Extrusion Technologies (FDM/FFF)

A Stratasys F3300 FDM-type 3D printer in an industrial setting with cool blue lighting.
Image courtesy Stratasys Inc., (www.stratasys.com)

Because a vast majority of the 'accessible' desktop 3D printers use extrusion-based technologies, they are what non-engineers / 3D printing geeks think of as soon as you mention '3D printer'. While this 3D printing technology holds sway on the desktop, it is also a workhorse of the industrial setting too, with a broad range of useful materials options from polylactic acid (PLA) through acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) to Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and various composite options.