Here’s some fun facts about 3D Printing, and the technology behind the machines we use!
3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is a process of creating three-dimensional objects from a digital file, layer by layer. It’s used in industries like prototyping, manufacturing, art, medicine, and more.
At Extruded Designs We utilize the Bambu Labs X1 Carbon Series Printers in our printing facility for our main production, as well as resin printers by Elegoo.
🔧 Key Facts About 3D Printers
- Technology: Most consumer printers use FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), melting thermoplastic filaments.
- Precision: Can print at resolutions as fine as 0.05mm layer height.
- Speed: Varies by printer and model complexity, averaging 40–100 mm/s.
- Versatility: Print anything from mechanical parts to detailed miniatures.
🧠 Smart Features
- AI-Driven First Layer Inspection: Utilizes AI to inspect the first layer of each print, ensuring optimal adhesion and quality.
- Spaghetti Detection: Employs advanced sensors to detect print failures, such as filament tangles (often referred to as “spaghetti”), and pauses the print to prevent waste.
- Dual Auto Bed Leveling: Combines mechanical and lidar-based leveling for precise calibration, enhancing print accuracy.
⚙️ Performance Highlights
- CoreXY Motion System: Features a CoreXY design allowing for high-speed printing with accelerations up to 20,000 mm/s².
- High-Temperature Capabilities: Equipped with an all-metal hotend capable of reaching temperatures up to 300°C, suitable for a wide range of filaments including carbon fiber-reinforced materials.
- Enclosed Build Chamber: Provides a stable printing environment, reducing warping and improving print quality for temperature-sensitive materials.
🎨 Multi-Material Printing
- Automatic Material System (AMS): Supports multi-color and multi-material printing, automatically switching between up to four different filaments during a single print job.
🖥️ User-Friendly Interface
- Touchscreen Control: Features a 5-inch LCD touchscreen for intuitive navigation and control.
- Remote Monitoring: Includes a built-in camera, allowing users to monitor prints remotely via the Bambu Handy app.
🧪 Resin 3D Printing: The Basics
Resin 3D printing, also known as MSLA (Masked Stereolithography Apparatus), utilizes ultraviolet (UV) light to cure liquid photopolymer resin layer by layer. This technology is renowned for producing highly detailed and smooth-surfaced models, making it ideal for applications like miniatures, dental models, and intricate prototypes.
🌟 Elegoo Saturn 2: Key Features
- 8K Monochrome LCD Screen: The Saturn 2 boasts a 10-inch 8K mono LCD screen with a resolution of 7680×4320 pixels, delivering ultra-fine details with an XY resolution of 28.5 microns.
- Large Build Volume: With a build volume of 218.88 x 123.12 x 250 mm, it accommodates larger models or multiple smaller prints simultaneously.
- Fresnel Collimating Light Source: Equipped with a Fresnel collimating light source, it ensures uniform UV light distribution across the entire screen, enhancing print accuracy and consistency.
- Efficient Printing Speed: Capable of curing layers in just 1-3 seconds, it significantly reduces overall print times without compromising quality.
- Enhanced Stability: The double Z-axis linear rail design, combined with a shock absorption unit, provides steadier and more precise motion, resulting in higher print success rates.
- Air Purification System: Includes a plug-in air purifier with an activated carbon filter to effectively reduce resin odors, creating a more pleasant printing environment.
🧠 Fun Facts About the Elegoo Saturn 2
- High Precision: The Saturn 2’s 8K resolution allows for incredibly detailed prints, capturing intricate features that are essential for professional-grade models.
- User-Friendly Interface: Features a 3.5-inch touchscreen for intuitive operation, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users.
- Versatile Slicing Software: Compatible with popular slicing software like CHITUBOX and Lychee Slicer, offering flexibility in preparing print files.
- Robust Construction: The all-metal resin vat and sandblasted build plate enhance durability and improve print adhesion, reducing the likelihood of print failures.
🎯 Filament Types Explained
🧵 Fun Facts About TPU Filament
🌀 1. Super Flexible and Elastic
TPU behaves like rubber — you can bend, stretch, and compress it without it breaking. It’s often used to print phone cases, gaskets, wheels, and wearable bands.
💡 It can stretch up to 3-5 times its original length and return to shape!
🔧 2. Durable Under Pressure
TPU is highly resistant to abrasion, impacts, and wear. It’s perfect for parts that need to take a beating — like drone landing gear or mechanical seals.
🌊 3. Water and Chemical Resistant
TPU naturally resists oils, greases, and moisture, making it great for both indoor and outdoor applications.
🔥 4. Requires Special Handling When Printing
- TPU is soft and flexible, which means it can be a bit tricky to print with.
- Direct drive extruders are highly recommended over Bowden setups.
- Print slowly — often 20-40 mm/s — to prevent filament kinks and clogs.
🏁 5. Not All TPUs Are the Same
TPU comes in a range of hardness levels, measured on the Shore hardness scale (like Shore 85A or Shore 95A). The lower the number, the softer and stretchier it is!
🧩 6. Blends Well with Rigid Materials
Some advanced prints combine TPU with PLA or PETG for parts that need both rigid and flexible sections — like robotics joints or functional prototypes.
📦 7. Storage Matters
TPU is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the air. Always store it in a dry box or sealed container with desiccant to avoid print issues like stringing or bubbles.
🌎 8. Used in Real-World Products
Beyond 3D printing, TPU is used in shoe soles, automotive parts, inflatable rafts, and medical devices. It’s a go-to material when strength and flexibility must coexist.
🟢 PLA (Polylactic Acid)
- Eco-Friendly: Made from renewable resources like corn starch.
- Easy to Print: Low warping, no heated bed required.
- Great For: Prototypes, decorative items, educational models.
- Drawback: Lower heat resistance and durability.
🌽 Fun Facts About PLA Filament
🌱 1. Made from Plants!
PLA is derived from renewable resources like corn starch, sugarcane, and tapioca.
💡 It’s one of the most eco-friendly 3D printing materials available.
🧵 2. Easy to Print
- Low print temperature (typically 190–220°C)
- No heated bed required (but 50–60°C helps)
- Minimal warping or shrinkage
This makes PLA the top choice for beginners and fast prototyping.
🖼️ 3. Great for Aesthetic Prints
PLA offers a smooth surface finish and is available in a huge variety of colors, including silk, matte, glow-in-the-dark, and even wood- or metal-infused blends.
🏠 4. Perfect for Home and School
It’s non-toxic and emits a mild, sweet smell when printing — making it safe and pleasant for home, classroom, or office environments.
☀️ 5. Not the Best in Heat
PLA starts to soften at around 60°C (140°F), so it’s not suitable for high-heat applications like car interiors or outdoor parts in the summer sun.
🔥 A printed PLA part left in a hot car can deform!
🧬 6. Biodegradable (Under the Right Conditions)
PLA is compostable in industrial facilities — it won’t break down in a backyard compost bin, but it will degrade in the right high-temperature, high-humidity environments.
🛠️ 7. Easily Modifiable
PLA sands, paints, and glues well. Great for:
- Cosplay
- Miniatures
- Architectural models
- Prototypes
💡 8. Super Popular
PLA is the #1 filament used in desktop 3D printing — thanks to its ease of use, affordability, and finish quality.
🟡 PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
🧪 Fun Facts About PETG Filament
⚙️ 1. Tougher Than PLA
PETG is stronger and more impact-resistant than PLA, making it ideal for parts that need to take a hit or handle stress — like brackets, tool handles, and mechanical parts.
💧 2. Water and Chemical Resistant
PETG doesn’t absorb water easily and resists common chemicals like acids and alkalis. It’s commonly used for:
- Outdoor applications
- Mechanical enclosures
- Food-safe containers (check for FDA-compliant brands!)
🔥 3. Easy(ish) to Print
PETG is more forgiving than ABS and doesn’t warp as badly. It prints between 220–250°C and benefits from a heated bed (60–85°C).
🧵 It’s stringier than PLA, but slowing down retraction settings usually fixes that.
💪 4. Semi-Flexible
PETG strikes a balance: it’s rigid like PLA, but with a bit of flex. This makes it more durable and less brittle — perfect for moving or snapping parts.
🧼 5. Hygienic Applications
PETG is used in medical and food packaging industries because it’s durable, clear, and can be sterilized (check if your specific brand supports this).
🌤️ 6. UV and Weather Resistant
Unlike PLA, PETG can withstand sun and moisture, making it suitable for:
- Outdoor signage
- Garden tools
- Drone parts
🔄 7. Recyclable
PETG is recyclable and commonly used to make water bottles and other packaging — it’s a more sustainable option compared to ABS.
🔎 8. Naturally Clear
PETG is one of the only common 3D filaments available in transparent versions, letting you make parts that are semi-see-through — great for light enclosures or aesthetic displays.
- Durable & Flexible: Stronger than PLA, less brittle.
- Chemical Resistant: Withstands moisture and chemicals better.
- Great For: Functional parts, containers, mechanical items.
- Drawback: Slightly trickier to print (stringing can occur).
🔴 ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
🧯 Fun Facts About ABS Filament
🔥 1. Heat-Resistant Champion
ABS can withstand high temperatures — it doesn’t soften until around 105°C (221°F), making it ideal for parts exposed to heat like:
- Car interior components
- Tool housings
- Mechanical parts
🧱 2. LEGO Bricks Are Made From It!
That’s right — LEGO bricks are made of ABS plastic. It’s tough, colorful, and snaps together perfectly. That says a lot about its precision and durability.
⚒️ 3. Strong and Durable
ABS is tougher than PLA, with excellent impact resistance and flexibility. It’s often used for functional parts, enclosures, and prototypes that need to last.
🌬️ 4. Requires an Enclosure
ABS warps easily when cooling too fast, so it’s best printed in an enclosed chamber to keep the temperature stable. This helps reduce cracking and lifting from the bed.
🧊 A cooling draft from an open window can ruin a large ABS print!
🧪 5. Can Be Smoothed with Acetone
ABS can be vapor-smoothed using acetone, giving your prints a glossy, injection-molded finish. This also helps seal porous surfaces.
☠️ Always do this in a well-ventilated area with proper safety precautions!
🎨 6. Paint-Friendly
ABS takes primers and paints well, making it a favorite for cosplayers, prop makers, and modelers who want clean, post-processed finishes.
🛠️ 7. Great for Engineering
ABS is widely used in industry for:
- Automotive parts
- Consumer electronics
- Robotics
Its high tensile strength and thermal stability make it a go-to for engineers and prototypers.
🚫 8. Smells When Printing
Unlike PLA, ABS emits noticeable fumes when printing. It’s best to use in a well-ventilated area or with an air filter system.
- Post-Processing: Can be smoothed using acetone vapor.
- Great For: Engineering parts, enclosures, automotive.
- Drawback: Needs a heated bed/enclosure, emits fumes.
- Industrial Strength: Heat- and impact-resistant.
⭐ Proudly Using ZYLtech Filaments
At Extruded Designs, we extensivly use ZYLtech Filaments, a trusted Texas-based brand out of Houston. Known for:
- Consistency: Smooth extrusion and tight tolerances.
- Reliability: High-quality batches for dependable prints.
