5 Best 3D Printers in the Philippines 2024 | Creality, Ultimaker, Flashforge, and More

This additive process uses a thermoplastic material which is heated to its melting point and extruded through a nozzle into a print plate underneath. Layer by layer, the printout is built throughout the duration, eventually forming the finished product. 

This 3D printing is cost-effective, could produce replacement parts quickly, and highly customizable via computer software. The material is also readily available with different colors to choose from. Although it's easy to use, it may be prone to high maintenance if misused and the machine has gone awry.

SLA printing may be the original technology in 3D printing where it employs an additive method with a stereolithography apparatus to transform a liquid medium into a solid object. 

The process involves an ultraviolet light beam that hardens the model made of photosensitive liquid such as resin. It guarantees high-quality detailed prints that deliver a better consumer experience.

Similar to SLA, SLS 3D printing uses the same process, but it uses powder and lasers to create the model. The laser melts the powder to create a layer of printed material making the output precise and more detailed. This method makes it possible to produce metal objects which are not possible on FDM and SLA printing.

PLA is a plant-derived plastic used on filament printer that works best for most indoor usage. Prolonged or constant exposure to sun and moisture will easily deteriorate the material, so it is best not to use this material for outdoor applications.

PETG is a food-safe filament plastic material that could work as a food vessel or container. Being food-safe doesn't mean that the printed output is completely safe. It has to be finished first with a food-grade epoxy before making contact with actual food.

ABS is notably known to be a strong plastic that is commonly used in different residential and commercial applications. It might require a lot of heat to set and should only be used on enclosed 3D printers to maintain the warm temperature. This filament material is a great option when printing outdoor items.

Resins used on SLA or Digital Light Processing (DLP) printers usually come in clear, white, or gray colors. Standard resins may not be as sturdy as tough resin, but it is commonly used for prototypes or small gadgets to represent the final product. 

Tough resins are more physically hard once set and are a better material often used in professional and engineering applications. A medical-grade resin, on the other hand, is used on several pieces of equipment for the medical field -- to make hearing aids or custom dental works.

Safety features such as automatic nozzle cooling once printing is finished, the heated bed should auto shutdown after every printing job, or the nozzle automatically retracts whenever a task is either complete or paused. These will ensure that no excessive filament will ruin the output or the printer won't continuously remain heated even when not turned off.

Keep in mind that a 3D printer uses high temperatures to melt the materials for printing, so it's necessary to be extra cautious around the hot electrical equipment. 

This feature will guarantee that your current print batch will not go to waste even if some unexpected interruption occurs, like a power outage or some glitches on your machine. Starting over is the worst that can happen while the print is halfway finished.

A touchscreen UI is the most convenient way of operating a 3D printer, even low-end FDM printers have this feature. Rotary knobs are a thing of the past and you should future-proof your equipment right from its purchase.

This ensures that your finished product has a solid and well-formed foundation. The first few layers of the print are the crucial points where the whole final product will rely on for support, so creating a steady base provides a stable output. It also provides more room for experimentation with different temperature levels to achieve variable results.

Calibrating a 3D printer involves loosening or tightening the tension on the main axes. Having a printer with full accessibility to those axes and belt will save you time and effort. It won't require too much work on removing components to make adjustments while fine-tuning the device from time to time.