Current status and future directions of fused filament fabrication

Fused filament fabrication (FFF), a much-appreciated three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology, has triggered the industrial innovations by providing viable and cost-effective solutions for design validations, product prototyping, and the production of high-performance functional components. Indeed, the main credit of its successful career goes to material and printing flexibilities. However, the technology still faces various downsides, including poor finish, geometrical fits and tolerances, anisotropy, in-printing errors, and limited mechanical strength, that cannot be easily outweighed as these suppress its practical implications. As of utmost necessity, this review paper discusses the various abilities and inabilities of this technology to generate a roadmap of futuristic tasks for better outcomes. The review paper will act as a first-hand reference, through the well-defined possible directions, to the young researchers and senior scientist.