3-D printer common terms
- ABS - a type of plastic filament for the 3D printers. The long name is acrylonitrile Butadiene styrene (ABS). It is opaque and when melts, turns into a liquid.
- PLA - a type of plastic filament for 3D printers. Polylactic Acid (PLA) is biodegradable and comes from renewable resources.
- filament - the plastic "thread" inserted into the 3-D printer
- modeling - the process of creating a 3D model. For 3D printing, this is completed in a CAD program.
- CAD (Computer Aided/assisted Design)- software used to design, scale, and model your object
- slicing - model preparation process. Layering the model for the printer to print.
- .STL file - a file extension that is connected with CAD software. It stands for "standard triangle language."
- extruder - this is the nozzle or part of the 3D printer where the filament comes out when it's melted.
- export - exporting is to convert a file into another format so that it will work with the particular 3D printer.
- supports - provides additional support to your model for parts of the object that might stick out (ie: a tail on a dog). Supports attach to the build plate and hold up the pieces that stick out. These are removed after the printing is finished.
- raft- a layer of peel-away mesh to help your model stick to the build plate.