Not Sure Which Material or Tech You Need?
Select what you are creating to find the optimal process recommended by LittleLayers.
Action Figurines & Anime Sculptures
Requires microscopic facial detail and smooth curves without visible lines.
Outdoor Brackets & Functional Tools
Needs to endure summer sun, rain, and mechanical tension without snapping.
Phone Cases, Bumpers & Gaskets
Demands elastic shock absorption and tear resistance to survive severe drops.
Lithophane Glowing Photo Frames
Transforms your photo into 3D light-transmitting art visible when backlit.
Key 3D Printing Terms Defined
Everyday terms you’ll encounter in the maker community and print farm.
G-Code Software / Machine
The numerical programming language that instructs a 3D printer where to move its toolhead, what coordinates ($X, Y, Z$) to navigate, what speed to travel, and how much molten filament to extrude at every millisecond.
Infill & Gyroid Pattern Internal Geometry
Rather than printing solid plastic, parts are hollowed with an internal geometric mesh (typically 15%–25% density). The Gyroid infill is a continuous sinusoidal wave that provides equal strength in all three physical directions.
Overhang & Tree Supports Physics & Slicing
3D printers cannot deposit plastic into empty air beyond a ~45-degree angle. Tree supports are sacrificial branch-like structures calculated by the slicer that gently cradle overhangs and break off cleanly once cooled.
PEI Sheet (Build Plate) Hardware
Polyetherimide coated flexible steel build plate. When heated to 60°C, molten plastic grips tenaciously; once cooled to room temperature, prints pop off effortlessly without scraper tools.
Retraction Extrusion Tuning
The backward pull of filament by the extruder gears before the nozzle travels across open space. Proper retraction relieves hotend pressure and prevents hair-like stringing across the model.