Difference between FDM and SLA 3D Printer — Which One is Right for You?

3D printers have become a product that is suitable for the mass market. As they have become easier to use and cheaper, many people buy a 3D printer for home use to print individual parts themselves.

When choosing, an important question then arises for the beginner:

Which 3D printer is the right one for me?

In this article, we will first discuss which printing methods are available and what the advantages and disadvantages of FDM or SLA printing are.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Printer

The most commonly used printing method in the hobby sector is the FDM printer. This is based on the principle that thermoplastics are melted and applied layer by layer on a print bed to gradually create the 3D model.

Photo by Gavin Allanwood on Unsplash

Advantages

• relatively fast printing possible
• Low cost
• Relatively durable
• rework is only necessary if a support structure was used

Disadvantages:

• only medium production precision
• depending on the printer, more or fewer grooves are visible in the print (individual layers)