The Most Important Commercial
Rapid Prototyping Technologies at a Glance

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TECHNOLOGIES TYPICALLY CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR USE AS LOW-COST 3D PRINTERS ARE SHOWN WITH THIS BACKGROUND COLOR.

Technology > > Stereo-
lithography Jetted
Photopolymer Selective Laser Sintering Single Jet
Inkjet Laminated Object Manufacturing Fused Deposition Modeling Three
Dimensional
Printing

Acronym > > SLA J-P SLS MM LOM FDM 3DP

Representative Vendor > > 3D Systems EOS GmbH Solidscape Solido Ltd.
[sold in US by 3D Systems] Stratasys Z Corp.

General Qualitative Features - - - - -

Maximum Build
Chamber (inches) 20 x 20 x 24 11.75 x 7.3 x 8 27.5 x 15 x 23 12 x 6 x 9 6.29 x 8.26 x 5.31 24 x 20 x 24 20 x 24 x 16

Speed average good average to good poor good poor excellent

Accuracy very good good to very good good excellent fair fair fair

Surface Finish very good good to very good good to very good excellent fair fair fair

Strengths large part size,
accuracy accuracy and finish,
office OK accuracy,
materials, accuracy,
finish,
office OK office OK,
price,
size office OK
price,
materials speed,
office OK,
price,
color

Weaknesses post processing,
messy liquids size and weight,
post processing size and weight,
system price,
surface finish speed,
limited materials,
part size limited materials,
finish and accuracy speed limited materials,
fragile parts,
finish

Typical
Applications > > Very detailed parts and models for fit & form testing Trade show and marketing parts & models Rapid manufacturing of small detailed parts Fabrication of specialized manufacturing tools Patterns for investment casting Patterns for urethane & RTV molding Very detailed parts and models for fit & form testing Trade show and marketing parts & models Patterns for investment casting, especially jewelry and fine items Patterns for urethane & RTV molding Slightly less detailed parts and models for fit & form testing compared to photopolymer-based methods using engineering plastics Rapid manufacturing of parts, including larger items such as air ducts Parts with snap-fits & living hinges Parts which are durable and provide the Patterns for investment casting Most detailed parts and models available using additive technologies for fit & form testing Patterns for investment casting, especially jewelry and fine items, especially medical devices Patterns for urethane & RTV molding Somewhat less detailed parts and models for fit & form testing compared to other methods Patterns for urethane & RTV molding Larger patterns for sand-casting Detailed parts and models for fit & form testing using engineering plastics Detailed parts for patient- and food-contacting applications Plastic parts for higher-temperature applications Trade show and marketing parts & models Rapid manufacturing of small detailed parts Patterns for investment casting Fabrication of specialized manufacturing tools Patterns for urethane & RTV molding Concept models Parts for limited functional testing Color models for FEA and other engineering related applications Architectural & landscape models Color industrial design models, especially consumer goods & packaging Castings

System Price Range $75K-800K $40K-85K $200K-1M+ $70K-80K $15K-240K $19K-300K $20K-70K

Materials - - - - -

     Available
     properties &
     characteristics
     include > > Acrylics (fair selection) Clear and rigid ABS-like Polypropylene-like (PP) Flexible or elastomeric Water-resistant Acrylics (limited selection) Elastomeric Nylon, including flame-retardant, glass-, aluminum-, carbon-filled and others providing increased strength and other properties Polystyrene (PS) Elastomeric Steel and stainless steel alloys Bronze alloy Cobalt-chrome alloy Titanium Polyester-based plastic Investment casting wax Bonded PVC-based plastic film Bonded paper ABS Polycarbonate (PC) Polyphenylsulfone Elastomer Bonded plaster / plaster composite Elastomeric Investment & direct casting

Material Costs $/pound

     plastics $75-110 $60-200 $25-60 $100 $18 $115-185

     metal $35-115

     other $5
(foundry sand) $5-8 (paper) starch:
$0.35 / cu in plaster:
$0.60 / cu in + infiltrant

Acronym > > SLA J-P SLS MM LOM FDM 3DP

Technology > > Stereo-
lithography Jetted
Photopolymer Selective Laser Sintering Single Jet
Inkjet Laminated Object Manufacturing Fused Deposition Modeling Three
Dimensional
Printing

TECHNOLOGIES TYPICALLY CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR USE AS LOW-COST 3D PRINTERS ARE SHOWN WITH THIS BACKGROUND COLOR.

TECHNOLOGIES TYPICALLY CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR USE AS LOW-COST 3D PRINTERS ARE SHOWN WITH THIS BACKGROUND COLOR.
Technology > >	Stereo- lithography	Jetted Photopolymer	Selective Laser Sintering	Single Jet Inkjet	Laminated Object Manufacturing	Fused Deposition Modeling	Three Dimensional Printing
Acronym > >	SLA	J-P	SLS	MM	LOM	FDM	3DP
Representative Vendor > >	3D Systems	EOS GmbH	Solidscape	Solido Ltd. [sold in US by 3D Systems]	Stratasys	Z Corp.
General Qualitative Features - - - - -
Maximum Build Chamber (inches)	20 x 20 x 24	11.75 x 7.3 x 8	27.5 x 15 x 23	12 x 6 x 9	6.29 x 8.26 x 5.31	24 x 20 x 24	20 x 24 x 16
Speed	average	good	average to good	poor	good	poor	excellent
Accuracy	very good	good to very good	good	excellent	fair	fair	fair
Surface Finish	very good	good to very good	good to very good	excellent	fair	fair	fair
Strengths	large part size, accuracy	accuracy and finish, office OK	accuracy, materials,	accuracy, finish, office OK	office OK, price, size	office OK price, materials	speed, office OK, price, color
Weaknesses	post processing, messy liquids	size and weight, post processing	size and weight, system price, surface finish	speed, limited materials, part size	limited materials, finish and accuracy	speed	limited materials, fragile parts, finish
Typical Applications > >	Very detailed parts and models for fit & form testing Trade show and marketing parts & models Rapid manufacturing of small detailed parts Fabrication of specialized manufacturing tools Patterns for investment casting Patterns for urethane & RTV molding	Very detailed parts and models for fit & form testing Trade show and marketing parts & models Patterns for investment casting, especially jewelry and fine items Patterns for urethane & RTV molding	Slightly less detailed parts and models for fit & form testing compared to photopolymer-based methods using engineering plastics Rapid manufacturing of parts, including larger items such as air ducts Parts with snap-fits & living hinges Parts which are durable and provide the Patterns for investment casting	Most detailed parts and models available using additive technologies for fit & form testing Patterns for investment casting, especially jewelry and fine items, especially medical devices Patterns for urethane & RTV molding	Somewhat less detailed parts and models for fit & form testing compared to other methods Patterns for urethane & RTV molding Larger patterns for sand-casting	Detailed parts and models for fit & form testing using engineering plastics Detailed parts for patient- and food-contacting applications Plastic parts for higher-temperature applications Trade show and marketing parts & models Rapid manufacturing of small detailed parts Patterns for investment casting Fabrication of specialized manufacturing tools Patterns for urethane & RTV molding	Concept models Parts for limited functional testing Color models for FEA and other engineering related applications Architectural & landscape models Color industrial design models, especially consumer goods & packaging Castings
System Price Range	$75K-800K	$40K-85K	$200K-1M+	$70K-80K	$15K-240K	$19K-300K	$20K-70K
Materials - - - - -
Available properties & characteristics include > >	Acrylics (fair selection) Clear and rigid ABS-like Polypropylene-like (PP) Flexible or elastomeric Water-resistant	Acrylics (limited selection) Elastomeric	Nylon, including flame-retardant, glass-, aluminum-, carbon-filled and others providing increased strength and other properties Polystyrene (PS) Elastomeric Steel and stainless steel alloys Bronze alloy Cobalt-chrome alloy Titanium	Polyester-based plastic Investment casting wax	Bonded PVC-based plastic film Bonded paper	ABS Polycarbonate (PC) Polyphenylsulfone Elastomer	Bonded plaster / plaster composite Elastomeric Investment & direct casting
*Material Costs $/pound*
plastics	$75-110	$60-200	$25-60	$100	$18	$115-185
metal			$35-115
other			$5 (foundry sand)		$5-8 (paper)		starch: $0.35 / cu in plaster: $0.60 / cu in + infiltrant
Acronym > >	SLA	J-P	SLS	MM	LOM	FDM	3DP
Technology > >	Stereo- lithography	Jetted Photopolymer	Selective Laser Sintering	Single Jet Inkjet	Laminated Object Manufacturing	Fused Deposition Modeling	Three Dimensional Printing
TECHNOLOGIES TYPICALLY CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR USE AS LOW-COST 3D PRINTERS ARE SHOWN WITH THIS BACKGROUND COLOR.

*Brief Tutorial Sections*	*Brief Tutorial...Technology Descriptions*
What Is Rapid Prototyping? Rapid Tooling. Reverse Engineering Brief Tutorial.	Stereolithography (SLA). Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). Inkjet based systems. Three Dimensional Printing (3DP).	Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM). Laser Engineered Net Shaping (TM) (LENS ®).

The Most Important Commercial Rapid Prototyping Technologies at a Glance

The Most Important Commercial
Rapid Prototyping Technologies at a Glance