FDM and DLP are two different types of 3D printing technologies. FDM stands for fused deposition modeling and DLP stands for digital light processing.
FDM printers work by extruding a heated filament of plastic through a nozzle and depositing it layer by layer on a build platform12. DLP printers work by projecting a UV light onto a vat of liquid resin and curing it layer by layer on a build platform12.
Some differences between FDM and DLP 3D printers are:
- FDM printers are cheaper than DLP printers1.
- FDM printers have a wider range of material colors than DLP printers1.
- FDM prints can be stronger than DLP prints because they use solid plastic instead of resin1.
- FDM printers can produce larger prints than DLP printers because they have bigger build volumes1.
- DLP prints can have higher resolution and smoother surface finish than FDM prints because they use light instead of filament23.
- DLP prints can be faster than FDM prints when printing complex or detailed models because they cure an entire layer at once instead of moving a nozzle across the layer23.