FDM
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is the basic 3D printing where melted plastic is pushed through a nozzle to create a product one layer at a time. It’s great for fast prototypes to test a design, or for parts that don’t require a really fine level of detail. It will typically be the cheapest 3D printing option.
SLA
Stereolithography (SLA) printing liquid resin bath that is cured by a UV laser or led array one layer at a time. It’s perfect for parts with small details or for parts that need a better surface finish. It’s more expensive than FDM, but is still a great cheap option for fast manufacturing.
Which one should I pick?
Essentially the most important difference between FDM and SLA for most people, is the resolution. Just like a TV resolution is how many pixels per square inch, 3D printing has different levels of resolution. FDM would be like 720p, whereas SLA would be like 4K. If you don’t need 4K for your part, then FDM will probably work just fine. If you really want that clean professional polished look with fine details, then the extra cost for a resin print would be more than worth it. Below are some basic price estimates for each kind of printing.
FDM Print
- Small (2″x2″x1″) | $10 – $20
- Medium (4″x4″x2″) | $20 – $30
- Large (6″x6″x4″ +) | $30 – $50
*These numbers are approximate. Request a quote for an exact number
SLA Print
- Small (2″x2″x1″) | $20 – $40
- Medium (4″x4″x2″) | $40 – $60
- Large (6″x6″x4″ +) | $60 – $90
*These numbers are approximate. Request a quote for an exact number
CAD by Caleb 