Pellets

FDM/FFF 3D printing involves creating parts layer by layer, by depositing molten material, usually plastic a filament. Nowadays, however, the use of filament spools is starting to be abandoned in favour of pellets as a raw material.

What are pellets?

Plastic pellets are obtained through a process called pelletisation, which converts an amorphous polymer into pellet material with predefined dimensions. Pelletised material is typically used in the injection moulding industry, as well as for manufacturing of 3D printing filaments.

Advantages

The main advantage is that the final cost of the part is lower than what we could obtain if we used filament, as well as the fact that it is easy to make a multi-coloured part due to the fact that different colours can be mixed in the pellet extruder hopper itself.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage is that the extrusion systems are underdeveloped and there is no variety to choose from. Added to this is the fact that the filament is a continuous thread and the pellets in the extruder are placed randomly, making it very difficult, if not impossible, to foresee the flow of material at any given moment, which means that the definition of the pieces obtained is much lower.