A device that layers material to reproduce a 3 dimensional object through a process called additive manufacturing.

The process of forcing a melted polymer filament through a nozzle to deposit material onto the workpiece. Essentially a very precise hot glue gun.

With few exceptions, this is synonymous with FFF. A liquid material is applied to the model where it is solidified to manufacture the item.

A liquid resin is cured using light to build up the object layer by layer. Most consumer resin printers use a Mask to shield the exposure area to selectively cure the layer.

This style of 3D printing is particularly suited for printing fine details. The materials are often somewhat toxic and the process tends to be messy. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is critical for safe handling of uncured parts and raw materials.

The SLS process uses a powder feedstock that is heated close to the melting point. A laser is used to selectively sinter each layer of material.

In a lot of cases this is synonymous with SLS. A powdered feedstock is selectively melted using a laser. The major difference is what that feedstock is. SLS is mostly used for Nylon powders. SLM for metals.

The use of computer software to aid the design process. For specifics on accessible CAD software for the hobbyist user check the resources page.

The usage of computers to automate a manufacturing process. 3D printing is an example of this.

Most 3D printing is done in a 2.5D process. The model is sliced into a series of 2D segments that are built up into a 3D object. These 2D segments are called layers.

In general, it doesn’t work well when objects are printed in midair. Supports do a few things depending on the print process.

For FFF supports provide a surface to print parts of a layer that would be in midair. The other thing that supports do in FFF is they hold the part down. A lot of materials warp a bit when heated, so subsequent passes of the hotend can cause lifting of unsupported portions of the part.

For SLA supports are used to suspend the print from the build plate.

For SLS/SLM supports are frequently used to minimize warping of the part. Supporting overhangs is less of an issue as the powder bed provides sufficient support in most cases.

Many materials don’t take well to being printed. ABS and most of the engineering filaments are notable for this. They often have residual stresses that can affect the dimensions of a finished part if precautions aren’t taken.

Lifting corners, layer splits and curled overhangs are all examples of this.