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Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a 3D-printing process that melts thermoplastic filament and pushes it through a nozzle, depositing it in successive layers until the part is formed. In standardized terminology, FDM belongs to the broader additive-manufacturing category called material extrusion.
How fused deposition modeling works
- Feed filament: Thermoplastic filament is supplied to the printer’s extrusion system.
- Heat and extrude: The printer heats the material and pushes it through a nozzle.
- Build the part: The nozzle follows a planned path, laying down material layer by layer.
- Let it solidify: Deposited material cools and solidifies, forming the physical part.
Because the printer builds by adding material, FDM is an additive process. That distinguishes it from subtractive machining, which creates a shape by removing material. Stratasys describes FDM as a process that creates 3D objects by extruding melted thermoplastic filaments through a heated nozzle (Stratasys’ FDM explanation).
What “material extrusion” means
ISO/ASTM 52900:2021, Additive manufacturing — General principles — Fundamentals and vocabulary, defines material extrusion as an additive-manufacturing process in which material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice. FDM is the familiar filament-based process name; material extrusion is the standardized category for the underlying process. The standard’s catalog page reports that the 2021 edition was reviewed and confirmed in 2025 and is current (ISO/ASTM 52900:2021; ISO standard preview).
What a printer needs to make an FDM part
The basic setup requires an FDM printer and thermoplastic filament that the printer supports. Compatibility is not universal: check the machine’s requirements before selecting filament. The sources establish thermoplastic filament as the feedstock but do not provide a complete independent compatibility list.
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What the definition does—and does not—tell you
The process description explains how material becomes a part, but it does not establish a universal temperature, print speed, layer height, or machine setting. Those values depend on the printer and material, so they should come from the relevant machine and filament specifications rather than being treated as part of FDM’s definition.
FDM is one process within additive manufacturing. Standards for the broader field cover areas such as design inputs, precursor-material selection, process quality control, post-processing, finished-material properties, testing, qualification, certification, maintenance, and repair. ANSI’s overview describes this general scope; it does not mean every listed area is a specific requirement for every FDM print (ANSI additive-manufacturing standards overview).
Quick Recap
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- Supported Filament: Ideal: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, PET ABS, ASA; Capable : PA, PC; Not Recommended: Carbon/Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer.
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