Fused Filament Fabrication vs. Material Jetting
Delve into the nozzle-based additive manufacturing technologies, encompassing fused filament fabrication and material jetting. These cutting-edge technologies have a broad range of applications across various industries. By understanding and harnessing the capabilities of these advanced technologies, you will uncover a myriad of opportunities for innovation and development in manufacturing and beyond.
Fused Filament Fabrication
Fused filament fabrication is an innovative additive manufacturing process that uses a nozzle to build three-dimensional parts layer by layer using thermoplastic filament. This cutting-edge process has revolutionized manufacturing, offering greater precision and efficiency in producing both complex solid and partially hollow objects. Fused filament fabrication allows for the creation of intricate designs and the use of a wide variety of materials, opening up numerous possibilities for engineers, designers, and manufacturers across various industries, such as aerospace and automotive. One such notable material is Ultem9085, an extremely high-temperature, chemical-resistant, and flame-retardant material. This technique is essential for fields that require precision and quality.
Material Jetting
Material jetting is a sophisticated additive manufacturing technique that involves the precise deposition of liquid material droplets layer by layer to build intricate 3D objects. This versatile technology allows for the fabrication of complex geometries using a wide range of materials: solid materials of multiple colors, rubbers of different shore hardnesses, and a mix of both in a single print. The process enables the production of parts with exceptional surface finishes and high dimensional accuracy. It is an invaluable tool for creating detailed prototypes, small-batch production runs, applications demanding multiple colors and materials, and intricate, custom designs.
Comparing these nozzle-based technologies.
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Material Jetting are popular 3D printing nozzle-based techniques. FFF uses a heated nozzle to deposit thermoplastic filaments, such as PLA and ABS, in layers; meanwhile, Material Jetting employs inkjet-like printheads to deposit droplets of material. This technology, also known as drop-on-demand (DOD) 3D printing, can print various materials like polymers, ceramics, and metals, producing intricate shapes and structures with great accuracy and precision.
Material Jetting is well-liked in the aerospace, automotive, and healthcare industries due to its ability to create complex geometries and high-quality, detailed objects. Additionally, it can produce multi-material and multi-color parts in a single print run. Understanding the differences between these two techniques is crucial to achieving the best results. Knowing the strengths and limitations of each method can help determine the optimal approach for specific project needs, whether for prototypes or finished products.
Both FFF and Material Jetting have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Parts created using FFF are typically solid and durable, while Material Jetting can produce parts with a smooth surface finish and high resolution. Consequently, both techniques are ideal for rapid prototyping, small-batch production, and creating complex geometries.
Nozzle-Based Technologies in a Glance
Fused Filament Fabrication
OEM: Stratasys
Max Build Area: 36 x 24 x 36 in
Lead Time: 1 – 5 Days
Materials: ABS-ESD7, ABS-M30, ASA, Nylon 12CF, PC-ISO, Polycarbonate (PC), Ultem 1010, and Ultem 9085. Other materials may be available upon request.
Tolerances: First inch ± 0.005 in and additional inches ± 0.002 in/in.
Layer Thickness: Standard 0.010 in also available 0.005, 0.007, and 0.013 in.
Material Jetting
OEM: Stratasys
Max Build Area: 19.3 x 15.4 x 7.9 in
Lead Time: 1 – 2 Days
Materials: Agilus30, Digital ABS Plus, Tango Black, VeroClear, VeroBlackPlus, VeroWhitePlus, VeroCyan, VeroMagenta, VeroYellow, VeroGrey. Other materials may be available upon request.
Tolerances: First inch ± 0.004 in and additional inches ± 0.0015 in/in.
Layer Thickness: Standard 0.0006 in also available 0.005, 0.007, and 0.0012 in.
Fused Filament Fabrication
Material Jetting
OEM
Stratasys
Stratasys
Max Build Area
36 x 24 x 36 in
19.3 x 15.4 x 7.9 in
Lead Time
1 – 5 Days
1 – 2 Days
Materials
Other materials may be available upon request.
- Agilus30
- Digital ABS Plus
- Tango Black
- Vero Clear
- VeroBlackPlus
- VeroWhitePlus
- VeroCyan
- VeroMagenta
- VeroYellow
- VeroGrey
Other materials may be available upon request.
Tolerances
First inch ± 0.005 in
Add. inches ± 0.002 in/in
First inch ± 0.004 in
Add. inches ± 0.0015 in/in
Layer Thickness
Standard: 0.010 in
Also available: 0.005, 0.007, and 0.013 in
High-Quality: 0.0006 in
High-Speed: 0.0012 in
Design Recommendations
Fused Filament Fabrication
| Feature | Measurement | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Connecting & Moving Parts |
0.008 in |
|
|
Escape Holes |
0.04 in |
|
|
Embossing & Engraving |
Width: 0.024 in |
|
|
Holes & Openings |
0.04 in |
|
|
Horizontal Spans |
0.4 in |
|
|
Minimum Features |
0.08 in |
|
|
Pin Diameter |
0.04 in |
|
|
Supports & Overhangs |
45° |
|
|
Walls (Supported) |
0.03 in |
|
|
Walls (Unsupported) |
0.03 in |
| Feature | Measurement | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Connecting & Moving Parts |
0.2 mm |
|
|
Escape Holes |
1 mm |
|
|
Embossing & Engraving |
Width: 0.6 mm |
|
|
Holes & Openings |
1 mm |
|
|
Horizontal Spans |
10 mm |
|
|
Minimum Features |
2 mm |
|
|
Pin Diameter |
1 mm |
|
|
Supports & Overhangs |
45° |
|
|
Walls (Supported) |
0.8 mm |
|
|
Walls (Unsupported) |
0.8 mm |
Material Jetting
| Feature | Measurement | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Connecting & Moving Parts |
0.008 in |
|
|
Escape Holes |
0.04 in |
|
|
Embossing & Engraving |
Width: 0.02 in |
|
|
Holes & Openings |
0.02 in |
|
|
Horizontal Spans |
Supports always required |
|
|
Minimum Features |
0.02 in |
|
|
Pin Diameter |
0.02 in |
|
|
Supports & Overhangs |
Supports always required |
|
|
Walls (Supported) |
0.04 in |
|
|
Walls (Unsupported) |
0.04 in |
| Feature | Measurement | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Connecting & Moving Parts |
0.2 mm |
|
|
Escape Holes |
1 mm |
|
|
Embossing & Engraving |
Width: 0.5 mm |
|
|
Holes & Openings |
0.5 mm |
|
|
Horizontal Spans |
Supports always required |
|
|
Minimum Features |
0.5 mm |
|
|
Pin Diameter |
0.5 mm |
|
|
Supports & Overhangs |
Supports always required |
|
|
Walls (Supported) |
1 mm |
|
|
Walls (Unsupported) |
1 mm |
Finishing and Post-Processing
Fused Filament Fabrication
| Level | Process |
|---|---|
|
Natural |
Supports are removed. Parts will have visible layer lines. |
|
Improved Exterior |
Exterior (cosmetic) surfaces are sanded to reduce layer lines. |
|
Smoothed & Sealed |
Vapor smoothed and sealed for a watertight finish. May modify the geometry slightly. |
|
Primed Exterior |
Exterior (cosmetic) surfaces are smoothed to reduce layer lines and coated in grey primer. |
|
Painted |
Parts are smoothed to reduce layer lines, primed, and painted (provide drawing with paint specifications). |
|
Custom |
Custom finish. Let us know if your project requires special finishing. Please fill out our engineer-assisted quote form. |
Material Jetting
| Level | Process |
|---|---|
|
Unfinished |
Straight off the machine no extra finishing or post-processing. |
|
Natural |
Support faces are sanded, and layer lines are visible. |
|
Standard |
Support faces are sanded, and the entire part is bead-blasted for a matte/opaque finish with some layer lines visible (black will appear grey). |
|
Improved Exterior |
Exterior (cosmetic) surfaces are sanded, and the entire part is bead-blasted for a smooth matte finish. |
|
Improved All |
All accessible surfaces are sanded, and the entire part is bead-blasted for a smooth matte finish. |
|
Clear |
Natural finish with clear coat. The layer lines are still visible. |
|
Improved Clear |
All accessible surfaces are sanded smooth with a clear coat for optimal clarity on transparent materials. |
|
Primed Exterior |
Exterior (cosmetic) surfaces are sanded, bead-blasted, and primed grey. |
|
Primed All |
All accessible surfaces are sanded, bead-blasted, and primed grey. |
|
Painted
|
All accessible surfaces are sanded, bead-blasted, primed, and painted (provide a drawing with your paint specifications). |
|
Custom
|
Custom finish. Let us know if your project requires special finishing. Please fill out our engineer-assisted quote form. |
FAQs
Fused filament fabrication (FFF) and material jetting are advanced additive manufacturing processes that use nozzle-based technologies to create three-dimensional objects layer by layer.
Both processes offer the capability to fabricate intricate and complex geometries with high precision and accuracy. These technologies have found applications in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, and consumer goods, due to their ability to produce custom parts and prototypes with exceptional detail and quality.
Fused filament fabrication uses a continuous filament, while material jetting deposits droplets of liquid photopolymer. Fused filament is generally more cost-effective, while material jetting offers higher precision and surface finish.
As far as finished parts go, fused filament fabrication produces parts with a layered appearance, while material jetting creates smooth, uniform surfaces. Filament parts are generally more cost-effective while jetting offers higher precision and detail.
