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Vocabulary flashcards summarizing core terms, technologies, materials, and process-planning concepts from the lecture on digital fabrication and 3D printing.
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Digital Fabrication
Computer-controlled production of physical objects or devices from a digital model.
Additive Manufacturing
Fabrication approach that builds objects by successively adding material, e.g., 3D printing.
Subtractive Manufacturing
Fabrication approach that removes material from a workpiece, such as CNC milling or laser cutting.
Formative Manufacturing
Fabrication approach that reshapes material into a mold or form, e.g., vacuum forming, blow molding.
3D Printing
Umbrella term for additive manufacturing technologies that create 3-dimensional objects layer by layer.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
3D printing technique that extrudes melted thermoplastic filament to form layers.
Stereolithography (SLA)
3D printing technique that cures liquid photopolymer resin using a UV laser to solidify each layer.
PolyJet Printing
Material-jetting process that sprays liquid photopolymers and cures them with UV light, enabling multi-material parts.
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Milling
Subtractive method where a rotary spindle automatically removes material under computer control.
Laser Cutting
Subtractive process that uses a high-power laser beam to cut or engrave sheet materials.
Water-jet Cutting
Subtractive technique that slices materials with a high-pressure water stream mixed with abrasive particles.
Support Structure
Temporary material printed to sustain overhangs and delicate features during fabrication, later removed.
Orientation Determination
Process-planning step that chooses how a part is placed on the build tray to optimize accuracy, time, and supports.
Slicing
Conversion of a 3D model into successive 2D layers that the printer will fabricate.
Adaptive Slicing
Technique that varies layer thickness based on geometry to balance speed and surface quality.
Path Planning
Algorithmic generation of toolpaths for each layer, affecting build time, strength, and surface finish.
Infill Pattern
Internal lattice or raster used to fill unseen volumes, saving material while retaining strength.
G-code
Vector-based machine language that instructs CNC and many 3D printers on precise movements and actions.
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
Biodegradable, easy-to-print thermoplastic filament widely used in FDM printers.
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Durable, heat-resistant thermoplastic filament; tougher to print than PLA.
TPU/TPE Flexible Filament
Elastomeric materials for FDM that yield stretchable, rubber-like prints.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Extremely tough, heat-resistant filament suitable for high-strength FDM parts.
Multi-Material FDM
FDM capability that prints with two or more filaments to combine colors or functions (e.g., conductive + insulating).
Layer Resolution (Z Resolution)
Minimum achievable layer thickness; smaller values yield finer detail but longer print times.
Build Volume
Maximum physical space a printer can fabricate, expressed as width × depth × height.
Maker Movement
Community-driven culture promoting DIY fabrication, open hardware, and shared designs.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Era characterized by cyber-physical systems and digital manufacturing transforming production.
RetroFab
Design tool that combines sensors, actuators, and 3D printing to retrofit existing physical interfaces.
MixFab
Mixed-reality environment that overlays digital designs onto the physical workspace for personal fabrication.
FreeD
Handheld digitally-augmented milling device that assists free-form carving with real-time guidance.
Metamaterial
Engineered internal microstructure that imparts novel mechanical or tactile properties to a 3D print.
Personalization / Customization
Adapting a product’s geometry, function, or aesthetics to individual user needs via digital fabrication.
3D Scanning
Technique that captures the shape of physical objects to create digital models for reproduction or modification.
Online Model Library
Repository such as Thingiverse or Shapeways where users share or purchase printable 3D designs.
Support Contact Area
Surface region where temporary supports touch the print; minimizing it eases post-processing.
Overhang
Portion of a model that extends outward without underlying layers, often requiring support material.
Gusset Support
Triangular support style that braces overhangs by connecting them to lower layers or the build plate.
Build Tray
Printer platform on which the object is fabricated; also called build plate or print bed.
Rapid Prototyping
Fast fabrication of physical models for form-factor or functional testing, typically using 3D printing.
Digital Model
CAD or scanned 3D representation that serves as the blueprint for fabrication.
Build Time
Total duration required for a printer to complete a part, influenced by orientation, layer height, and speed.
Support Volume
Amount of auxiliary material generated to stabilize the print; designers aim to minimize it.
Layer Anisotropy
Mechanical property wherein printed parts are stronger within layers and weaker across them.
Material Jetting
Additive method that deposits droplets of material (usually photopolymers) which solidify to form layers.