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3D Printing: The process of creating three-dimensional objects from digital files through layer-by-layer material deposition. 3D Printing is also known as Additive Manufacturing, it is ‘additive’ in that it doesn’t require a block of material or a mould to manufacture physical objects, it simply stacks and fuses layers of material. Formero often uses the term 3D Printing when manufacturing less than 10 parts.

3D Scanning: The process of capturing the shape and appearance of physical objects to create digital replicas.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): A common thermoplastic known for its strength and durability.

Accura® 25: A type of resin material (white) created by 3D Systems that is an easy and fast-to-process plastic to simulate the properties and aesthetics of polypropylene with high flexibility, durability and accuracy.

Accura® ClearVue: A transparent resin material created by 3D Systems that is an easy-to-process plastic with best-in-class clarity, high durability and water resistance for a multitude of applications.

Accura® Xtreme: A durable resin material created by 3D Systems that is an ultra-tough grey plastic with outstanding durability, accuracy and aesthetics to replace CNC-machined polypropylene and ABS articles.

Acrylic: Also known as PMMA, acrylic is a transparent thermoplastic often used as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass.

Additive Manufacturing: Another term used for 3D Printing. It is the process of creating objects by adding material layer-by-layer, usually from digital designs. The term ‘Additive Manufacturing’ is often used when 3D printing more than 10 parts.

Aluminium: A lightweight and temperature resistant metal that is weldable in most forms. It is corrosion resistant when treated and has a high strength-to-weight ratio.

Anodising: An electrochemical process that converts a metal surface into a decorative, anodic oxide finish. The anodic oxide structure is made up of a layer of aluminium oxide on the surface of the aluminium which slightly increases the thickness of the metal. The aluminium oxide is not attached to the surface like paint or plating. It is fully integrated with the underlying aluminium substrate, which stops it chipping or peeling.

Bead Blasted: A surface finishing technique that involves propelling small abrasive particles against a material. Bead blasting offers benefits in that it gives a soft, smooth, and even finish.

Bead Tumbled: A finishing process where parts are tumbled with abrasive beads to achieve a smooth surface.

Bending: When discussing metal fabrication, bending is using press brakes, rolling machines and other equipment, which create standard shapes such as U-bends or V-bends in sheet metal to create metal parts.

Beryllium Copper (C17200): Also known as Alloy 25, C17200 is an alloy known for its high strength, hardness, conductivity, and corrosion resistance.

Biocompatible Capable Materials: Materials compatibility with living tissue or a living system by assuring that the product poses minimal toxicity, injury potential or physiological/immunological reactivity.

Brass: An alloy of copper and zinc, brass is very ductile and corrosion resistant. Brass is strong and the hot versus cold working characteristics can be varied depending on the quantity of zinc in the alloy. This gives brass sheets a wider range of performance depending on the application.

Build Size: The maximum dimensions that a 3D printer can create in a single print.

CAD Files: Computer-Aided Design files used for digital representation of objects.

Carbon Fibre: A strong and lightweight material composed of carbon atoms, used to reinforce composites.

Cast Urethane: An economical alternative to low-volume injection moulding of plastic parts and can be used to closely simulate final moulded parts or finished products. Generally, moulds are made from silicone rubber and use CNC machining or SLA parts as a master pattern. The process involves pouring liquid urethane into a mould to create solid parts. Usually referred to as Vacuum Casting.

CFR (Carbon Fiber Reinforced): 3D Printing technology that is patented by Markforged. CFR is a process that lays down a continuous strand of fibre within a traditional FDM 3D printed part. A second nozzle extrudes the fibre (carbon fibre, fibreglass, or even Kevlar) into the part, increasing the strength of the part.

CJP (ColorJet Printing): An additive manufacturing technology with two main components: core material and binder. The core material is spread in thin layers over the build platform with a roller. After each layer is spread, the colour binder is selectively jetted from inkjet print heads, causing the core to solidify and creating full CMYK 3D objects. .

Composite: A material which is manufactured from two or more constituent materials. These materials have notably dissimilar physical properties and are merged to create a material with properties unlike the individual elements.

Concept Models: Physical models used to represent design concepts and ideas. They are used as communication tools to convey ideas in a physical form.

Copolymers: Polymers made from two or more different monomers. Many commercially important polymers are copolymers. Examples include polyethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA), nitrile rubber, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

Copper: High thermal and electrical conductivity and is resistant to corrosion. Copper is also ductile and malleable and is both antibacterial and biostatic.

Curing: The process of solidifying or hardening a material through various methods, often involving light exposure. This process is used mainly on resin printed parts.

DLP (Digital Light Processing): A 3D printing process created by 3D Systems. It is similar to SLA in that it uses a digital light projector to rapidly produce highly detailed parts.

Drafting: Adding slight angles or tapers to the sides of an injection moulded part to aid in its removal from a mould. Draft angles will also aid in minimising warping, increasing tool life and improving the surface finish on the plastic parts.

DuraForm® EX: A HDPE like nylon plastic blend created by 3D Systems for their SLS 3D Printers. Ideal for tough, impact-resistant plastic prototypes or end-use parts requiring moulded-part performance and capable of withstanding harsh environments.

DuraForm® GF: A glass-filled plastic material created by 3D Systems for their SLS 3D Printers. Ideal for accurate and repeatable parts that excel in load bearing applications at higher temperatures.

DuraForm® HST: A fiber-reinforced plastic material designed by 3D Systems for their SLS 3D Printers. Ideal for applications that demand stiffness, strength and high temperature resistance.

DuraForm® PA: A durable polyamide (nylon) material created by 3D Systems for their SLS 3D Printers. Ideal for real-world physical testing and functional use.

DuraForm® PAx: A high impact, high elongation, high recyclability SLS material, designed by 3D Systems for their SLS 3D Printers. Finished parts portray properties similar to injection moulded nylon plastic. Ideal for tough, lightweight and production-grade parts.

Ejector Pins: Mechanisms used to push finished parts out of injection moulds. In some cases they can leave marks on the final parts.

Elastomer/Rubber: Flexible and resilient materials with high elongation properties.

Elongation at Break: The measure of a material’s ability to stretch before breaking.

End-Use Parts: Parts designed and manufactured with the intent of being directly used in a final product or application.

FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling): A 3D Printing technology that involves creating tangible items by progressively layering material. In this process, a thermoplastic filament is propelled through an extruder and positioned at necessary points within each layer, creating the intended object. FDM is the same as FFF, just a different acronym.

FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication): A 3D Printing technology that involves creating tangible items by progressively layering material. In this process, a thermoplastic filament is propelled through an extruder and positioned at necessary points within each layer, creating the intended object. FFF is the same as FDM, just a different acronym.

Fibreglass: A common type of fibre-reinforced plastic using glass fibre. The fibres may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth.

Fibre-Reinforced: Materials infused with fibres to enhance strength and durability.

Figure 4 (DLP): A 3D resin printer developed by 3D Systems using DLP 3D printing technology. DLP uses UV light from a projector. The UV light source remains stationary and it cures the complete layer of resin at a time.

Figure 4® Pro Black 10: A type of resin developed by 3D Systems and used in Figure 4 3D printing with black coloration. A production-grade additive manufacturing material with game-changing thermoplastic-like mechanical properties and long-term environmental stability.

Figure 4® Rubber-65A Black: A type of resin developed by 3D Systems and used in Figure 4 3D printing with black coloration. A mid-tear strength, production-grade rubber combined with Shore 65A hardness and high elongation at break.

Figure 4® High Temp 150C FR Black: A type of resin developed by 3D Systems and used in Figure 4 3D printing with black coloration. UL94 V0 rated flame-retardant black plastic with >150°C heat deflection temperature.

Filaments: Thin strands of material, commonly used in 3D printing. Typical 3D printing filament types used include PLA, PETG, or ABS.

Flexural Strength: The measure of a material’s ability to bend without breaking.

Functional Prototypes: Physical prototypes used to test and assess the functionality of a product design.

Galvanised & Galvanneal Steel: Steel coated with a layer of zinc to prevent corrosion.

Gating (Tooling): In injection moulding, each mould must contain an opening called a gate, this allows the molten material to enter before passing through and around its internal features until filled.

GF (Glass-Filled): Refers to materials, often polymers, infused with glass fibres to improve strength and stiffness.

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene): A polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. Known for its strength and chemical resistance.

Hot-Rolled Steel (SPHC): Steel that has been heated and rolled, typically used in structural applications.

Impact Strength: A material’s ability to withstand sudden applied forces without breaking.

Injection Moulding: A manufacturing process where molten material is injected into a mould cavity to produce complex-shaped parts. Ideal for mass production.

Investment Casting (Lost Wax Casting): A manufacturing process where a single use wax pattern is melted to create a mould cavity for casting.

Isotropic: When an object exhibits similar properties in all directions.

Izod impact: Measures energy required to break a specimen by striking a specific size bar with a pendulum. Izod normally refers to a notched specimen impact. However, in some circumstances, unnotched specimens are tested.

Kevlar: A strong and heat-resistant synthetic fibre often used in high-performance applications.

Layer Lines: Visible lines formed by the successive layers of material in 3D printing.

Layer Thickness: The vertical distance between each successive layer of material in 3D printing.

Low Carbon Steel: Steel with a low carbon content, making it easier to work with and shape.

Metal Stamping: The process of forming metal sheets into desired shapes using presses and dies.

MJF (Multi Jet Fusion): A 3D printing technology developed by HP that uses jetting agents to fuse plastic powder layers together. MJF is ideal in producing functional nylon prototypes and end-use production parts.

Nickel Silver (C7521): An alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc with a silver-like appearance.

Nylon: A versatile synthetic polymer used in various industries for its durability and strength.

Onyx: A MarkForged proprietary nylon material infused with chopped carbon fibre. Along with a high-quality surface finish, the chopped fibres within the Onyx material adds stiffness to your 3D printed parts, providing micro-carbon reinforcement to make parts stiff, strong, and true to their dimensions.

PC+ABS: A blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, combining their properties. PC-ABS materials are widely popular in the engineering world for their functional characteristics.

Phosphor Bronze (C5191): A copper alloy with tin and phosphorus, known for its strength and corrosion resistance.

Photogrammetry: The process of obtaining 3D models from thousands of photographs in a controlled environment to create a high-resolution colour 3D model.

Photo-Reactive Resin: Resin that solidifies when exposed to light, commonly used in SLA and DLP 3D printing.

Polycarbonate: A strong, transparent thermoplastic used in a wide range of applications.

Polypropylene: A thermoplastic known for its chemical resistance, often used in manufacturing and packaging.

Post-Processing: Additional steps taken after manufacturing to improve the appearance, functionality, or other properties of a product.

Presentation Models: Physical models created for demonstration and display, often used to showcase product designs.

Progressive Dies: Tooling used in metal stamping to perform multiple operations in a single press.

Prototyping: Creating preliminary models to test and refine product ideas before final production.

Punching: Forcing a tool through a material to create holes or other features.

QuickCast: A 3D printing process otherwise known as Investment Casting is an SLA build style designed to meet the needs of the Investment Casting industry. As an alternative to traditional wax patterns, the QuickCast build style consists of a hollow SLA pattern with an internal hexagonal support structure that reduces the amount of material to burn out. Ideal for large assemblies, this process provides invaluable shrink and gating information prior to hard tooling.

Rapid Manufacturing: Quickly producing products using additive manufacturing and other manufacturing processes that serve the fast and flexible production of prototypes.

Resin: A liquid material that hardens through chemical reactions, often used in SLA and DLP 3D printing and casting.

Sheet Metal: Metal that has been rolled into thin, flat sheets, commonly used for various manufacturing purposes.

Shore 65A Hardness: A measure of the hardness of elastomeric materials.

Silicone Moulding: A technique that uses silicone moulds to replicate objects with high fidelity.

Sintering: The process of forming a solid object through heat and pressure without melting to the point of liquefaction.

Sinter Box: A cage-like box printed around 3D printed parts to keep them separate and protected throughout printing and post-processing. Ideal for small parts.

SLA (Stereolithography): A 3D printing method that uses a laser to cure liquid resin into solid layers. Widely regarded as one of the more accurate additive technologies, SLA is commonly used amongst designers and engineers looking for fine detailed, small featured parts.

SLS (Selective Laser Sintering): A 3D printing process that uses a laser to fuse (sinter) powdered materials into solid objects. The process is ideal for creating prototypes, custom production parts, hinges, snaps, clips and/or parts exposed to high temperatures or caustic chemicals. Particularly when you need tough and geometrically complex components.

Spring Steel (SK7 and SK5): High-strength steel used in applications requiring resilience and flexibility.

Stainless Steel: A corrosion-resistant steel alloy containing chromium and often nickel.

Stamping: The process of forming metal sheets into desired shapes using presses and dies.

Steel: An alloy of iron and carbon, often used in manufacturing due to its strength and versatility.

Support Structures: Temporary structures used in 3D printing to support overhanging or complex features. These supports are removed from the finished object and the part is smoothed to give an attractive final appearance.

Tensile Strength: The maximum amount of tensile (pulling) stress a material can withstand before breaking.

Thermoplastics: Polymers that can be melted and reshaped multiple times without significant degradation.

Tinplate SPTE: Thin sheets of steel coated with a layer of tin to prevent corrosion.

Tooling: The process of creating moulds, dies, and other tools for manufacturing.

TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer): A flexible and durable type of thermoplastic material sometimes referred to as thermoplastic rubbers.

TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin): A blend of polymers used for its durability, flexibility, and resistance to environmental elements. TPO’s are multiphase compositions in which one element consists of a material that is hard at room temperature and fluid when heated, and the other element consists of an elastomeric material that is soft and rubberlike at room temperature.

Traditional Manufacturing: Conventional methods of production that do not involve additive manufacturing techniques. These can include Metal Stamping, Vacuum Casting, Injection Moulding and CNC Machining.

Transparent: Allowing light to pass through, creating a clear view of objects behind.

Ultem: A high-performance thermoplastic that is extremely durable and exhibits excellent flame, smoke, and toxicity (FST) characteristics.

Vacuum Casting: An economical alternative to low-volume injection moulding of plastic parts and can be used to closely simulate final moulded parts or finished products. Generally, moulds are made from silicone rubber and use CNC machining or SLA parts as a master pattern. The process involves pouring liquid urethane into a mould to create solid parts. Sometimes referred to as Urethane Casting.

Water Resistance: A material’s ability to resist the penetration of water.

Water Tightness: The ability of a structure or product to prevent the passage of water.

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3D Printing: The process of creating three-dimensional objects from digital files through layer-by-layer material deposition. 3D Printing is also known as Additive Manufacturing, it is ‘additive’ in that it doesn’t require a block of material or a mould to manufacture physical objects, it simply stacks and fuses layers of material. Formero often uses the term 3D Printing when manufacturing less than 10 parts.

3D Scanning: The process of capturing the shape and appearance of physical objects to create digital replicas.

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