the heater where it melts. This molten polymer is extruded through a nozzle and deposited onto the print bed, also known as the build platform. The extruder, heater, and nozzle are all contained in a printhead which is attached to a gantry above the flat build platform. This is designed to offer relatively high freedom of motion in the X and Y axes as the material is deposited.
The fused deposition modeling system uses innovative printer software to separate a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) file into individual slices, or cross-sections. Each slice in the file is converted into machine code, which essentially uses the Cartesian coordinate system to determine the path the printer head must follow across the X and Y axes to deposit the first layer of material onto the build platform. Once the bottom layer is complete, the build platform descends by a small amount – relative to the deposited layer thickness – and the printhead repeats the process to deposit the second layer. This procedure is repeated in sequential layers until the part is finished.
Most FDM systems have a two-nozzle system that can selectively extrude sacrificial support structures as they part prints. Depending on the feedstock, this support may be soluble in a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) bath, leaving only the printed part after processing. The support structure can also be removed manually without damaging the printed part.
The benefits of this technique are manifold, particularly when it comes to the development of concept models and rapid prototypes for research and design (R&D) processes.
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is among the most easily accessible and recognizable additive manufacturing technologies worldwide. Available to both 3D printing hobbyists and large-volume manufacturers alike, it is known for its speed and precision in generating three-dimensional polymeric structures using a choice of feedstock materials. The range of filaments available for fused deposition modeling include:
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS-M30, ABS-M30i, ABSi)
Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA)
Polycarbonates (PC, PC-ABS and PC-ISO)
High-performance plastics (PPSF, Ultem 1010, Ultem 9085, and Nylon-12)
Benefits Of Fused Deposition Modeling
FDM printing is a cost-effective additive manufacturing process, especially for rapid prototyping or low-volume production. Since FDM prints require little post-processing and use more readily available materials, leads times from quote to print and delivery are fast.
Choose from millions of possible combinations of materials, finishes, tolerances, markings, and certifications for your order.
Get your parts delivered right to your door without the hassle of sourcing, project management, logistics, or shipping.
We are ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485, and AS9100D certified. Only the top shops that apply to become Suppliers make it through our qualification process.
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