The cheapest 3D printers are simple models, like the $749 Printrbot Simple with Heated Bed or the $999 Cubify Cube 3 (see review). These printers use a process typically called filament deposition manufacturing (FDM). A plastic filament is melted and then deposited in thin layers that build up the model. There are two possible types of plastic: ABS, or an organic version known as PLA. Budget printers have a single nozzle for laying down the filament.