What is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)?
Fused deposition modeling, which is often referred to by its initials FDM, is a type of rapid prototyping or rapid manufacturing (RP) technology commonly used within engineering design. The technology was developed by S. Scott Crump in the late 1980s and was commercialized in 1990. Like most other RP processes (such as 3D Printing and stereolithography) FDM works on an “additive” principle by laying down material in layers. A plastic filament is unwound from a coil and supplies material to an extrusion nozzle which can turn on and off the flow. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism, directly controlled by a Computer Aided Design software package. In a similar manner to stereolithography, the model is built up from layers as the plastic hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle. FDM technology uses Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer. A “water-soluble” material can b
