Appendix B
Glossary of Terms

3D Clothing Printer – see Digital Textiles.

3D Fabbing – see 3D Printing.

3D Knitting Machine – see Digital Textiles.

3D Positioning System – in FDM printing, the robotic assembly that positions and moves the extruder over the build plate.

3D Printing – the process by which a virtual 3D model is translated into a physical three-dimensional object, usually by means of computer control and instruction.

3D Printing Loom – see Digital Textiles.

3D Printing Marketplace – a printing service bureau that also sells printed items made by consumers to other consumers.

3D Printing Pen – a manual pen-like drawing tool that uses FDM technology to extrude molten plastic from the nozzle.

3D Robotic Knitting – see Digital Textiles.

3D Scanning – a process which creates a virtual 3D model by scanning a physical three-dimensional object.

3DP – common abbreviation for 3D Printing. See 3D Printing.

3D Weaving Machine – see Digital Textiles.

45-Degree Rule – a guideline suggesting that no unsupported overhang should exceed 45-degrees for a model intended to be printed with FDM or SLA.

A

ABS – Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene; a common petrochemical thermoplastic used by the desktop 3D printing community.

ABS Slurry – a plastic glue created by dissolving small amounts of ABS in acetone.

ABSplus – a strong, engineering-grade ABS composite.

Acetone Vapor Bath – the process of developing a glass-like finish on the surface of an ABS object with the help of acetone vapor.

Additive Layer Manufacture (ALM) – see 3D Printing.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) – a manufacturing method by which building material is added together to create an object, rather than being cut away from an existing mass of material; used by some 3D printing processes. Also, see 3D Printing.

Air Printing – in FDM printing, the action of a 3D printer actively following the correct print path, but not actually extruding filament.

Ambient Build Plate – see Build Plate; specifically, a build plate without the ability to be heated to a predetermined temperature.

Armature – an (often adjustable) metal framework around which an animatronic or puppet is created.

Auto-Cleanup – automatic tools that analyze and inspect a virtual model in order to fix holes and heal mesh.

Auto-Ignition Point – the lowest temperature at which a material can spontaneously ignite without an external source of ignition, such as a flame or spark.

B

BendLay – a modified butadiene; a flexible, transparent filament material.

Bigature – Weta Workshop’s whimsical nickname for a very large miniature model.¹³²

Binder – any material that binds or glues other materials together.

Binder Jetting – see Powder Binder 3D Printing.

Blob – unintentional blemish or deformity on the surface of a print.

Boolean Operation – a function that combines separate items together into one object – such as combining two intersecting cubes into a solid object.

Bridge – sections of a print that are supported at both ends, but not in the middle.¹³³

Build Plate – in FDM printing, the surface on which the layers of filament are deposited during the printing of an object.

Build Platform – see Build Plate.

Build Surface – see Build Plate.

Build Volume – the overall printable size of an object as determined by the size of the build plate and the vertical height of the print chamber.

C

CAD – Computer-Aided Drafting software; typically vector-based programs.

CADD – Computer-Aided Design and Drafting software; includes both modeling and vector-based programs.

Calipers – tool used for measuring thicknesses or distances between two objects.

CAM – Computer-Aided Manufacturing; manufacturing by means of robotic technologies.

Capping – closing large areas of missing mesh in order to produce a manifold model.

Captive Parts – internal loose structures printed on the inside of a model.

Capture – creation of a 3D model by way of 3D scanning or photogrammetry.

Casting – a sculptural technique whereby a mold is filled with a casting material in order to produce a three-dimensional object.

Catch – a resulting model created by way of 3D scanning or photogrammetry, originally coined by Autodesk’s former photogrammetry app 123D Catch.

CLIP – see Continuous Liquid Interface Production.

CNC – Computerized Numerical Control; highly automated subtractive manufacturing machines used for computer-aided manufacturing.

Consumer 3D Printer – a model of 3D printer aimed at the consumer-level or home-user market.

Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) – a 3D printing process that projects light through an oxygen-permeable window curing the liquid material above it.

Curling – in FDM printing, the act of a print pulling away from the build plate and warping its edges upwards.

Cyanoacrylate Resin – a strong and fast-acting adhesive; generic name for Super Glue.

D

Delamination – the separation or splitting of layers during printing and/or cooling.

DeltaBot Positioning System – a 3D positioning system which uses a stationary build plate and a spider-like arm assembly that moves in all three axes.

Desktop 3D Printer – see Consumer 3D Printer.

Desktop Fabbing – see 3D Printing.

Desktop Manufacturing – see 3D Printing.

Digital Body Form Capture – see Photogrammetry.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) – a type of SLA printer which uses light from a projector to stimulate photopolymerization.

Digital Manufacturing – see 3D Printing.

Digital Museums – physical museums around the world that house publically available 3D scans of their collections in the hopes of both sharing and preserving humanity’s greatest treasures.

Digital Textiles – an experimental 3D printing field wherein seamless clothes are created by use of 3D printing-like technologies.

Direct Digital Fabrication – see 3D Printing.

Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) – a GMB-based 3D printing process used to create metal objects.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) – a process of 3D printing similar to SLS using fine metal and metal alloy powders.

Direct Metal Printing – a multi-step 3D printing process involving metal or metal alloy materials; a variation on the powder binder technique.

E

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) – a GMB-based 3D printing process used to create metal objects.

Elephant Foot – in FDM printing, when the floor layers of a print bulge out larger than the print’s subsequent layers.

Escape Holes – in GMB, holes in a print which allow for extra granular materials to escape.

Extraneous Interiors – non-vital lines and surfaces on the inside of the model.

Extruder – in FDM printing, the mechanism that deposits molten filament onto the build plate; often is comprised of several mechanical elements – the feeding mechanism or material feeder, the hot end, and the nozzle. Depending on the manufacturer, these items may be integrated into one central assembly or separated and positioned remotely.

Extrusion – the process of forcing a material through a small opening in order to create a shape.

F

Face Cast – see Life Cast; specifically, of the face.

FDM – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

Feature Thickness – the thickness (or thinness) of a print’s smallest features.

Feeding Mechanism/Material Feeder – in FDM printing, the mechanism which pulls filament into the machine.

Felting Printer – an SDL-like 3D printing process using layers of felt instead of paper.

FFF – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

Filament – see Thermoplastic Filament.

Filament Mechanism – in FDM printing, the assembly that holds and guides the filament to the extruder; often consists of a spool holder and guide tube.

Finishing – final touches post-print, such as sanding, painting, etc.

Fit Tolerances – purposeful gaps between sections of an object wide enough to allow movement in the finished print-in-place item and/or press part.

Fixing Software – mesh repair program for fixing any potential printing issues.

Flash Point – the lowest temperature at which a material can vaporize to form a flammable mixture in air.

Floor Layer – the bottom part of a shell, see also Solid Layers.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) – a 3D printing process by which thermoplastic filament is extruded through a small nozzle into fine layers that stack upon each other to create an object.

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

Fused Filament Method (FFM) – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

G

Gantry System – a 3D Cartesian positioning system that consists of an overhead framework which moves the extruder along the X- and Y-axes, while the build plate moves up and down along the Z-axis.

Gap Printing – see Fit Tolerances.

G-Code – a software language which describes the print path (and other actions) to be taken by the 3D printer during build.

GMB – see Granular Materials Binding.

Granular Materials Binding (GMB) – a 3D printing process that uses a binding material or an energy source to selectively fuse layers of loose powder into a solid object.

Grow – a whimsical substitution for the word (3D) “printing” used by some professionals.

H

HBP – see Heated Build Plate.

HDPE – High-Density Polyethylene; a recycled filament material made from #2 recyclable products.

Heat Creep – the phenomenon whereby filament heated too much begins to liquefy too far up in the hot end mechanism, causing clogs.

Heated Build Plate/Platform (HBP) – see Build Plate; specifically, a build plate with the ability to be heated to a predetermined temperature.

Helper Disks – see Mouse Ears.

HIPS – High Impact Polystyrene; a dissolvable material which dissolves in limonene instead of water.

Hot End – in FDM printing, the mechanism which heats the filament to a molten state.

I

Image-based Modeling – see Photogrammetry.

Industrial 3D Printer – a model of 3D printer aimed at the professional market.

Infill – the material deposited to fill the empty space and provide support inside the object between its exterior walls.

Inspection – the act of checking a model’s viability for printing.

J

Jetting – see Photopolymer Jetting.

K

KUKA robotic arm – an industrial, automated robotic manufacturing arm.

L

Laser Line Scanning (LLS) – a 3D scanning process which maps an object’s surface by using a linear-shaped laser beam whose reflected position on an object is calculated in relative distance to the camera.

Laser Shadow – in Laser Line Scanning, any area occluded by the constant angle of the laser relative to the stationary object.

Layer Height – see Layer Resolution.

Layer Resolution – the measure of thinness of each layer of material deposited during object creation.

Layer Shifting – the condition wherein print layers become misaligned while printing due to a technical problem.

Layered (or Laminated) Object Manufacturing (LOM) – an outdated 3D printing process similar to SDL that employed special adhesive-coated paper which was cut out with a laser and then laminated together.

Leveling – adjusting the build plate to be evenly spaced at all coordinates in relation to the nozzle.

LIDAR scanning – Light Imaging, Detection, And Ranging; an industrial cousin to SLS 3D scanning, which measures distance by evaluating the way light bounces off distant objects; usually mounted in or on a vehicle.

Life Cast – a traditional casting technique using alginate or silicone to cover a part of the body in order to create an exact replica.

Limonene – or d-Limonene; a common citrus-scented household solvent made from a chemical found in the peels of citrus fruit.

LOM – see Layered (or Laminated) Object Manufacturing.

M

Macintosh Moment – phrase used to describe a pivotal moment in history, specifically in terms of technology; refers to the launch of the first Apple Macintosh in 1984.

Makerspace – a collective of artisans who rent a community space specifically for creating things.

Manifold – a completely closed and solid 3D model.

Manual 3D Drawing Tool – see 3D Printing Pen.

Maquette – a small, scaled model, traditionally in sculpture.

Mesh – see Surface Mesh.

Mesh Cloud – a point cloud whereby the X, Y, and Z locations are connected to form a surface mesh.

Mesh Repairer – see Fixing Software.

Micron – a unit of measure equal to one-millionth of a meter; in 3D Printing, used as a reference for layer height.

Molding – the act of producing a rigid frame (or mold) in order to shape a liquefied casting material into a solid three-dimensional object.

Molten Polymer Deposition (MPD) – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

Mouse Ears – small temporary one-layer disks added to the corners of a model to help adherence to the build plate and prevent curling.

Moving Bed System – the 3D Cartesian positioning system that utilizes a stationary extruder while the build plate moves through the X-, Y-, and Z-axes.

Multi-extrusion – in FDM printing, a machine capable of printing in multiple colors and/or materials.

Multi-Jet Modeling (MJM) – see Photopolymer Jetting.

Multi-Jet Printing (MJP) – see Photopolymer Jetting.

N

Nozzle – in FDM printing, the mechanism which extrudes and deposits molten filament onto the build plate.

O

OBJ – a file extension used by many 3D printers that also carries color information.

Occlusions – the effect of one item blocking another object (or part of an object) from view – such as a streetlight in front of a building facade.

Open Source – software for which the source code is made freely available to users to modify and redistribute.

Optical Fabrication – see Stereolithography.

Overhang – unsupported detail on a 3D print.

P

Parametric Design Program – a software program that creates 3D models by defining parameters of a shape, like a dimension, by way of a scripting language.

PCL – Polycaprolactone; a soft, biodegradable, plant-derived polyester filament that can be reshaped after printing.

Perimeters – see Shells.

Personal Manufacturing – see 3D Printing.

PET – Polyethylene Terephthalate; a strong, impact-resistant filament that is optically clear, odorless, and colorless.

Photogrammetric Modeling – see Photogrammetry.

Photogrammetry – a process which creates a virtual 3D model from photographs of a physical three-dimensional object.

Photopolymer – any material that can transform from a liquid to a solid almost instantaneously when stimulated by light.

Photopolymer Jetting – an industrial-level derivative of SLA in which the resin is stored in separate capsules much like the ink-jet cartridges of traditional 2D printers.

Photopolymerization – a process which cures a liquid into a solid by use of light.

Photo-Solidification – see Stereolithography.

Pillowing – unintentional rough, irregular surfaces and holes, bumps, or gaps in the top layer of a print.

PLA – Polylactic Acid or Polylactide; a common biopolymer thermoplastic filament used by the desktop 3D printing community made from renewable resources.

Plastic Jet Printing (PJP) – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

Point Cloud – a three-dimensional coordinate system used by many 3D scanners to define a shape using X, Y, and Z locations.

Polygonal Modeling Program – a software program that uses a surface mesh – a collection of vertices, edges, and faces– to define the shape of a 3D object.

PolyJet or Poly-Jetting – see Photopolymer Jetting.

Powder Binder 3D Printing – a 3D printing process that uses ink-jet style sprayers to selectively deposit a rapidly solidifying binder onto a bed of powder in order to form an object.

Press Parts – printed hardware pieces used to join separate printed objects together.

Priming the Extruder – in FDM printing, action of a 3D printer extruding extraneous filament prior to printing to ensure a smooth flow of filament prior to building the actual object.

Primitives – basic three-dimensional shapes, such as cubes, cylinders, and pyramids, used as three-dimensional building blocks in some 3D modeling programs.

Print Bed/Printer Bed – see Build Plate.

Print-in-Place Items – objects with moving parts printed as one piece.

Print Volume – see Build Volume.

Printer Control Software – program that translates the 3D model into useable g-code for the printer, detailing the path of build.

Professional 3D Printer – see Industrial 3D Printer.

Prosthetics – an artificial embellishment applied to the body, as in special effects makeup.

Prosumer 3D Printer – see Consumer 3D Printer.

Prototype – a preliminary version of an item, often one intended to be manufactured en masse.

PVA – Polyvinyl Alcohol; a water-soluble flexible polymer filament used for printing 3D support structures.

Q

R

Raft – a temporary lattice-like base printed underneath a model to help adhesion to the build plate.

Rapid Manufacture (RM) – see 3D Printing.

Rapid Prototyping (RP) – see 3D Printing.

Rapid Tooling (RT) – see 3D Printing.

Replacement Animation – technique used in stop-motion animation where a different face unit with a different expression is placed on the character’s body for every moment of film.

Repository – in 3D modeling, an online community storehouse of 3D models.

Resin – a liquefied material used with most SLA 3D printers.

Retraction – in FDM printing, the action of the printer sucking the filament back into the nozzle after each moment of continuous printing before moving to a new location.

Retraction Speed – the rate at which the filament is retracted.

Reversed Normals – a virtual face turned “inside-out” on a 3D model.

Ringing – unintentional wavy pattern on the side of a print often from excessive vibration.

Roof Layer – the top layer of a shell, see also Solid Layers.

RP – see Rapid Prototyping.

S

Scaffolding – see Supports.

Sculpting Modeling Program – a software program that emulates the real-world process of modeling with clay.

SDL – see Selective Deposition Lamination.

SDS – Safety Data Sheet; literature supplied by materials manufacturers which includes product information and recommended safe practices, formerly MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

Selective Deposition Lamination (SDL) – a 3D printing process which uses a computer-controlled tungsten carbide blade and a binder to cut out a three-dimensional object from standard office paper.

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) – a 3D printing process similar to SLS that uses a high-energy laser to melt granules of metal powder together to form an object.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) – a 3D printing process that uses a high-powered laser on a bed of powder to fuse each layer of powder into a solid.

Self-occluding – objects with parts that block the view of other parts of itself – such as a chair with legs that block other legs from view.

Service Bureau – a printing service that prints small quantities of 3D models for consumers.

Shaders – analysis tools that temporarily affect the look of a 3D model without affecting its final appearance when printed.

Shells – the protective outer wall surrounding and protecting the inside contents of a print.

Single-extrusion – in FDM printing, a machine capable of printing in a single color and material.

SLA – see Stereolithography.

Slicing – the process of translating a 3D model into layers and g-code instructions for a 3D printer to follow.

Slicing Software – see Printer Control Software.

SLS – see Selective Laser Sintering or Structured Light Scanning.

Solid Free Form Fabrication – see Stereolithography.

Solid Imaging – see Stereolithography.

Solid Layers – the top and bottom layers of a shell, sometimes referred to as Roof and Floor Layers.

Solid Modeling Program – a software program that uses a technique called constructive solid geometry, which employ simple “primitive” shapes (like cubes, cylinders, and pyramids) as a starting point for complex shapes.

Specialty Suit – an iconic, tight-fitting costume, typically a superhero suit.

Spectrum Laser (SL) – a type of SLA printer which uses a laser to stimulate photopolymerization.

Sprue – a temporary frame meant to connect and support fragile model pieces.

Stereolithography (SLA) – a 3D printing process that uses a high-intensity light source to cure a liquid photopolymeric resin into solid layers.

Stereophotogrammetry – see Photogrammetry.

Stitching – a technique used by photogrammetric software (which creates a 3D model by comparing shared points in multiple two-dimensional photographs) to determine the shape of an object.

STL – Standard Tessellation Language, Stereolithography or Stereo Lithographic; a file extension used by many 3D printers and 3D modeling programs.

Structure from Motion (SFM) – see Photogrammetry.

Structured Light Capture – see Structured Light Scanning.

Structured Light Scanning (SLS) – a 3D scanning process which maps an object’s surface by measuring the distortions in a projected pattern of light (as seen by an attached camera) as the scanner moves around the object.

Subtractive Manufacturing – a manufacturing method by which building material is cut away from an existing mass of material, often used by CNC machines and other traditional manufacturing techniques.

Supports – temporary materials printed with the sole purpose of supporting overhangs and other unsupported structures.

Surface Mesh – a collection of vertices, edges, and faces used to define the virtual skin and shape of a 3D object.

Syringe-Style Extrusion – a 3D printing process similar to FDM wherein the traditional extruder has been replaced with a pressurized syringe.

T

Thermoplastic Extrusion – see Fused Deposition Modeling.

Thermoplastic Filament – plastic that is malleable when heated, commonly used as the printing medium, or “ink”, in FDM 3D printers.

Thread Width – the width of a single thread of deposited filament.

TPE – Thermoplastic Elastomer or Thermoplastic Rubber; a flexible thermoplastic filament.

Tramming – see Leveling.

U

Underpropper – in costuming, an underlying structure which supports another structure on top.

V

Vector-Graphic Design Program – a software program that uses points, lines, curves, and polygons to represent an image.

VeroGray or VeroBlue – popular photopolymer material used in Stratasys’ PolyJet printers.

VOC – Volatile Organic Compound; a variety of chemicals emitted as gases from select materials.

VRML – Virtual Reality Modeling Language; a 3D file extension that carries color and surface mapping information.

W

Wall Thickness – the thickness (or thinness) of a print’s surrounding walls on a hollow model.

Warping – any irregularity or deformation on a rectilinear surface of a print.

Watertight – see Manifold.

Wearable Technology – 3D printed fabrics woven with integral 3D printed circuitry using conductive filament.

Weeding – the process of separating an SDL print from its surrounding paper waste.

X

Y

Z

Z-Gap – in FDM printing, the distance between the printer’s nozzle and the build plate.

Z-Height – see Z-Gap.

Z-Hop – in FDM printing, the vertical lift setting used to move the extruder from print point to print point.

Z-Offset – see Z-Gap.

Zipper – the seam created on the perimeter of a print where two points of filament consistently meet as the printer travels around the object from start point to finish point of a layer.

Zit – unintentional blemish or deformity on the surface of a print.