BE-CU 3D Technology provides industry-leading 3D printing services. Whether you need a prototype or a production part, we can make it for you on demand in as little as one day. We are your one-stop shop for accurate, precise, custom 3D printed parts at affordable prices. Upload your 3D CAD file to get an online quote and delivery time in seconds. We print everything from a single prototype to thousands of production-grade parts.

Material extrusion is just like its name: material is extruded through a nozzle. Typically, the material is a plastic filament that is heated by the nozzle, nearly melting it in the process. The printer deposits the material onto the build platform along a path determined by the build preparation software. The filament then cools and solidifies to form a solid object. This is the most common form of 3D printing.
At first glance, this sounds simple, but it is a very broad category considering that there is almost no limit to the materials you can extrude, including plastics, metal slurries, concrete, bio-gels, and various foods. Prices for this type of meal 3D printer range from about $100 to seven figures.

• Subtypes of Material Extrusion: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Architectural 3D Printing, Micro 3D Printing, Bio 3D Printing,Copper Etching and more
• Materials: Plastics, Metals, Food, Concrete, etc.
• Dimensional Accuracy: ±0.5% (±0.5mm lower limit)
• Common Applications: Prototypes, Electrical Enclosures, Form and Fit Testing, Jigs and Fixtures, 3d printing Investment Casting Patterns, Houses, etc.
• Pros: Lowest Cost 3D Printing Method, Wide Range of Materials
• Weaknesses: Typically Lower Material Properties (Strength, Durability, etc.), and Often Not as Precise
• FDM 3D printers are a multi-billion dollar market with thousands of machines, ranging from basic models for kids to sophisticated versions for manufacturers. You may occasionally hear FDM machines referred to as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), which is the exact same technology.

Like all 3D printing technologies, FDM starts with a digital model, which is then converted into instructions for the 3D printer to follow. With FDM 3d printting, a spool of filament (or a few at a time) is loaded into the 3D printer and fed into the printer nozzle in the extrusion head. The printer nozzle is heated to the required temperature, softening the filament so that successive layers will connect to form a solid part.

As the printer moves the extruder head along the specified coordinates on the XY plane, it continues to lay down the first layer. The extruder head then rises to the next level (the Z plane) and repeats the process of printing cross-sections, building up layer by layer until the object is fully formed.

Depending on the geometry of the object, it is sometimes necessary to add support structures to support the model while it is being printed, for example, if the model has steep overhangs. These supports are removed after printing. Some support investmenr casting structure materials can be dissolved in water or other solutions.