3D Printing Glossary

60 terms explained in plain language, from layer height to lithophane, with what each one means for your order.

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3MF
A modern 3D file format that stores not only the shape of a model but also its colours, units and print settings. If you have a 3MF, send it as-is: it usually contains fewer errors than STL and keeps the intended scale. For multi-colour prints it is the preferred format. Related article →
ABS
A durable, heat-resistant plastic (the LEGO material) used in FDM printing. It withstands about 90–100 °C and can be smoothed with acetone vapour, but it is prone to warping and needs an enclosed printer. Choose it for functional parts that get warm; for decor PLA or PETG are usually cheaper and easier. Related article →
AMS / multi-material
An automatic filament changer (Bambu Lab's AMS is the best known) that lets one printer switch between four or more spools during a single print. This is how we make multi-colour prints without painting. Expect a higher price and longer print time, because every colour change wastes a little material and time. Related article →
Articulated (flexi) print
A model with built-in hinges printed in one go, so it bends and wiggles straight off the printer — the famous flexi dragons and animals. No assembly is needed, but the joints depend on tight tolerances, so we print these at a fine layer height. Price depends on size; a palm-sized dragon is a quick and affordable gift. Related article →
ASA
A close cousin of ABS designed for outdoor use: it resists UV, rain and heat without yellowing or getting brittle. Ideal for garden signs, car parts and anything that lives on a balcony. It costs a bit more than PLA and, like ABS, needs careful printing, so lead time may be longer. Related article →
Bed adhesion
How well the first layer sticks to the printer's build plate. Good adhesion keeps the part flat and stops it detaching mid-print; poor adhesion causes warping or failed prints. We handle this on our side with plate choice, temperature and brims — you only notice it as a slightly smoother or textured bottom surface. Related article →
Book nook
A miniature scene built inside a book-shaped box that sits between the books on your shelf, like a tiny alley or library seen through a doorway. Most are 3D printed in many parts, assembled, painted and often lit with LEDs. They take days of work, so they are priced as a finished piece rather than by the gram. Related article →
Bridging
When the printer lays plastic across an open gap between two points with nothing underneath, like a bridge. Short bridges (up to a few centimetres) print cleanly; long ones sag and need supports. It mostly affects the underside of a part, and we will tell you if it matters for your model. Related article →
Brim
A thin, single-layer ring of plastic printed around the base of a model to help it stick to the build plate. We remove it after printing, leaving at most a faint line along the bottom edge. It is free and used on tall or narrow parts and warp-prone materials like ABS. Related article →
Build volume
The maximum size a printer can make in one piece, typically around 25 × 25 × 25 cm for our FDM machines and smaller for resin. Larger objects are split into sections, printed separately and glued with hidden seams. Splitting adds assembly time, so very large pieces cost more than the material alone would suggest. Related article →
Cosplay prop
A wearable or hand-held replica — helmet, sword, armour piece — printed at real-world scale. These are big, multi-part projects that usually need sanding, priming and painting to look like the on-screen item. Allow one to three weeks, and ask about a raw-print option if you want to finish it yourself. Related article →
Curing
The final step in resin printing: exposing the washed part to UV light so the resin fully hardens. Uncured resin is soft, sticky and not safe to handle, so every resin part we ship is cured. It adds a few hours to the timeline and slightly deepens the colour of the part. Related article →
Diorama
A miniature three-dimensional scene — a ruined temple, a street corner, a dragon's lair — built for display. Typically 3D printed in pieces, then painted and assembled with terrain effects. Priced as a custom project; tell us the size and level of detail you want. Related article →
Dual extrusion
A printer with two nozzles, each feeding a different filament. It allows two colours or a dissolvable support material in the same print, which is useful for complex geometry. Prints take longer than single-colour ones and cost a bit more. Related article →
Elephant's foot
A slight bulge on the very bottom layers of a print, where the first layer gets squished into the build plate. It is a millimetre or less and invisible on most decor pieces. On parts that need a precise fit we compensate for it in the settings or trim it off. Related article →
FDM
Fused Deposition Modelling, the most common 3D printing method: a heated nozzle melts plastic filament and draws the object layer by layer. It is affordable, strong and available in dozens of colours and materials, but shows fine layer lines. Our default for anything bigger than a hand. Related article →
Filament
The plastic "wire" (usually 1.75 mm thick) that an FDM printer melts to build your object; PLA, PETG, ABS and TPU are all sold as filament. It comes on spools in hundreds of colours and effects. The cost of your print depends partly on how many grams of filament it uses. Related article →
Fuzzy skin
A slicer setting that adds tiny random jitters to the outer walls, giving the surface a matte, rough texture like stone or leather. It hides layer lines and fingerprints and works nicely on planters and grips. It is free to enable; just ask if you want it. Related article →
G-code
The machine instruction file a slicer produces from your model — a list of every movement and temperature the printer will follow. You never need to create it; we generate G-code for our specific printers. If someone sends you G-code instead of an STL, ask for the original model, as G-code is tied to one printer. Related article →
Hollowing
Making a solid resin model hollow inside, with small drain holes, to save resin and reduce weight. It cuts the price of larger resin figures noticeably and lowers the risk of cracking. Hollowed parts are lighter; if you want extra weight in a base, tell us and we can fill it. Related article →
Infill
The internal lattice that fills the inside of an FDM print, expressed as a percentage: 15 % is the usual default, 100 % is solid. More infill means a heavier, stronger and more expensive part; less means cheaper and lighter. For decor 10–20 % is plenty; for parts under load we use 40 % or more. Related article →
Ironing
A slicer feature where the hot nozzle glides over the top surface a second time, smoothing it flat and glossy. It removes the visible zigzag on flat tops and is great for nameplates, coasters and lids. It adds a little print time, usually at no extra cost. Related article →
Keychain
One of the simplest and most popular custom prints: a small flat tag with a name, logo or shape and a hole for a ring. Printed in minutes, so bulk orders of dozens or hundreds are cheap per piece. Multi-colour text and logos are possible with multi-material printing. Related article →
Layer height
The thickness of each printed layer, usually between 0.1 and 0.3 mm on FDM. Thinner layers look smoother and show finer detail, but the print takes proportionally longer and costs more; 0.2 mm is the everyday sweet spot. Resin printers work at 0.03–0.05 mm, which is why they are so detailed. Related article →
Layer lines
The faint horizontal ridges you can see and feel on an FDM print, one per layer. They are a normal feature of the process, not a defect, and are much subtler at fine layer heights or on resin prints. They can be hidden with sanding, priming and painting if you want a perfectly smooth look. Related article →
Lithophane
A thin panel whose thickness varies with the brightness of a photo: held against a light, the image appears in shades of grey. Our moon lamps and photo lithophanes work this way. Prints must be slow and precise, so a lithophane is priced as a finished item rather than by weight; a sharp, high-contrast photo gives the best result. Related article →
Manifold (watertight)
A model whose surface is completely closed, with no holes, gaps or overlapping faces — the 3D equivalent of a sealed bag. Slicers need a watertight mesh to know what is inside and outside. If your file is not manifold we can usually repair it automatically; badly broken models may need a small modelling fee. Related article →
Marble filament
A PLA filled with tiny dark speckles that make the print look like stone or granite. Popular for planters, vases and sculptures because it disguises layer lines well. Same price range and rules as regular PLA. Related article →
Mesh
The way a 3D model is stored for printing: a surface made of thousands of tiny triangles. STL and OBJ files are meshes. The mesh only describes the outer shape, so it has no colours or units unless the format supports them — which is why we ask what size you want. Related article →
Miniature
A small figure, typically 28–32 mm tall for tabletop games like D&D or Warhammer, or up to 75 mm for display. We print miniatures on resin printers, which capture faces, weapons and fabric folds that FDM cannot. Supplied grey and ready for painting, or painted on request. Related article →
Nozzle
The tiny brass or steel tip that extrudes melted filament on an FDM printer. The standard 0.4 mm nozzle balances detail and speed; a 0.2 mm nozzle gives sharper small text and details, and a 0.6–0.8 mm nozzle prints big objects much faster. We choose the nozzle to suit your model. Related article →
OBJ
A common 3D file format that, unlike STL, can carry colour and texture information. Widely used in games and animation, so downloaded figures often come as OBJ. It prints just as well as STL; if the model has textures, note that FDM prints them as a single colour. Related article →
Overhang
Any part of a model that sticks out over empty space, like an outstretched arm or the underside of a chin. Up to about 45° the printer can build it unsupported; steeper overhangs need support structures, which add time and leave small marks. Resin printing handles overhangs more gracefully than FDM. Related article →
PETG
A tough, slightly flexible plastic that sits between PLA and ABS: stronger and more heat-tolerant than PLA, easier to print than ABS. Good for functional parts, holders and anything that lives in a warm car. It has a subtle gloss and can show a little stringing on complex shapes. Related article →
PLA
The most popular FDM plastic: plant-based, easy to print and available in the widest range of colours and effects. It gives the cleanest-looking results at the lowest price, which makes it our default for decor, figurines and gifts. Its weakness is heat — it softens around 60 °C, so keep it out of hot cars and direct summer sun. Related article →
Planter
A 3D printed plant pot, often geometric or organic in shape, sometimes with a drainage hole and saucer. Printed in PLA or PETG, usually in vase mode or with thick walls. Perfectly usable for succulents and herbs; for real waterproofing ask for a sealed version. Related article →
Polygon count
The number of triangles in a mesh; more triangles mean a smoother, more detailed surface. Anything from 50,000 to a few million polygons prints fine — the printer's resolution is the real limit. Extremely low-poly models show visible flat facets, which can be a look in itself. Related article →
Post-processing
Everything done to a print after it leaves the printer: removing supports, sanding, filling, priming, painting, gluing parts and adding LEDs. A raw print is cheapest; each finishing step adds labour and days to the timeline. Tell us the finish you want when ordering so we can quote accurately. Related article →
Priming
Spraying a print with primer (usually grey or white) before painting. It fills small layer lines, gives paint something to grip and reveals surface flaws that still need sanding. Standard on any painted order; ask for it if you plan to paint the model yourself. Related article →
Raft
A thick disposable base printed under the model to help it grip the plate, used for tricky materials or models with tiny contact points. It is removed afterwards and leaves a slightly rougher bottom surface than printing directly on the plate. It uses a little extra material and time. Related article →
Resin
The liquid photopolymer used by SLA/MSLA printers, hardened layer by layer with UV light. Standard resin gives superb detail but is somewhat brittle; tough and ABS-like resins are stronger. Resin prints cost more per cubic centimetre than FDM, so we suggest it for small, detailed pieces. Related article →
Resolution
How fine a detail the printer can reproduce, determined by layer height (vertical) and nozzle size or pixel size (horizontal). FDM resolves roughly 0.2–0.4 mm details; resin resolves down to about 0.05 mm. Higher resolution means a longer print and a higher price, so we match it to how closely the item will be viewed. Related article →
Scale
The size at which your model is printed relative to the original file or a real object — for example 1:1 for a cosplay helmet or 1:100 for an architectural model. Digital files have no fixed size, so always tell us the height or width you want. Doubling the scale roughly multiplies material and time by eight. Related article →
Seam (Z-seam)
The faint vertical line where each layer starts and ends on an FDM print. Slicers hide it in a corner or at the back of the model, but on round objects like vases it may be visible up close. We place it on the least visible side, and vase mode removes it entirely. Related article →
Shell (perimeters)
The solid outer walls of an FDM print, counted in "perimeters" or "walls" — usually two to four, each about 0.4 mm thick. More walls make a part stronger and sturdier without much extra weight, and this matters more for strength than infill does. For load-bearing parts we increase the wall count. Related article →
Silk filament
A PLA with additives that give a glossy, pearlescent finish like satin or polished metal. It looks stunning on vases, trophies and decor and hides layer lines nicely. Slightly more expensive than plain PLA and a little more brittle, so it is best for display pieces. Related article →
SLA
Stereolithography, the family of resin printers (including MSLA/LCD) that cure liquid resin with UV light layer by layer. It produces almost invisible layers and razor-sharp detail, perfect for miniatures, jewellery masters and small figurines. Prints are smaller, more expensive and need washing and curing before they are ready. Related article →
Slicer
The software that turns your 3D model into printer instructions by cutting it into layers and planning the toolpath. This is where layer height, infill, supports and speed are chosen. We do the slicing in-house, so you only need to send the model and tell us the size and finish. Related article →
Split model
A large model divided into several pieces so that each fits the printer and prints with fewer supports, then glued together. We hide the joints with alignment pins and filler where a smooth finish is required. Splitting adds assembly work, so big statues and props are quoted as projects. Related article →
Spool
The reel that filament is wound on, typically holding 1 kg of plastic — enough for roughly 100 keychains or a couple of large vases. We stock spools in many colours; for an unusual shade we may need to order one, which adds a few days. Large orders may need several spools from the same batch for consistent colour. Related article →
STEP
An engineering CAD format (.step/.stp) that stores exact geometry — true circles and surfaces rather than triangles. Ideal for functional parts because it can be edited and re-scaled precisely. We convert it to a mesh for printing; if you have both STEP and STL, send the STEP. Related article →
STL
The standard 3D printing file: a triangle mesh with no colour, units or materials. Nearly every model library provides STL, and every slicer accepts it. Just tell us the size you want, because an STL does not know whether it is in millimetres or inches. Related article →
Stringing
Fine hairs of plastic left between parts of a print where the nozzle travelled across open space. It is mostly a tuning issue we prevent, and any remaining wisps are removed before shipping. Silk PLA and PETG string more than plain PLA, so complex trees or spiky models are best in matte PLA. Related article →
Supports
Temporary scaffolding printed under overhanging parts of a model and removed after printing. They make otherwise unprintable shapes possible but use extra material, add time and leave small marks where they touched the surface. We orient models to minimise supports and keep the marks on hidden sides. Related article →
Tolerance
The small deviation between the size you asked for and the size you get, typically ±0.1–0.3 mm on FDM and ±0.05 mm on resin. Two parts that should fit together need a gap designed in, usually 0.2–0.4 mm. Tell us if a part must mate with something real and we will test-fit it. Related article →
TPU
A flexible, rubber-like filament used for phone cases, gaskets, bumpers and squishy toys. It comes in several hardness grades and bends and bounces back without cracking. TPU prints slowly and costs more per gram than PLA, and fine details are limited. Related article →
Vase mode
A printing mode (also called spiral mode) where the nozzle draws one continuous spiral wall with no seams, infill or top. It produces beautiful, fast and inexpensive vases, lampshades and planters with a single thin wall. The wall is delicate and not watertight by default, so ask for a sealed insert if you want to use real water. Related article →
Warping
When corners of a print lift off the build plate as the plastic cools and shrinks, leaving a bent base. ABS and ASA are most prone; PLA rarely warps. We control it with heated beds, enclosures and brims, and any warped part is reprinted, not shipped. Related article →
Washing (resin)
Rinsing a freshly printed resin part in isopropyl alcohol (or water for water-washable resin) to remove uncured liquid resin from the surface. Skipping it leaves a sticky, toxic film, so it is a required step on every resin order. It takes minutes but, together with curing, adds a day to resin lead times. Related article →

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