FFF / FDM

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is an additive manufacturing process that belongs to the material extrusion family. In FFF, an object is built by selectively depositing melted material in a pre-determined path layer-by-layer. The materials used are thermoplastic polymers and come in a filament form. FFF is the most widely used 3D Printing technology: it represents the largest installed base of 3D printers globally and is often the first technology people are exposed to.

The key benefit of FFF is the wide range of available materials. These can range from commodity thermoplastics (such as PLA and ABS) to engineering-grade materials (such as PA, TPU and PETG) and high-performance thermoplastics (such as PEEK and PEI). The material used will affect not only the mechanical properties and accuracy of the printed part but also its price.

FFF parts can achieve a good surface finish using various post-processing methods such as sanding and polishing, priming and painting, cold welding, vapour smoothening, epoxy coating and/or metal plating.