Managing the Limitations of FDM Printers

We just discovered that additive manufacturing is quite an incredible technology, capable of creating any shape. But despite being very flexible, 3D printing is still bound to limitations that we must consider when approaching a new part study.

In this chapter, we are going to try answering the following question: can an FDM 3D printer create every imaginable geometry? The answer is… almost. We must understand that this type of printing technique has some limitations – some related to part shape, others to material properties.

In this chapter, we will cover the three main limitations of FDM printers that we have to consider:

• The first limitation is printing overhang areas; some geometries can be a bit challenging to print if not properly supported
• The second limitation is bed adhesion, which is related to the first layer placement; if the contact area between the printed part and the build platform is not large...