3D printing terminology is often technical and obscure. Use this Glossary of 3D printing terms to find the definitions of (almost) all common terms as well as many uncommon terms. The glossary includes terms related to 3D printing, additive manufacturing more generally, and rapid prototyping.
For a shorter list of just the most common terms, check out our list of common terms in 3D printing.
| Term | Definition |
| 3D Pen | 3D pens look like regular ink pens but extrude plastic filament. 3D pens are used to create 3D drawings and sculptures. |
| 3D Printer | 3D printers are machines that use a process of additive manufacturing in which successive layers of material are deposited on top of each other to create three-dimentional objects. |
| 3D Scanner | 3D scanners are machines that collect data about an object's shape and appearance. This data can then be used to construct a digital model of the object. |
| ABS | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene |
| Acceleration | Change in the speed of the extruder when it changes directions during printing |
| Accelerator | Microcontroller accessory that allows the processor to operate at maximum speed without the need to induce wait states while executing from Flash memory |
| Acetone | Solvent used for giving ABS prints a smooth finish |
| Additive manufacturing | Process of depositing successive layers of material on top of each other to synthesisize three-dimentional objects |
| Arduino | Open-source platform for designing and creating micontroller-based interactive electronic objects |
| Artifacts | Unwanted imperfections in printed pieces that are usually caused by some aspect of the printing process not performing optimally |
| Auto-tensioner | Controlls filament tension as it passes through the extruder in order to maintain an optimal flow rate. Useful for compensating for variations in filament diameter. |
| Bed | Platform onto which the printer extrudes material |
| Bed adhesion material | Adhesive material applied to the printer be to prevent warping and to secure the printed piece in place during printing |
| Belt (timing belt) | Component of the pulley systems and used for controlling the movement of extruders. They are one of the most important parts of 3D printers. |
| Belt drive | Drive system where the motor delivers power to the driven unit via a flexible belt |
| Benchy | Boat design popular for testing materials and printer settings |
| Blue painter's tape | Common bed adhesion material |
| Bowden cable | Flexible cable designed to transmit mechanical force by movement of an internal cable through a hollow outer casing. In 3D printing, the internal cable is filament. |
| Bowden extruder | Extruder design that decouples the nozzle from the drive mechanism (motor and transmission) using a bowden cable. Useful for reducing the moving mass of the printer head on cartesian 3D printers which allow faster printing and higher accuracy. Pioneered by Ed Sells in 2009 here (http://blog.reprap.org/2009/04/bowden-extruder-concept.html). |
| Bridging | Bridging is a part of a print that is printed horizontally in mid air without support structures. Optimization of printer settings will usually lead to the best bridging results. |
| Brittleness | The property of a material to fracture without significant strain when subjected to stress. Brittle filaments will break or snap easily. |
| Calibration cube | 20mm x 20mm cube printed in order to test settings and materials |
| CAM | Computer aided manufacturing. In 3D printer systems, the CAM toolchain includes the slicer, printer communication program, and controller firmware. |
| Carbon fiber | Fibers about 5–10 micrometres in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms |
| Cartesian 3D printer | So-called due to the left to right, front to back movement of the extruder across a horizontal plane according to a cartesian coordinate system. Related to cartesian bots. |
| CBAM | Composite based additive manufacturing |
| Center hole | Hole at the center of a spool of filament that the spool holder fits through. The most common size of spool center holes is 2.2 inches. |
| Ceramic | 3D printing using clay, silica and other materials to produce pottery, glass, and porcelain objects |
| CFRP | Carbon fiber reinforced plastic |
| CLIP | Continuous liquid interface process |
| Clogging | Flow of material through the extruder is blocked or obstructed |
| CNC | Computer numerical control |
| Co-Polyester | Polyesters are combinations of diacids and diols. Copylyesters are formed by adding other diacids or diols to a polyester material. |
| Cold zone | Heat sink; the stepper motor is sometimes considered part of the cold zone as well. The cold zone is the part of the printer head that precedes the transition zone. It's purpose is to keep filaments cool until just before entering the hotend. If filaments are not kept cool, the heat from the hotend may soften the filament further up the printer head and make it more difficult for the stepper motor to propel the filament into the hotend at a controlled rate. Worse, without a cold zone, molten plastic may clog the stepper motor. |
| Controller | 3D printer controller boards are the electronic brains of 3D printers. The processing power of the controller determines the accuracy, detail, and functionality of a 3D printer. |
| Cubic printing | Another term for hydrographic printing. See "Hydrographics" |
| D-Limonene | Major constituent of many citrus oils (orange, lemon, manderin, lime, and grapefruit); used to dissolve 3D printing support structures |
| Delamination | Printed layers separating due to poor bonding |
| Delta 3D Printer | Delta printers are designed such that the extruder is suspended between three equally spaced columns in a triangular formation. Delta printers offer greater stability of the printer bed than cartersian printers and can often be used to print larger objects. |
| Dessicant | Substance that absorbs water and is used to maintain dryness. Dessicant packets are often included in 3d filament packages to protect the filament from humidity and moisture build up, which can negatively affect filament quality. |
| Direct drive | Direct drive is a drive system where the motor is connected directly to the drive shaft; as opposed to geared drives (as well as belt drives and chain drives, although these two aren't usually used in Reprap derived 3D printer designs). See also: Wade extruders, screw drives, and rack and pinion gears. |
| Direct drive extruder | A printerhead design in which the filament drive mechanism is mounted directly above the hotend; as opposed to a bowden extruder |
| Drive gear | Grips filament and pushes it into the hotend |
| Dual Extruder | 3D printer with two extruders. Can be used to extrude two materials in conjunction with each other. Useful for prints that require supports or more than one color. |
| EBM | Electron beam melting |
| Echoing | Printing artifact generated by z wobble |
| Empty spool weight | The weight of a spool when it has no filament wound around it. This is a useful metric for determining how much filament you have used while printing. |
| Extruder | A part that pushes a material through a nozzel in a controlled and continuous manner so that the material forms a specific shape. Extruders can have subsections including a cold end and hot end. |
| Fan | Part of the coolend of the printer head. The fan is mounted above the hotend to keep the filament cool before being pushed through the nozzle |
| FDM | Fused deposition modeling |
| Ferromagnetic | materials such as iron that are highly susceptible to magnetization |
| FFF | Fused filament fabrication |
| Filament | 3D filament is plastic wire that is used to print plastic objects with a 3D printer. 3D filament is often coiled around spools. |
| Filament extruder | A machine that makes plastic filament by heating raw plastic and then extruding it in a controlled manner. |
| Firmware | Any software that is written into read-only memory in a computing device, often by the hardware manufacturer. Used to control, monitor, and manipulate data and communications with other devices |
| Flash memory | Erasable, rewritable, non-volatile memory that can store data without a power source |
| Flexible filament | The most common type of flexible 3D printer filament is TPU. Flexible filaments are not as rigid or brittle as PLA and ABS. |
| G Code | G-Code is the most common numerical control programming language used to control automated machines in computer-aided manufacturing |
| Geared extruder | Extruders with added gears to provided smoother movement of the printerhead, less torque, and constant pressure. Examples include Greg Wade's extruder (AKA wade extruder), Adrian's geared extruder, and planetary extruders. |
| Ghosting | Ripple lines in printed objects caused by vibrations of the printer or printer bed |
| GITD | Glow in the dark |
| Glossiness | Surface shine of printed objects |
| Graphene | Single layers of graphite that are composed of carbon atoms in the form of a one atom thick honey-comb latticework. This material is electrically conductive and 100 times stronger than steel. |
| HDPE | High-density polyethylene. HDPE is a common plastic material used for a variety of applications, from milk jugs to fireworks |
| Heat break | Also known as a thermal break, the heatbreak is used to keep the filament int the area just before the hotend cool. This prevents the filament from melting before entering the hotend, which could otherwise cause clogs. |
| Heat sink | Heat sinks disperse heat from, most commonly, CPUs and related electronics. |
| Heated Build Plate (HBP) | A printer bed that is heated to improve the quality of printed objects. |
| Heater (block) | The heater block is responsible for heating the filament and maintaining a constant temperature while extruding. The heater block is often insulated with kapton tape. |
| Herringbone gear | Gears with V shaped helical grooves. These gear have the advantage of having multiple interlocking grooves at the same time, making the transfer of power smooth. But unlike other helical groves, herringbone grooves distribute the thrust equally across both sides of the groove. |
| HIPS | High impact polystyrene |
| Hobbed bolt | The hobbed bolt, also called the knurled bolt, drives filament intot he hotend |
| Hobbing | A process for cutting gears, splines and sprockets. |
| Homing | Homing a 3d printer refers to calibrating the printer to its starting position. This is called the homed position. |
| Hot end (hotend) | The hot end is responsible for melting the filament before is passes through the nozzle during the extrusion process |
| Hydrographics | The process of applying designs to a 3-dimentional surfaces, often using water immersion or liquid films |
| IC | Integrated circuit |
| Idler | Part that grips the filament and holds it against the drive gear so that it can be pushed through the hotend. |
| Immersion printing | Another word for hydrographics. See "Hydrographics" |
| Infill | Internal structure of a printed object. These internal structures cover various percentages of the space inside the object. These internal sturctures come in various patterns. The percentage of space that is filled can affect the transluscency and strength of the printed object. |
| Jerk | Vibrations that are caused by changes in the direction of the printer head during printing |
| Kapton tape | Tape made from polyimide film with silicone adhesive; used for insulating the hotend |
| Kit | 3D printer kits allow you to construct 3D printers yourself. Each kit contains the set of parts you will need to put the 3D printer together on your own and instructions showing you how to do it. |
| Layer hieght | Refers to the thickness or height of each stacked layer of material in an additively manufactured object |
| LOM | Laminated object manufacturing |
| Matte | Low gloss or shine. Matte finishes diffuse light in different directions, which reduces the reflectiveness of the surface. |
| Melt zone | Refers to the part of the hotend where the filament begins to melt. The melt zone is primarily composed of the heater block. |
| Metal fill | Metal-filled filaments are filaments that contain some amount of metal. |
| Microcontroller | A small computer processing unit. A single integrated circuit that contains a processor, memory and programmable inputs and outputs. |
| MJF | Multi jet fusion |
| Motor Multiplexer | Microcontroller board that allows control of more than one motor or sensor. |
| Multi-jet | multijet printing uses multiple materials to print complex objects quickly. |
| Multiplexer (or mux) | Microcontroller board that processes multiple streams of analog or digital signals over one communication channel |
| Multiplier | The extrusion multiplier determines the extrusion flow rate and visibly impacts the outcome of the prints |
| Nozzle | Metalic part where the filament or material exits the hotend and deposited onto the print surface. |
| Nylon | A family of synthetic polymers that are strong, elastic and lightwieght; often used in textiles and plastic products. |
| ODM | Original design manufacturer (R&D plus manufacturing); as opposed to OEM |
| OEM | Original epquipment manufacturer (manufacturing only without R&D); as opposed to ODM |
| Ooze wall | A wall that is printed around support structures and other design featured to prevent filament from oozing |
| Opaque | nontransparent; not able to be seen through |
| Overhang | Any part of the print that is not contacting the previous layer |
| PC | Polycarbonate |
| PCB | Printed circuit board |
| PEEK | Polyether ether ketone |
| PEI | Polyetherimide |
| Pellets | Small beads are used in some 3d printers instead of filament |
| PET | Polyethylene terephthalate; Most common thermoplastic polymer of the polyester family; Created by combining TPA and ethylene glycol |
| PFTE | Polytetrafluoroethylene |
| PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates |
| Pin | In microcrontrollers, the pin is the metal leads that sticks out of the IC and alows it to electronically to other components |
| PJP | Plastic jet printing |
| PLA | Polylactic acid |
| Polar 3D printer | A type of 3d printer that relies on a roating printer bed and a single arm that travels along the z-axis |
| Post-processing | Any modification of a printed object after it printed |
| Powder | A dry solid composed of a large number of very small particles that flow freely when disturbed. Some 3d printers employ powders in the printing process |
| Print Speed | Speed that extruder moves while printing |
| Print temperature | The temperature at which a material melts before being extruded |
| Print volume | The total volume of an object that is printed |
| Printer head | Section of a printer that is composed of the extruder, hotend, nozzle and related components |
| Pulley | A wheel on an axel that alters the direction of a cable or belt running along its circumfrence as it spins. In the 3d printers, pulleys are often employed to move the printer head. |
| PVA | Polyvinyl acetate |
| Rack and pinion | A fixed toothed bar that engages with a gear. Some 3d printer designs employ rack and pinion systems. |
| Raft | A few layers of filament printed onto the bed that helps the print stick to the bed. A raft usually has larger surface area than the print itself. |
| RAM | Random access memory |
| Reprap | Replicating rapid prototyper. An open project devoted to a develop 3D printer that can print most of it's own parts, thereby replicating itself. |
| Resin | A solid or highly viscous material that is usually able to be converted into polymers. Some 3d printers employ resins in the printing process |
| Resistor | A passive electrical component used to reduce the flow of current through a circuit |
| Retraction | The process of withdrawing filament during non-print moves of the printer head. The purpose of reversing the movement of the solid filament is to relieve pressure from the melt zone in order to reduce or entirely stop the flow of filament through the nozzle during moves that do not require extrusion. Contrary to popular belief, retraction does not really "suck" molten filament back up since no negative pressure is created. Issues involving stringing and oozing are often caused by retraction errors. |
| Ribbing | A type of z-artifact |
| SCARA 3D printer | Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) is precise 3d printer design with a smaller footprint than more conventional printers. The extruder is mounted on a robotic arm that is rigid on the Z axis but moves on (or in robotics, is 'compliant' in) the X-Y axes. Hence the term 'Selective Compliance' |
| Screw drive | A motor rotates a screw shaft, which engages a gear or ball screw to produce linear motion. Stepper motors make use of this kind of drive system. |
| Sensor | A transducer that detects physical properties and responds to them. |
| Shape | The shape of a filament is important. A filament must maintain a certain roundness or ovality in order to prevent clogs and jams when it enters the printerhead. |
| Shroud | A fan shroud is an attachment to the fan that allows the fan to be attach to the printhead. |
| Silicone | Polysiloxane |
| Skirt | An outline printed around the base of the print before beginning of the print in order to establish smooth flow of filament through the printer head |
| SLA | Sterolithography |
| Slicer | Software that converts an STL file into GCode and allows you to visualize, analyze and manipulate a three dimentional graphical representation of the object. |
| SLM | Selective laser melting |
| SLS | Selective laser sintering |
| Spool | Holds filament, in the same way that thread is wrapped around a spool. |
| Spool holder | Holds the spool on or near the 3D printer |
| Spool winder | A filament spool winder, or filament winder, is a machine that winds filament onto a spool. |
| Stepper motor | DC motors that move in discrete steps |
| STL | STereoLithography |
| Strength | Filament strenth typically refers to the amount of force a printed object can withstand without deforming |
| Stringing | Stinging refers to unwanted material left behind as the printerhead moves to a new location. It is often caused by retraction issues. |
| Support | Some objects require additional structures to be printed in order to accomodate large overhangs. Support structures can be printed with HIPS and removed after the print is finished. |
| Terminal Block | Also known as a terminal strips, blocks connect the ends of electrical wires without having the actual ends of the wires touch. |
| Thermoplastic | Substances (in this case usually polymers) that becomes plastic when heated and hardens when cooled, and this process can be repeated. |
| Timing Belt | A toothed belt that syncronizes the crankshaft and various other rotating components of a device or machine. |
| Tolerance | Variance in diameter of a length of filament |
| TPA | Terephthalic acid; precursor to PET |
| TPU | Thermoplastic polyurethane |
| Transition zone | The gap between the cold zone and hot zone of the printhead |
| Transparent | see-through, low opacity; transparent filament is see-through |
| Vitamin | In Reprap lingo, a vitamin is a term for a part that cannot be produced by 3D printing |
| Voxel | Pixel with volume |
| Wade's extruder | A geared extruder designed by Greg Wade. This extruder has many advantages compared with other extruders and is DIY |
| Wait state | A delay while a computer processor accesses a slower external memory or another device and waits for that memory or device to respond. |
| Warping | As plastic cools, it contracts. When different parts of a print cool at different rates, the contracting part will pull on the warmer part. This will sometimes cause the part to bend, altering its shape. |
| Water transfer printing | Another word for hydrographics. See "Hydrographics" |
| Waves | A type of Z-artifact |
| Wood fill | Filaments that have some amount of wood mixed into the polymer are called wood-fill. |
| Z Banding | Irregular and uneven ridges or striations running horizontally across a printed object's surface. Can be accompanied by discoloration. |
| Z drive | Z axis drives are drive systems operating along the z axis. |
| Z rod (threaded rod) | A metal rod used in the frame of reprap style 3d printers |
| Z Wobble | Z-axis artifact caused by motor steps being out of sync with the pitch of Z rod threads |
| Z-axis | The vertical 'up-down' axis of a three dimentional space |
| Z-Coupler | A cylindrical part that joins the stepper motor and threaded rod on the z-drive |