3D printing is an additive manufacturing process by which we obtain a physical object from a digital design. There are different 3D printing technologies such as FDM, SLA, SLS, etc. We currently have FDM and SLA printers in our print farm, which are actually used most often.
FDM technology
Fused Deposition Modeling is a process in which objects are made by adding layers of material, one on top of the other. Thermoplastic materials are required in this process. The material is fed into a heated head that moves along the exact programmed path to create the desired object.
SLA technology
Stereolithography is a technology used to create 3D objects by polymerizing a photo-sensitive polymer material, resin. Of course, it is not a classic resin, but the materials for SLA are called resins because they resemble them a lot, especially because of their viscosity. SLA 3D printers use a light source, which is usually a UV laser, to polymerize the resin and create a solid 3D object.