Additive manufacturing and 3D printing is the process of “adding” or stacking 2-dimensional cross sections of a 3-dimensional shape into a tangible object.

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A variety of 3D printing technologies exist, the 3D printing processes Forge uses is known as FFF (fused filament fabrication) or FDM (filament deposition manufacturing), and high resolution SLA (stereolithography).  For FDM printing, layers of plastic are extruded onto a  build platform through a hot extruder assembly, from a variety of thermoplastics, until a 3D object is created.  SLA 3D printing, unlike FDM printing, uses laser curable liquid resin to produce very intricate, very detailed 3D printed objects.  Cured resin can be tough, but depending on geometry of prints could also be fragile.

 

These processes are both inexpensive and quick, making them perfect for rapid prototyping before  finalizing a design, and even in most cases can be used for final use if the material properties meet the users needs.