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The Top 5 Most Popular 3D Printing Techniques

Dwight Mitchell • Jun 09, 2023

The Top 5 Most Popular 3D Printing Techniques

3D printing has come a long way in the last few years. From the first iterations of the technology that were used in industrial settings, to the widespread adoption of the technology in the consumer market and even the professional sector, the pace of innovation has been breathtaking.

Nowadays, there are different types of 3D printers, with each one of them being preferred for different applications. However, the most common types of 3D printers in homes, offices, schools and businesses alike are the FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)-based 3D printers, which use filament (usually plastic) to build 3D objects layer by layer.

If you’re looking to get started with 3D printing but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be discussing the top 5 most popular 3D printing techniques, with a focus on the pros and cons of each one of them.

Laser 3D printing

Laser 3D printing, or laser sintering, is a type of additive manufacturing technology that uses a laser to solidify a mix of materials. The general technique has been around for decades, but it’s only recently that affordable, desktop machines have become available to the general public.

Engineers and researchers have been using laser sintering for decades to create prototypes and production parts, but in the last few years, the technology has grown rapidly in popularity as a 3D printing technique. What makes laser sintering so appealing is its ability to create parts with complex geometries that are not possible with other types of 3D printing. This includes parts with holes, complex curves and, perhaps most importantly, fully functional prototypes.

Like other 3D printing techniques, laser sintering works by building up layers of material to create a three-dimensional object. However, unlike other techniques, laser sintering doesn’t use a printer that extrudes material in all directions; instead, the laser sintering machine is configured to do a “sintering” process. The laser precisely fuses the material together by heating it up and then cooling it down very rapidly, which causes the oxygen in the material to bind to the other materials in the object, forming a hard, dense substance.

One of the biggest advantages of laser sintering is its ability to create parts with complex geometries that are not possible with other types of 3D printing. This includes parts with holes, complex curves and, perhaps most importantly, fully functional prototypes.

Fused Deposition Modeling

In fused deposition modeling (FDM), the 3D printing technique that is most similar to laser sintering, a 3D printer uses a “fused deposition model” (FDM) filament to print objects layer by layer. FDM printing works by extruding melted plastic onto a build platform (usually a heated bed). The 3D printer then uses a mechanism to “rake” the filament so that it deposits the filament layer by layer.

The main difference between FDM and laser sintering is that in FDM, the 3D printing process occurs in a continuous fashion; once the printer has “printed” one layer, it moves on to the next without any heat being applied to the build platform or the previous layer.

In FDM, the deposition process is essentially a “sintering” process, where the melted plastic is fused together to form the final object.

Stereolithography

Stereolithography, or SLA printing, is similar to FDM printing in that it uses a “sintering” process to solidify a layer of material. However, in SLA printing, the 3D printing process occurs in a “continuous” fashion; like FDM, the printer uses a “print head” to deposit material onto a bed or “print bed”. Unlike FDM, the print head does not move from side to side but rather, it is rotated to print different angles of the object.

The great thing about SLA 3D printing is that the process is fully automated; there is no need for a separate “print head” or “print bed” maintenance process. This makes SLA ideal for “continuous” production environments.

To achieve the best results when 3D printing with SLA, it’s best to use a “melt flow” approach where the print head is equipped with numerous nozzles to direct the print head to deposit the material in thin layers. It is also common practice to use a “cooling” process to regulate the temperature of the print head, bed and print bed out material, which results in better adhesion and less warping of the print head.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering

Similar to SLA, direct metal laser sintering uses a “sintering” process to solidify a layer of material. However, DMLS uses a “solid state”, laser to sinter the material instead of a CO 2 or heated build platform. DMLS works by pre-solidifying the material with a powder and then melting the powder layer with a laser.

One of the advantages of DMLS is that the process can be fully automated; there is no need for a separate “print head” or “print bed” maintenance process. This makes DMLS ideal for “continuous” production environments.

To achieve the best results when 3D printing with DMLS, it’s best to use a “powder deposition” approach where the print head is equipped with numerous nozzles to direct the print head to deposit the material in thin layers. It is also common practice to use a “cooling” process to regulate the temperature of the print head, bed and print bed out material, which results in better adhesion and less warping of the print head.

Selective Laser Sintering

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is similar to DMLS in that it uses a laser to sinter a layer of material. However, SLS is different from DMLS in that it only sinter certain types of materials. SLS can be used to sinter resins, polymers, composites, granules and even food and beverage containers.

One of the advantages of SLS is that the process can be fully automated; there is no need for a separate “print head” or “print bed” maintenance process. This makes SLS ideal for “continuous” production environments.

Like DMLS, SLS can be used to sinter resins, polymers, composites, granules and even food and beverage containers.

Concluding Thoughts

Although there are many different types of 3D printing technologies available, the top 5 most popular 3D printing techniques share several similarities. Each of them uses a layer-by-layer deposition process that solidifies a layer of material by heating it up and then cooling it down quickly. Additionally, each of these top 5 most popular 3D printing techniques can be fully automated, which makes them ideal for “continuous” production environments.

Before you decide which 3D printing technique to use in your next project, be sure to take a look at our wide range of 3D printing materials and choose the perfect filament for your project.

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