Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The process of adding layer upon layer means that the material does not bond as
well height wise as length and width wise, which gives a Lego effect. The construc-
tion will be stronger if you press on top than if you press on the side. Surface finish
is another weak point of 3D printing, it differs between systems though, and for ex-
ample stereolithography is more accurate than FDM.
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Size if big
The size of a produced object is limited by the size of the build chamber of the 3D
printing machinery (with a few exceptions), sometimes no bigger than a shoebox.
Bigger size also means longer printing time (which already is long) and higher ma-
terial costs (which already is high). Some techniques like Big Area Additive Man-
ufacturing (BAAM) do not use a build chamber and are thus not restricted in that
way regarding build size.
