Plastic (FDM) Printing

Plastic (FDM) Printing is not only a different material, but also a different process to Resin Printing. FDM printing has a lower surface quality compared to resin, as while both methods are printed layer ontop of layer, FDM uses thicker layers drawn out like a pencil, compared to resin which has thinner layers projected onto a model.

The material we use in FDM printing is PLA, which results in a lighter model (by size) compared to resin and is more durable than standard resin.
Its also much cheaper, so while the surface quality isnt as good as resin, its ideal for large scenery pieces, but thats not to say it can't be used for small D&D characters!

Here is an example of an FDM printed Watch Tower by Imagine Minis as well as 5 miniatures printed also in plastic (FDM) from EC3D Design - while not all miniatures can be printed in FDM, most EC3D Design miniatures are designed in a way to be printed in either FDM or Resin.

As you can see, on the tabletop all of these miniatures look great, and I'd say, as good as any resin miniature - however on closer inspection you can see how they differ from resin miniatures.

Lets zoom in closer to show the difference a bit better!

Upon closer inspection you can start to make out the lines that make up the Watch Tower - the plastic (FDM) model on top still looks pretty good even this close up! (Miniatures printed in this method are printed at a higher definition, this takes much longer to print so its not feasable to print large scenery objects in this way)

If you're having trouble seeing the lines, by zooming in on the above image you will be able to see each of the layers that make up the tower, when painted (especially with drybrushing) some of these lines can become more visible (they can also be hidden with thicker paint)

Now lets have a look at various EC3D Design miniatures printed in plastic (FDM)

I hope you can see how these still look great even on 25mm based models! Here are the main differences to note for plastic (FDM) miniatures

1: Cheaper - up to 50% cheaper than their resin versions (generally the larger the model the smaller the difference in price for non-scenery pieces)

2: Integrated Bases - plastic (FDM) miniatures will come built into their bases, in rare instances, models and their base will be separated - also, compared to resin models, they are far more likely to come as a single piece.

In some instances the plastic (FDM) model will come with a decorated base to help hold the model during the printing process - see the Wooly Mammoth, its base supports its belly/tusks!

3: Detail/Resolution - While still highly detailed, they are not as detailed/smooth as a resin miniature - if you want to paint a model to a high level, we recommend resin miniatures every time.
Resin miniatures resolution is roughly 10x sharper than FDM even at FDM's highest resolution.

4: Durability - Plastic (FDM) is more durable/lighter than resin - so when they're dropped, theyre less likely to be damaged.
Note: some thin pieces (like spears) can be less durable than resin as resin can be more flexible for those kinds of pieces

While it would be more fair to have them both primed, this gives a better example of the differences between the models in how you will receive them - the resin miniature needs to be glued to its base, while the FDM one is built into its base - the detail is great on both, but the resin model has a smoother finish and the details are sharper.

Above are some painted examples, all plastic (FDM) models can only be painted at standard level - premium is only available for resin miniatures.
Miniatures with a resin option will generally not offer a painting option for the FDM version

We also print FDM models in colour now! Only models described as colour printed FDM models come in colour, the models will also be displayed in full colour on the page, this follows the same printing method as the models above, the only difference is these models are printed with multiple individual colour spools throughout the process, no paint is used, so the colour can never be scratched off! 

The finish on these models is also quite different to painted models, for the models we choose to print in this way, we find the colour printing suits them better than if they were painted, while we dont offer these models in a single colour, if thats what you wanted, send us a message and I'm sure we can help!