Have a custom 3D model made

When do you have a 3D model made?

There are roughly three situations in which you have a model drawn instead of looking for one yourself.

A part is broken or no longer sold separately

The appliance or piece of furniture is still fine, only one small plastic part has broken or gone missing. Think of a battery cover, a knob or handle, a clip that holds a panel in place, a curtain rail glider or a foot under a stand. If such a part is no longer sold separately, we redraw it from photos and measurements of the broken piece. More examples, and what we check beforehand, are under spare parts and single components.

You have a sketch, a drawing or just the dimensions

Sometimes the object does not exist yet at all: you have drawn it on paper, or you only know how big it needs to be. Then too you can have a 3D drawing made from your sketch or dimensioned drawing. A hand-drawn sketch is enough, as long as the dimensions are on it. We turn it into a 3D model with walls that are thick enough, so that it can actually be printed.

Your file does not print

You do have a 3D file, but it will not print. For example, the model is not closed, so the slicer cannot tell inside from outside, or the walls are thinner than the guideline of about 0.8 mm. We can make it print-ready; that counts as design work, and the cost is stated upfront in your quote.

From photo, sketch or drawing to 3D model

A 3D model is as accurate as what you send us. This is what helps us redraw it best:

• A photo with a tape measure or ruler next to it, so we can read the proportions.
• An intact one next to it if you still have it, for example the same part from the other side.
• The dimensions that really have to be right, preferably measured with callipers.
• With a drawing: the dimensions written on it in millimetres.

Not everything is equally easy to redraw. Very small teeth, springs, clear lenses, fine screw threads and parts that have to flex over and over are harder. Not sure whether your part can be done? Put it in your request. We tell you first what is possible, before anything is charged.

Make a 3D model yourself or have it made?

You can make a 3D model yourself with 3D modelling software. A model that looks good on screen is not always printable, though. The walls have to be thick enough, parts that stick out a long way need support, and the model has to be closed. If you do not have the time or the inclination, we draw it for you.

Only want a name or text in relief, as on a name plate or a business card? Then there is nothing for us to draw: you put that together yourself under design it yourself, with a price estimate included.

What you send us

The more we know, the less we need to ask. In your request, tell us at least:

• what the object is and what it is for;
• which dimensions are fixed and which may vary a little;
• whether it will be used indoors or outdoors, and whether it has to take any force;
• how many pieces you need.

Upload photos and a sketch as PNG, JPG, JPEG or WEBP, an existing 3D file as STL, OBJ, 3MF or ZIP, up to 50 MB per file. If you have a link to a model that comes close, add that too.

How it works

1. You send in your photos, sketch or dimensions through the request form, choosing "Just an idea".
2. Within 3 to 5 working days you receive a quote stating what we will draw and what it costs. The quote is valid for 14 days and commits you to nothing.
3. If you agree, you pay online, for example with iDEAL.
4. Then we draw the model and print it in PETG. The expected delivery time is stated in your quote. Pick-up in The Hague is free, otherwise we send it to you.

What having a 3D model made costs

Simple redrawing work, such as a hook, a holder or a straightforward replacement part, costs a fixed amount from € 29.00 including VAT, with one revision round. Larger work is charged per hour: € 49.00 including VAT, with an estimate of the hours in the quote up front.

The printing is added per gram: € 0.19 per gram of PETG, with a minimum of € 8.00. You pay design costs once: if you order the same part again later, you only pay the printing price. How the printing price is built up is explained on what 3D printing costs.

Frequently asked questions about having a 3D model made

Is a photo enough?

For a simple part, a photo with a tape measure or ruler next to it, plus the dimensions that really have to be right, is enough to start. If in doubt, ask for a check first; we do not charge for that.

Can I have an existing object copied?

We redraw simple parts. You are responsible for the rights to what you have printed, just as with models from the internet; see our terms and conditions.