3D Product Materials & Finishing

Question 1

What is PLA filament and why is it commonly used for product prototyping?

Accepted Answer

Polylactic Acid, a biodegradable thermoplastic that is easy to print, low-warp, and available in many colors

Answer

A carbon fiber reinforced filament for structural parts

Answer

A high-temperature resin used in SLA printing

Answer

A flexible TPU-based material for soft prototypes

Question 2

What are the advantages of PETG filament over PLA for functional product prototypes?

Accepted Answer

PETG has better impact resistance, moisture resistance, and higher temperature tolerance than PLA

Answer

PETG has a lower melting point making it easier to print than PLA

Answer

PETG produces sharper details and finer surface finish than PLA

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PETG is biodegradable while PLA is not

Question 3

What is 'Shore hardness' used to measure in product material selection?

Accepted Answer

The hardness and stiffness of rubber and flexible polymers

Answer

The tensile strength of rigid plastics

Answer

The surface roughness of a 3D-printed part

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The brittleness of ceramic materials

Question 4

What is 'anisotropy' in 3D-printed parts and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

The directional difference in mechanical properties — FDM parts are stronger along print layers than between them

Answer

A surface defect caused by incorrect extrusion temperature

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The variation in color between different material batches

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An optical distortion in transparent resin prints

Question 5

What material property is described by 'tensile strength'?

Accepted Answer

The maximum stress a material can withstand when being pulled apart before it breaks

Answer

The resistance of a material surface to scratching

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The ability of a material to conduct heat

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The flexibility of a material under repeated bending

Question 6

What is 'ABS' plastic and what are its main advantages for product prototyping?

Accepted Answer

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, a tough, impact-resistant thermoplastic good for functional prototypes that can be sanded and finished

Answer

A biodegradable material derived from corn starch

Answer

A flexible rubber-like material for soft-touch grips

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A transparent optical-quality polymer for lens prototypes