FAQ & Design Guides

We price by the weight of the final print, not by volume or time estimates. Upload your model to our instant quote tool to get an exact price in seconds. Prices start from a few euros for small parts. The quote includes material cost, machine time, a setup fee per technology and a small handling fee per part. The exact amounts are shown in your quote.

We accept STL, 3MF and OBJ files of solid 3D models, up to 50 MB each. You can export these from any CAD software including Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Blender, Rhino and Tinkercad. 3MF is preferred as it stores the unit and orientation. See the file exporting guide below for how to export a printable file.

Standard orders ship within 3–5 business days from order confirmation. Rush orders are available for a surcharge (shown in your quote) and ship within 2 business days. Actual print time depends on the size and complexity of your model. Our quote tool estimates this automatically.

Yes, free pickup is available at our studio at TT Vasumweg 101-15, 1033SG Amsterdam. Please contact us to arrange an appointment before coming by.

Yes, we ship worldwide via PostNL. Rates vary by destination and package weight; see our pricing page for an overview. For international orders the exact shipping cost is confirmed by email after you submit your quote; the shipping shown in the quote tool is an estimate.

Our largest FDM printer handles parts up to 500 × 500 × 500 mm. For larger parts we can split the model and join the pieces after printing. SLA printing is available for smaller, high-detail parts up to 192 × 120 × 250 mm.

Yes, you can upload multiple files in a single quote request. Each file can have its own material, color and settings. The setup fee is charged once per technology in your order, and the handling fee is charged per printed part.

Once we have reviewed your quote we email you a link to accept it. After you accept you can pay online by card or iDEAL. Business customers can request an invoice instead, payable by bank transfer within 30 days. Payment is due before we start printing.

The instant quote takes STL, 3MF and OBJ files, up to 50 MB each, one file per part. The file has to be a 3D model of a solid object. Drawings, images, sketches and sliced print files (.gcode or .gcode.3mf) cannot be quoted automatically. Have a STEP file or another CAD format? Email it to us and we will quote it by hand.

A printer builds the inside of your part layer by layer, so it needs to know exactly what is inside and what is outside. That only works for a closed, watertight solid: every surface joins up with no gaps. A file that contains only surfaces, such as a single face, a sheet or a shell with open edges, has no inside, so there is nothing to fill with material.

Exporting a surface body, or an open mesh from Fusion 360 or Blender, gives a hollow object: just the outer skin, with no closed inside. It has to be closed and filled into a solid before it can be printed. The best fix is to export the solid body from your CAD software (see the steps below). If that is not possible, email us the file and we will look at it with you.

In the browser on the left, right-click the body you want printed (a solid body, not a sketch or surface) and choose Save As Mesh, or use File > Export. Pick 3MF or STL, set the unit to millimetres and the refinement to High. If your part is a surface body, first make it a solid with Surface > Stitch (for closed surfaces) or Thicken (for single sheets).

Blender models are meshes, so make sure the mesh is closed and has real thickness: a plane or a shape with open edges is not printable. The free 3D-Print Toolbox add-on shows non-manifold (open) edges, and the Solidify modifier adds thickness to a thin surface. Apply all modifiers, then use File > Export > STL or OBJ. Blender works in metres by default, so set the unit scale to 0.001 or check the size after uploading: our tool asks if a part looks far too small.

SolidWorks: File > Save As, choose STL or 3MF, then under Options set the unit to millimetres and the resolution to Fine. Onshape: right-click the part in the parts list > Export, choose STL or 3MF, unit millimetres, resolution Fine. Tinkercad: Export > .STL or .OBJ. Export one part per file if you want different materials or quantities per part.

Millimetres. STL and OBJ files store no unit at all, so we read them as millimetres. If a part comes out far too small after uploading, the quote tool asks which unit it was made in and can rescale STL files for you. A 3MF file stores its own unit, so it always comes in at the right size.

The tool found no usable 3D geometry in the file. Most often the file holds only surfaces, or an open mesh, instead of a closed solid (see above). It can also be a sliced print file (.gcode.3mf) that contains printer instructions instead of the model, or a damaged export. Export the solid body again as STL, 3MF or OBJ and upload that, or email us the file and we will quote it by hand.

The minimum recommended wall thickness for FDM is 1.2 mm, which is 3 times the standard 0.4 mm nozzle diameter. For functional parts that need to handle load or stress, 2.0–3.0 mm is more appropriate. Walls thinner than 0.8 mm may not print reliably. Always design walls as multiples of 0.4 mm for best results.

FDM can print overhangs up to approximately 45–50° from vertical without support structures. Beyond 45°, the layers start to droop and surface quality degrades. Perfectly horizontal overhangs (90°) require supports. When designing, try to orient features so they stay within the 45° rule: use chamfers instead of fillets, and angled instead of horizontal bridging.

Bridging is when the printer spans a gap between two supported points without support structures underneath. FDM can reliably bridge gaps up to about 50–80 mm depending on material and cooling. PLA bridges best of the common materials. For longer spans, add a gentle arc to the underside, as a slight curve prints much better than a flat horizontal bridge.

Due to the layer-by-layer process, round holes in FDM tend to print slightly undersized, typically 0.2–0.4 mm smaller than designed. For holes that need to fit a shaft or bolt, add 0.2 mm to the diameter in your model. Vertical holes (axis parallel to the print direction) print most accurately. Horizontal holes may need supports inside them for diameters above 10 mm.

For parts that need to fit together, design a clearance of 0.2–0.3 mm per side (0.4–0.6 mm total gap). For snap fits and press fits, 0.1–0.15 mm per side works well in PLA and PETG. Tight fits in ABS require slightly more clearance because ABS warps slightly during cooling. Always print a small test piece first when tight tolerances matter.

Yes, fillets (rounded inside corners) significantly improve layer adhesion at stress points and make parts stronger. A 1–2 mm fillet on inside corners is good practice. On the bottom edges, a small chamfer (angled edge) hides the "elephant foot" effect, where the first layers spread out slightly on the build plate, and a 45° chamfer there also avoids supports.

Warping is most common in ABS, ASA and large flat parts. To reduce it: avoid large flat bottom surfaces by adding a slight bevel or raft in your slicer; orient the part so the largest face is on the build plate; use materials like PLA or PETG for parts where warping is a concern; and avoid sudden changes in cross-section area between layers.

For display models and non-functional parts, 10–20% infill is sufficient. For general-purpose functional parts, 20–30% gives a good balance of strength and material use. For high-stress parts like brackets or mechanical components, 40–60% or more is recommended. Above 60% the strength gain per added material decreases significantly, and solid walls and more perimeters often give better results than very high infill.

Design walls of at least 1.0 mm. Thinner walls can warp as the part cools or break when the loose powder is cleaned off. For walls that carry load, 2.0 mm or more is a safer choice. These values are for PA12 nylon. If you use a filled powder such as PA-CF or PA-GF, ask us first.

Yes, but plan for the powder. During printing every cavity fills with loose powder. In a fully closed hollow part that powder stays inside, so the part is not lighter than a solid one. Add at least two escape holes of at least 5 mm diameter, ideally at opposite ends so air can flow through, and place them on a face nobody sees. Keep the shell at least 2.0 mm thick. Long, narrow or winding channels are hard to empty, so keep them wide and give each one an exit.

Leave at least 0.5 mm between surfaces that must move, and 1.0 mm on larger contact areas. Smaller gaps can fuse shut, because heat from the laser also bonds some of the powder next to the part. Every gap also needs a way out for the powder, or the joint stays stuck.

No. The loose powder around the part holds it up while it prints, so there are no support structures and no support marks. That makes overhangs, internal channels and lattices possible without extra design rules, and hinges, chains and linked parts can come out of the powder already assembled. Parts are also nearly equally strong in every direction, much more so than FDM parts.

Holes should be at least 1.5 mm in diameter. Smaller holes can close up as heat fuses the powder around them. If you need a very small or very accurate hole, design it slightly undersized and drill it out after printing. Raised or engraved text and details need at least 1.0 mm height or depth to stay readable on the slightly grainy surface.

Yes, and this is where SLS is strong. Because no supports are needed, parts can be nested through the whole build volume, stacked above each other, not only laid out on a flat plate. That makes small series, spare parts and many different parts in one run efficient. A compact part shape helps more parts fit in one build.

SLS parts come out matte with a fine, slightly grainy texture, a bit like fine sandpaper. They are not glossy. Typical accuracy is around ±0.3 mm on smaller parts, and larger parts vary a little more, so leave room where parts must fit together. If your part needs a specific look, tell us in your order and we will say what is possible.

Free-standing walls should be at least 1.0 mm thick. Walls joined to the part on two or more sides can go down to 0.5 mm. Raised and engraved details need at least 0.5 mm height or depth to show clearly. Thinner features may print, but they can bend or break when the supports come off and the part is washed and cured.

For larger parts, yes. A solid resin block is heavy, and we price by weight. Hollow the part with a shell of at least 2.0 mm and add at least two drain holes of at least 3.5 mm diameter, so the liquid resin inside can be washed out. Resin left trapped inside can crack the part later. Place the holes on opposite sides so air and resin can flow through.

SLA parts hang from the build plate on thin supports, and every contact point leaves a small bump when the supports come off. These can be sanded, but that spot is never quite as smooth as an untouched face. Parts are usually printed at an angle, so supports end up on one side. If one face has to be perfect, ask us before you order.

Our SLA printer builds the part upside down and peels every new layer off the bottom of the resin tank. A hollow shape that opens towards the tank floor, like an upside-down cup, works as a suction cup on every layer. That can deform the part or pull it off its supports. Add a vent hole of at least 3.5 mm in the closed end, or turn the part so the opening faces the build plate.

Yes, in clear resin. Straight from the printer a clear part looks slightly cloudy. Full see-through clarity needs sanding and polishing, or a clear coat, on the outside faces. Internal channels cannot be reached for polishing, so they stay a little hazy, but still clear enough to see flow paths and internal features. Clear resin can also yellow slightly over time, especially in sunlight. Tell us when you order if you need full clarity.

Our SLA printer has a build volume of 192 × 120 × 250 mm. Parts are usually tilted and raised on supports, so the largest part that fits is a bit smaller than that. Larger parts can be split and joined after printing, or printed in FDM up to 500 × 500 × 500 mm.

Standard resin is stiff, hard and holds fine detail, but it is more brittle than FDM plastics or SLS nylon. Thin clips, snap fits and living hinges can crack, and a dropped part can chip. For parts that take impacts or flex in use, choose PETG or ABS on FDM, or nylon via SLS. Use SLA where detail, smooth surfaces or clarity matter most.

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is the most common FDM material. It is easy to print, dimensionally accurate, available in many colors and made from renewable resources. Use PLA for prototypes, display models, enclosures and any part that will not be exposed to heat above 60°C or prolonged moisture. Avoid PLA for parts that will be left in a hot car or used outdoors long-term.

PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) offers better temperature resistance (up to ~80°C), higher impact strength and good chemical resistance compared to PLA. It is slightly more flexible and less brittle. Choose PETG for functional parts, food-contact applications (unfinished), outdoor use and anything that needs more durability than PLA. PETG is slightly more prone to stringing but prints almost as easily as PLA.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a strong engineering plastic with good temperature resistance up to ~105°C. It is widely used in automotive, electronics enclosures and impact-resistant parts. ASA is similar to ABS but with significantly better UV resistance, making it ideal for outdoor applications like garden fixtures, automotive exterior trim and signage. Both materials require an enclosed printer to print well and are more prone to warping than PLA or PETG.

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is a flexible, rubber-like filament. It is excellent for phone cases, gaskets, seals, grips, shoe soles, cable strain relief and any part that needs to flex or absorb impact. TPU is abrasion resistant and has good chemical resistance. It prints more slowly than rigid materials and requires a direct-drive extruder for best results.

PA (Polyamide / Nylon) is a strong, slightly flexible engineering material with excellent fatigue resistance and a low friction coefficient. It is ideal for gears, bearings, hinges, living hinges, clips and mechanical parts that experience repeated stress. PA absorbs moisture from the air which affects print quality, so it must be dried before printing and stored in sealed containers. PA is available via SLS for the best mechanical properties.

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) melts plastic filament layer by layer. It is the most affordable option, great for functional parts and prototypes. SLA (resin printing) cures liquid resin layer by layer with UV light. It produces very smooth surfaces and fine details, ideal for jewelry, dental models and display pieces. SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) fuses nylon powder with a laser. No supports are needed, mechanical properties are excellent and complex geometries are possible. SLS is the most expensive but produces the most durable parts.

Ask yourself: Will it be exposed to heat? → PETG, ABS or ASA. Outdoors? → ASA. Needs to flex? → TPU. High mechanical stress or wear? → PA (Nylon) via SLS. Fine detail or smooth surface? → SLA resin. Just a prototype or display model? → PLA. When in doubt, PLA or PETG covers most use cases at the best price.