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ABS
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a tough, heat-resistant thermoplastic polymer commonly used for functional and industrial parts. For makers and 3D-printers it is valued for its mechanical strength and the ability to be post-processed (for example, acetone vapor smoothing), but it shrinks more on cooling and requires higher printing temperatures, which makes printing more challenging. In practical maker-spaces (like a fablab) ABS is often used rarely because it is prone to warping, generally needs a heated bed and enclosure, and produces fumes that require ventilation.
Bed leveling
Bed leveling is the process of bringing a 3D printer's build plate into the correct relative position to the nozzle across the whole surface so that the first layer prints uniformly. For makers working in a fablab or makerspace, it is a fundamental calibration step to ensure good adhesion and reliable prints. There are manual methods (for example using a piece of paper and adjusting screws) and automatic methods (such as BLTouch or inductive/proximity sensors that probe the bed to build a mesh); both approaches ensure the firmware and slicer use correct Z heights during printing.
FDM
FDM is a 3D printing process where a thermoplastic filament is heated and extruded through a nozzle, depositing material layer by layer onto a build platform. In fablab and maker contexts, FDM printers are popular because they are relatively low-cost, sturdy and easy to operate. The method is well suited for rapid prototyping and functional parts, but has limitations such as visible layer lines, anisotropic mechanical properties (weaker between layers), and constraints in surface finish and very fine details.
Filament
In a fablab context, filament is the continuous, thread-like material used as feedstock for FDM/FFF 3D printers. It is typically made from thermoplastic polymers (such as PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU) and is supplied on spools in common diameters like 1.75 mm or 2.85/3 mm. The filament is melted in the printer's hotend and extruded layer by layer to build a 3D object; material choice and printing settings affect strength, flexibility and surface finish.
G-code
G-code is a low-level programming language/instruction set that tells CNC machines and 3D printers how to move and deposit or remove material. It consists of lines such as motion commands (e.g. G0/G1), feed rates (F), and machine-specific M-codes for functions like coolant or spindle control. Makers typically obtain G-code from a slicer (for 3D printing) or CAM software (for CNC), which converts a model into a sequence of machine instructions. There are multiple dialects (e.g. Marlin, GRBL, RepRap), and it’s common to edit start/end scripts or tweak G-code manually for calibration, safety, or process optimization.
Nozzle
A nozzle in 3D printing is the heated metal tip at the end of the extruder through which molten filament is forced. The nozzle sets the diameter of the extruded filament bead and therefore affects resolution, print speed and layer width. Nozzles come in various diameters and materials, and they can clog or wear out when printing with abrasive filaments.
Slicer
A slicer is software that converts a 3D model (for example an STL or OBJ file) into layer-by-layer instructions a 3D printer can execute. The slicer slices the model into thin layers, computes toolpaths and determines print parameters such as layer height, print speed, infill and support structures. The final output is typically a G-code or other printer-specific file that tells the printer where and how to extrude material; the slicer settings strongly influence the part's quality, strength and print time.