Fused Deposition Modelling
Stratysis developed the first FDM machines in the early 1990’s and since then the product line has evolved and diversified. Fused Deposition Modelling technologies fabricate components in layers of extruded thermoplastic polymer materials. As the build material is simply heated, extruded and deposited in thin layers, parts exhibit characteristics similar to moulded parts from the same material.
November 30th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
FDM is advancing it’s abilities on an almost weekly basis.
As the systems become ever more popular and available, new thermoplastics are being created specifically for the machines.
FDM is finding favour in the ‘Rapid Manufacturing’ field at the moment with the increase in available polymers. The ABS polymers providing genuine tough and resiliant ‘end use’ products.
Two types of build machines are available.
Firstly where a solid structure is created as a support for complex or overhanging geometries that once the build process is complete can simply and easily be broken free from the finished part.
Secondly where a structure is generated around the part where required that is simply washed off the finished part when the build is complete.
This second type offers sevaral key advantages.
On very small or thin build areas of the finished component it is quite possible when breaking the solid support type away, to break the finished component aswell. Not desirable.
Another advantage is that, providing there is access designed in, hollow parts can be created and the support simply washed out.
Again, because of the ability to wash away the support, it is quite possible to create bushes and pins that slide, or even gears on shafts that rotate after washing down. Minimum thicknesses quoted from Stratasys are of 0.1mm for the supporting medium. Now this may not be good enough for a precision engineer at the moment, but is more than enough for several wide and varying applications.
Because of the above stated properties, FDM makes for an ideal tool for the manufacture of jigs and tooling to help with the wide and varying demands of shop floor assembly.
Very complex jigs can easily be created that would require hours of complex machining traditionally.