Engineers and workshops use 3D printing for the parts that hold up a job: the drill guide nobody has time to machine, the fixture for a short assembly run, the bracket for a machine that is out of support, the prototype that has to fit before the design is signed off. Upload the STEP file and see the price in seconds.
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What engineers print with us
- Jigs and fixtures. Drill guides, assembly and gluing fixtures, soft jaws, alignment tools and holding nests. A printed fixture is often ready in days for a fraction of the cost of a machined one. Our article on jigs, fixtures and shop-floor tooling covers where they pay off.
- Gauges and inspection tools. Go/no-go gauges, templates and checking fixtures for the production line.
- Functional prototypes. Housings, brackets and mechanisms to check fit, clearances and assembly before tooling. See functional prototypes vs visual models.
- Replacement parts. Clips, guards, covers and knobs for equipment that is no longer made. No CAD file? Our article on 3D scanning and reverse engineering explains how a broken original can be turned into one.
- Short production runs. Tens to hundreds of the same part, with bulk discounts applied automatically. For deciding between printing and machining, see 3D printing or CNC machining for a small production run.
Choosing the material
- PLA is stiff and dimensionally accurate. It suits fixtures, gauges and prototypes that stay at room temperature. It softens at fairly low temperatures, so keep it away from heat.
- PETG is tougher and more heat-resistant than PLA, and copes with outdoor use. It is the better choice for brackets, guards and parts near machinery. PETG can also be printed with PLA supports for cleaner overhangs.
- TPU is flexible: seals, gaskets, bumpers, grips and protective covers.
- Resin gives the finest detail for small parts, such as connectors and small mechanisms.
For strength, raise the infill: 40% to 60% suits most functional parts, and 100% gives a solid part. Our infill guide explains the trade-off, and designing for FDM covers tolerances, overhangs and wall thickness.
For your purchasing team
- Tax invoices with your company name, ABN and purchase order number. Add them in the cart under “Buying for a business?”.
- Pay by card or by invoice. With Pay by invoice we email a tax invoice and start printing as soon as it is paid.
- Confidential. Your files are used only to price and print your job, and are never shared. We will sign your NDA on request.
- Printed on solar power at our Western Sydney print locations.
See 3D printing for business for how business ordering works.
Sizes and turnaround
We print up to 400 x 400 x 450 mm in PLA and TPU, and up to 250 x 250 x 250 mm in PETG. For weekday orders we normally start printing the same day if the colour is in stock, and most orders ship within an average of 3 days. If you have a deadline, email quotes@3dprinting.zone before you order.