About Additive Manufacturing
This module is designed to introduce users to the fundamental components and concepts of Material Extrusion and
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). FDM represents one of the most prevalent forms of additive manufacturing and is
the most common and cost-effective method of 3D printing. The main strength of FDM is its ability to allow users to create custom
solutions for specific problems, as well as allow access to a large library and community of 3D models and modellers that already
exist.
There are several examples of Additive Manufacturing in manufacturing currently being used. FDM is a useful tool for prototyping
designs in a fast and cost-effective way. Equipment modificaion and improvement can also benefit from FDM through the creation of custom
accessories and equipment, holders, and other simple mechanisms that can be created and curated in-house to fit the currently used tools and
how they work together. A final example is the ability to craft tools for rapid repairs. Temporary and permanent solutions can be
created to reduce down-time and save cost through in-house solutions. The solutions are not limited to the commonly-known plastics, but
can also support much stronger materials such as carbon fiber-infused nylon and polycarbonate, as well as some metal and other specialized
material printers.