3D Printing

Fused Filament Fabrication

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is
a 3D printing technology, in which
objects are built layer-by-layer from
the bottom up, by heating and
extruding thermoplastic filament
from a nozzle. The layers height
varies between 50-500 m. A 3D
virtual model of the object is
designed with CAD software and
imported into a pre-processing
software, which reconstructs the
objects geometry with voxels and
mathematically slices the model into
horizontal layers. Each horizontal
layer is then translated in G-code
instructions for the printer. This
additive manufacturing process has
significant advantages over the
traditional material-removal
methods, since it can easily create
ornate and complicated shapes with
alternating compositions and
densities. New, previously
inaccessible blends of raw materials
can be used and infinite shades of
materials with novel properties can
be explored. The properties of each
voxel can be meticulously tailored to
create programmable matter and
intelligent physical objects.
Moreover, fully functional,
interlocked parts can be fabricated in
a single manufacturing 3D printing
process, with as little waste byproducts as possible.

Apart from 3D printing with plastic

extruders, the printer is also compatible
with a variety of interchangeable
toolheads. These toolheads transform it
into a versatile CNC machine, which can
lasercut, engrave, mill, drill etc. A syringe
toolhead can be used for bioprinting and
for the fabrication of biocompatible
scaffolds for tissue regeneration and
personalized implants, with specific pore
size and structures.

3D Printing Materials and

Applications
In FFF technology, the
thermoplastic materials are in
filament form with 1.75mm or
2.85mm diameter, wrapped in
spools. The most popular materials
(and blends among them) used with
FFF are:
Polylactic acid (PLA)
Acrylonitrile Butadiene
Styrene terpolymer (ABS)
High Impact Polystyrene
(HIPS)
Various types of polyamides
(PA)
Glycol-modified
Polyethylene terephthalate
(PETG)
High Density Polyethylene
(HDPE)
Various thermoplastic
elastomers (TPE)
In the similar bioprinting
technique, there is a big variety
of biocompatible natural,
synthetic or semisynthetic
hydrogels that are used, such as:
Collagen
Chitosan
Hyaluronic acid
Polyethylene glycol
diacrylate (PEGDA),
Polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA) etc.

A large number of scientific

publications worldwide focuses
on compounding the
aforementioned polymers with
numerous additives and microor nano- scale fillers, like
carbon fibers, graphene, carbon
nanotubes, organoclays, metal
particles etc., to improve
existing properties, give rise to
new ones and enhance the
rheology and overall
printability of new materials.
Applications:
Automotive industry,
Aerospace industry
Electronics Industry
Product development
with rapid prototyping
Regenerative medicine,
for bone and cartilage
implants
Printable drug delivery
systems
Precise physical
replication of objects,
with applications in
reverse engineering,
archaeology and
paleontology.