Material Extrusion Lab Material Extrusion (ME) Stacker S4 345x520x650 mm (13.6×20.5×25.6 in) build volume4 extruders for multi-material partsOpen architecture re:3D Gigabot X 565x593x470 mm (22.2×23.3×18.5 in) build volumePrints from pellets and flakesAbility to print from recycled materialsOn loan from re:3D for research AON M2+ 450x450x565 mm (17.7×17.7×22.2 in) build volumeDual 500 degree C extrudersAbility to print high temperature materials such as PEEK, PEKK, and ULTEMBuild chamber heating to 135 degrees C What is Material Extrusion? Material extrusion goes by several names including fused deposition modelling (FDM), fused filament fabrication (FFF), and fused granular fabrication (FGF). The basic principle for polymer material extrusion is to melt polymer feedstock and extrude it through a nozzle onto a build platform. The feedstock can be in the form of filament strands that are wound around a spool or granulated pellets that are fed to the extruder via a hopper. The liquid polymer cools as it exits the nozzle and solidifies, allowing the material to be selectively deposited. The cross section of the part is traced by the extruder for a given layer, and the process is repeated by lowering the build platform. ME Advantages Wide range of material optionsHollow internal cavities are possibleLow waste ME Considerations Support structures are required for overhangs that exceed 45 degreesLayers tend to be pronounced, causing rough external surfacesFeature sizes should be on the order of 1.0 mm for the best resultsAvoid printing large flat plates parallel to the build plate to avoid excessive warping