For businesses, 3D printing helps most with three things: branded objects you can't buy off the shelf (trophies, awards, stands), presentation models, and small parts, either replacements or test pieces. Each one calls for a different technology and material. Match them from the start and the part comes out right the first time.
Three technologies, briefly
| Technology | How it works | Good for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDM | melts plastic filament, layer by layer | prototypes, tough parts, large objects | layers are visible; raised details need to be about 0.6 mm wide |
| SLA | cures liquid resin with light | fine detail, smooth surfaces, figurines | walls as thin as 0.2 mm, details of 0.1 mm; usually needs supports |
| SLS | sinters nylon powder | functional parts, complex shapes | no supports, the powder holds the part; surface comes out slightly grainy |
The detail figures come from the guide by Formlabs, which makes SLA and SLS printers. In short: FDM is the workhorse, SLA is for detail, SLS is for parts that do a job.
Trophies and awards
A 3D printed trophy can take whatever shape you want: your logo in relief, a mascot, an object from your line of work. For an office award or an internal gala, that matters more than a catalog cup.
- SLA when you want fine detail and a smooth surface, ready to paint or left in the resin color;
- FDM for large trophies, where the layers can be sanded and painted;
- a separate, heavy base for the figure, so the trophy doesn't tip over;
- engraved or raised text (the award name, the year), thick enough to read.
Presentation models
For a model of a building, a product or a trade show stand, the question is scale. At small scales, windows and railings get very thin, and SLA holds that detail where FDM loses it. Large volumes without fine detail print faster on FDM.
A big model is usually printed in pieces and glued together afterward. Tell us up front where it will live (on a table, in a display case, at a trade show), so we know how much handling it has to survive.
Replacement and test parts
A broken clip, a housing for a sensor, a tablet stand, a jig that holds a part on a production line: these are the parts where 3D printing pays off fastest. Here the material matters more than the looks.
- PLA is easy to print, but Prusa Research warns that it softens and deforms above 60 °C, has low UV resistance and isn't suited to outdoor or technical use. Fine for models and indoor objects.
- ASA is the successor to ABS: it resists UV and temperatures up to 93 °C, so it works outdoors and for technical parts.
- nylon (SLS, PA12 or PA11) for functional parts that actually work inside a mechanism.
If the part will sit in the sun, next to a motor or inside a car parked out in summer, tell us. It's the difference between a part that lasts for years and one that warps in the first week.
What to send for a quote
A 3D file: STL, 3MF or STEP. If all you have is an old part, a photo of it next to a ruler plus a few measurements helps us see whether it can be modeled. Tell us what the part is for, how many you need and by when.
We set the price from the file, and it depends on the material, the part's weight and its complexity, plus how quickly you need it.
The technologies and materials we use are on our 3D printing page, where you can send your file directly. We also wrote about 3D printing for prototypes and small parts.
Sources
- FDM vs. SLA vs. SLS, Formlabshow the technologies differ: finish, minimum detail (FDM walls 0.8 mm and details 0.6 mm, SLA walls 0.2 mm and details 0.1 mm), no supports with SLS
- PLA, Prusa Knowledge BasePLA softens above 60 °C, low UV resistance, not suited to outdoor or technical use
- ASA, Prusa Knowledge BaseASA resists UV and temperatures up to 93 °C, suitable for outdoor use and technical parts
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