Engineering English
Filament
Manufacturing Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A continuous strand of thermoplastic material that is fed into a 3D printer's extruder to be melted and deposited layer by layer.
Example in context
“We used a 1.75 mm PLA filament to print the prototype bracket for the assembly jig.”
“Montaj fikstürü için prototip braketi basmak üzere 1.75 mm PLA filament kullandık.”
Where engineers use it
Filament is the raw material in FDM printing; engineers select it based on mechanical properties and thermal requirements for the specific application.
Synonyms: build material, feedstock
Practice: can you use “Filament” at work?
A junior engineer must choose the appropriate filament material for a functional prototype requiring high impact strength and minimal warping. What factors should they consider?
Show a model answer
“Ensure the filament diameter is consistent to avoid extrusion issues.”
“Filament” in 21 languages
| English | Filament |
|---|---|
| Turkish | filament |
| French | filament |
| German | Filament |
| Spanish | filamento |
| Chinese | 丝材 |
| Arabic | خيوط الطباعة |
| Portuguese | filamento |
| Russian | филамент |
| Japanese | フィラメント |
| Italian | filamento |
| Vietnamese | dây nhựa |
| Hindi | फिलामेंट |
| Thai | เส้นใย |
| Indonesian | filamen |
| Korean | 필라멘트 |
| Bengali | ফিলামেন্ট |
| Dutch | filament |
| Swedish | filament |
| Finnish | filamentti |
| Ukrainian | філамент |
Frequently asked questions
What does Filament mean in engineering?
A continuous strand of thermoplastic material that is fed into a 3D printer's extruder to be melted and deposited layer by layer. In Manufacturing Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Filament?
Filament is pronounced /fɪləmənt/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Filament used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “We used a 1.75 mm PLA filament to print the prototype bracket for the assembly jig.”
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