3D printing basics
How does a 3D printer work?
The Ultimaker 3 is an FDM 3D printer. FDM stands for Fused Deposition Modeling. It is the 3D printing technique
of putting multiple layers of melted plastic on top of each other to create a 3D object.
The Ultimaker 3 contains several systems that work together during printing:
• The extrusion mechanism
• The gantry system
• The Z stage
• The UltiController
Extrusion mechanism
The extrusion mechanism is basically the path the filament travels through the printer. It enters in the feeders,
which grip the filament and transport it up through the bowden tubes. The bowden tubes guide the filament to the
print head and into the print cores. The filament only gets heated up in the heater block, right at the bottom of the
print core. The filament then exits through the small opening of the nozzle.
The fan at the front cools the print cores, to make sure that the filament does not get hot above the heater block,
and the fans at the side make sure that the filament is cooled down as soon as it is deposited. This ensures opti-
mal print quality.
1. Feeders
The feeders grip
and forward the
filament.
2. Bowden
Tubes
The bowden
tubes guide the
filament to the
print head.
3. Print
Head
The print cores
heat up and
extrude the
filament.
2.
2.
1.
3.
1
