Industrial FDM

Engineering thermoplastics.
Large parts.
Aerospace rated.

Industrial FDM 3D printing (Stratasys Fortus class). Engineering thermoplastics: ABS, PC, Ultem 9085 (aerospace FST rated), PEEK (specialist machines). Parts up to 914 × 610 × 914 mm. For large prototypes, tooling, aerospace interior, specialty applications.

FDM Printing Quote SLS service

Ultem 9085 FST Up to 914 mm Engineering grade PEEK capable

01 · FDM materials

Industrial FDM materials.

Industrial FDM handles engineering-grade thermoplastics beyond standard consumer 3D printing. Includes aerospace-qualified materials.

ABS-M30

Structural · prototype

Engineering ABS for functional prototypes and low-load production. Good mechanical properties.

ASA

UV-resistant · outdoor

UV-stable ASA for outdoor applications. Better UV resistance than ABS.

PC

Impact resistant

Polycarbonate for impact-resistant prototypes and tooling. Sterilizable.

Ultem 9085

Aerospace FST

Polyetherimide for aircraft interior — FAA FST (flame, smoke, toxicity) compliant. FAR 25.853 rated.

Ultem 1010

Biocompatible

ISO 10993 biocompatible Ultem. Medical and food-contact applications.

Nylon 12

Impact tough

Engineering nylon for impact and chemical resistance.

PPSU

Healthcare

Polyphenylsulfone for healthcare applications — sterilizable, durable.

PEEK

Maximum temp

PEEK on specialist high-temp printers. 260 °C service, chemical resistance, aerospace.

02 · FDM applications

Where industrial FDM wins.

Large prototypes

Parts larger than SLS/MJF build envelopes — single-piece industrial prototypes

Aerospace interior

Ultem 9085 aircraft interior components per FAR 25.853

Manufacturing tooling

Jigs, fixtures, drill guides in engineering-grade thermoplastic

End-use brackets

Low-volume brackets, mounting hardware in ABS or PC

Composite layup tooling

FDM tooling for composite fabrication — thermoformable or high-temp

Robotic grippers

End-of-arm tooling custom to specific part geometry

Low-volume production

End-use parts in engineering materials without tooling cost

Research equipment

Custom lab hardware, specialty experimental fixtures

Architectural models

Large architectural presentation models

FAQ

FDM Printing questions.

FDM advantages: Ultem 9085 (aerospace FST) not available in other 3D processes. PEEK capability. Larger build volume. Engineering ABS/PC with production-like properties. Mechanical anisotropy (can tune strength direction). SLS advantages: better surface finish, no support structures, better for smaller parts, faster cycle per part in batch production. For aerospace with material specs, FDM. For consumer electronics and general prototypes, SLS/MJF.

FDM produces visible layer lines — characteristic "ridged" appearance. Not suitable for fine cosmetic applications without post-processing. Smoothing options: vapor smoothing (acetone for ABS, specific solvents for other materials), sanding and painting, chemical smoothing. For engineering prototypes and functional parts, layer lines cosmetic issue only. For end-use products requiring smooth finish, consider MJF or SLA.

FDM: ±0.2-0.5 mm typical on critical features. Larger parts have more thermal distortion — bigger parts, worse accuracy. For tolerance-critical features, post-machining brings specific dimensions to CNC tolerance. For aerospace parts with dimensional requirements, CNC post-processing standard after FDM.

Ultem 9085: FAA-certified material for aircraft interior per FAR 25.853. FST (flame, smoke, toxicity) compliance. Mechanical properties sufficient for non-structural aircraft interior — cabin parts, overhead storage hardware, interior trim. Standard 3D printing aerospace workflow: print → inspect → qualify per customer specification. Aerospace customers using FDM Ultem for production interior parts — validated process.

PEEK FDM requires specialized high-temperature printers — 400+ °C nozzle, 200+ °C chamber, 160+ °C bed. Few machines capable. Limited service providers. PEEK parts have property anisotropy — typically 70-90% of injection-molded PEEK properties. For PEEK prototypes: FDM is fastest. For production PEEK, CNC machining from extruded rod typically better mechanical properties.

FDM cost: comparable or slightly higher than SLS/MJF for similar-sized nylon parts. Engineering materials (Ultem, PEEK) significantly more expensive — Ultem 9085 parts 3-5× PA12 nylon parts. Large parts: FDM most economical (handles sizes other processes cannot). For standard functional prototypes in nylon, SLS/MJF cheaper. For specialty engineering thermoplastics or large parts, FDM is the right process.