3D Printing Glossary

The terms you will meet in a quote, in our articles and when briefing a 3D print. Short, free of jargon, each linked to the page where we use it.

3D model: The digital description of a part's shape that printing starts from. It is made in a CAD program from a sketch, drawing, photo or an existing part. Nothing can be printed without one; making it is a separate service billed by the hour.; Related page: 3D modelling
3D printed branded object: An object carrying a company's brand made by 3D printing: a 3D logo, trophy, keyring, stand or gift. Unlike catalogue merchandise its shape is designed to order; a sample is approved before the series.; Related page: Branded objects
3D printed spare part: A part that can no longer be bought or has a long lead time, made from a sample, a photo with a scale or a scan. The studio models it, picks a suitable material and prints one or a few pieces.; Related page: Parts and prototypes for companies
3D scanning: Turning a real object into a 3D model: the scanner captures the surface with light or cameras, producing a point cloud and from it a mesh. Used for spare parts with no drawing, dimensional checks and reverse engineering.; Related page: 3D scanning
3D wall logo: A company logo made as a solid object for a reception wall, an office or a facade. Large letters are printed in sections and joined; outdoors a UV-resistant material (ASA) is used, and backlighting is designed case by case.; Related page: Branded objects
3MF: A newer 3D printing format that carries units, colours, materials and the layout of parts on the plate as well as the shape. Smaller and less ambiguous than STL; supported by modern slicers and CAD programs.; Related page: How to get an STL file
Additive manufacturing: Another name for 3D printing: the part is built by adding material layer by layer, not by cutting it away from a block as in milling or turning. There is no machining waste and the shape is not limited by a tool.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
ASA: Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, an FDM material resistant to UV light and weather. Used for outdoor parts: housings, brackets, signage and 3D logos on a facade, where PLA or PETG would yellow or weaken.; Related page: Materials
CAD: Computer-aided design: designing parts in software where every dimension has an exact value and can be changed later. Common programs are Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Onshape and FreeCAD. STL or STEP files are exported from the CAD model.; Related page: 3D modelling
FDM (fused deposition modelling): A 3D printing technology in which a nozzle melts plastic filament and lays it down layer by layer. Suited to strong, functional parts, housings, jigs and spare parts. The layers stay visible on the surface.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Filament: Plastic wire wound on a spool, the raw material of an FDM printer. Common diameters are 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm. The filament material (PLA, PETG, ASA, nylon) sets the strength, heat resistance and look of the part.; Related page: Materials
Finishing (post-processing): Work after printing: removing supports, sanding, filling, painting, gluing or pressing in threaded inserts. Support removal is usually included in the print price; the other steps are billed separately.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
G-code: A file of instructions for one specific printer: nozzle paths, temperatures and speeds. It is made from an STL or 3MF file in a slicer and only works for the printer and material it was prepared for, so for a custom print send an STL, STEP or 3MF instead.; Related page: How to get an STL file
Infill: The internal structure of an FDM part, given as a percentage. A visual model needs 10 to 20 %, a loaded part 40 % or more or solid walls. Infill affects strength, weight, print time and price.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Injection moulding: Mass production of plastic parts by injecting molten plastic into a metal mould. The mould is expensive and takes weeks, but each part is then cheap. 3D printing is used before it for prototypes and for series too small to justify a mould.; Related page: Parts and prototypes for companies
Jig and fixture: A custom tool that holds, guides or positions a part during assembly, drilling, gluing or inspection. 3D printed jigs are cheap and quick, so companies have them made even for one line or one order.; Related page: Parts and prototypes for companies
Large-format 3D printing: Printing objects larger than the build area of a typical printer: sculptures, replicas, display models or large prototypes. The object is printed on a large machine or in sections that are then joined, filled and finished.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Layer height: The height of one layer the part is built from. Usually 0.1 to 0.3 mm for FDM and 0.025 to 0.1 mm for SLA. A thinner layer gives a smoother surface and finer detail, but a longer print and a higher price.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Nylon (PA) and PA-CF: Polyamide, a strong, wear-resistant engineering material for FDM printing; the PA-CF version contains carbon fibres that increase stiffness and dimensional stability. Suited to gears, jigs and parts under friction.; Related page: Materials
Overhang: A part of the model that sticks out into empty space with no layer beneath it. FDM printing handles overhangs up to about 45 degrees without supports; steeper ones need supports or a different orientation.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Part orientation: The position the part lies in on the build plate. It decides where the layer lines show, how many supports are needed and in which direction the part is strongest: an FDM part is weakest between layers.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
PETG: Polyethylene terephthalate glycol, a tough FDM material with good chemical resistance and heat resistance of around 70 to 80 °C. The usual choice for functional parts, housings and brackets that must take some load.; Related page: Materials
Photogrammetry: A 3D scanning method in which software builds a 3D model from tens to hundreds of photos of an object taken from different angles. It suits large objects, sculptures and buildings; precise technical parts are more often scanned with structured light or laser.; Related page: 3D scanning
PLA: Polylactide, the most common FDM material. It prints easily and accurately with a clean surface, but softens at around 55 to 60 °C and is not suited to outdoor use or a car interior. Good for visual models, form prototypes and indoor branded objects.; Related page: Materials
Polycarbonate (PC): A very strong, heat-resistant FDM material that handles temperatures above 100 °C. It is harder to print, so it is chosen only where PETG or nylon are not enough, for example parts near a heat source.; Related page: Materials
Prototype and rapid prototyping: The first physical piece of a part, used to check shape, fit or function before production. Rapid prototyping means making it by 3D printing in days instead of weeks, without tooling, and reprinting every change at once.; Related page: Parts and prototypes for companies
Resin: A liquid photopolymer for SLA printing that hardens under UV light. After printing the part is washed in isopropyl alcohol and post-cured under a UV lamp. Standard, tough, flexible and heat-resistant resins exist.; Related page: Materials
Reverse engineering: Creating an editable CAD model from an existing part (scanned or measured). The result is a drawing or model from which the part can be made again, modified or improved.; Related page: 3D scanning
SLA (stereolithography): A 3D printing technology in which light cures liquid resin layer by layer. It gives a smooth surface and fine detail, so it is used for visual prototypes, moulds and small precise parts. Parts are more brittle than FDM ones.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Slicer: The program that cuts a 3D model into layers and writes the printer instructions (G-code): nozzle paths, temperatures, speeds, supports and infill. Print time, and therefore price, is decided in the slicer.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Small-series production: Making tens to hundreds of pieces without a mould. 3D printing pays off where an injection mould would cost more than the series earns, or where the part is still changing. The unit price falls with the number of parts per build plate.; Related page: Parts and prototypes for companies
STEP: A file format with exact geometry (surfaces and curves, not triangles) that CAD programs exchange with each other. Use it when the studio still has to modify the part or when exact dimensions must survive for machining.; Related page: How to get an STL file
STL: The most common file format for 3D printing. It describes the model surface as a mesh of triangles, with no colours, units or edit history. Every CAD program can export it; this file alone is enough for a price estimate.; Related page: How to get an STL file
Supports: Temporary pillars or lattice the printer builds under overhangs so the material has something to rest on. They are removed after printing and leave marks on the surface. Good part orientation reduces or removes them.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
Tolerance and accuracy: The permitted deviation of a finished part from the model. Typical FDM printing reaches about ±0.2 mm, SLA about ±0.1 mm. Precise fits (pins, holes, threads) are designed with clearance and checked on a sample.; Related page: Custom 3D printing
TPU: Thermoplastic polyurethane, a flexible, rubber-like FDM material. Its hardness is given in Shore degrees (for example 95A). Used for seals, bumpers, straps and soft grips.; Related page: Materials
Wall thickness: The minimum thickness a wall needs to print and not break. For FDM at least 1.2 mm is recommended (three perimeters of a 0.4 mm nozzle), for SLA at least 1 mm on supported walls.; Related page: Custom 3D printing

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