Have a prototype 3D printed

What a printed prototype is useful for

• Shape and size: how big is it really, how does it sit in the hand, how does it stand on the table?
• Fit: does it go around or into the part it belongs to, and are holes and cut-outs in the right place?
• A first functional test: PETG is strong and gives a little, so you can really try out a clip or clamp.
• Showing it: a presentation model for a client, a trade fair or an investor.

What a PETG prototype can and cannot do

A printed prototype is not an injection-moulded part. It is built up layer by layer, and you can see the 0.20 mm layer lines up close. A print is also strongest within a layer and weakest between two layers; we take that into account when choosing the position on the print bed. Walls and details thinner than about 0.8 mm do not come out cleanly. A print follows your file but always deviates a little; if we redraw it, it is as accurate as the measurements you supply. We check the dimensions during and after printing. If parts have to fit together exactly, tell us in your request which dimensions really matter. And because we print in PETG only, a prototype in resin, rubbery material, nylon or metal is not possible with us.

Getting the most out of a printed prototype

• Say what you want to test. Is it the shape, a fit, a snap connection or the look? Then we know which face has to look best and in which direction the part has to be strong, and we choose the position on the print bed accordingly.
• Test a tricky fit separately first. Have only the part that has to fit printed, as a small test piece. Because you pay per gram, with a minimum of € 8.00 per order, such a test piece is cheap and quick to print.
• Compare variants in one go. Want to compare two variants side by side, for example with different clearances? Put them in one request and you get one quote.
• Treat it as an indication. A PETG print does not behave exactly like the later production part in another material. A functional test is therefore a good indication, not a final approval.

Quickly on to the next version

A prototype is rarely right first time. If you adjust the design, the new version simply follows the same route again: new file, quote, printing, and ready within 2 to 4 working days after payment once more. In a hurry? A rush order gets priority in the schedule, if the schedule allows, at a 25 percent surcharge.

No 3D file yet?

If you have a sketch, a drawing with dimensions or an existing model that needs to be slightly different, we draw a simple model for you or adapt the existing one; for a complete product design, for example with strength calculations, we are not the right choice. Simple design work costs a fixed amount from € 29.00 including VAT. Larger work is charged per hour (€ 49.00), with an estimate in the quote up front. The cost is always stated in the quote up front, and you receive it within 3 to 5 working days. How design work works with us is explained on having a custom 3D design made.

A large prototype

Up to 350 x 320 x 325 mm we print a prototype in one piece. If it is larger, we print it in sections that we then join together; read more under large 3D printing.

What does a printed prototype cost?

The same as any other print: € 0.19 per gram of PETG, with a minimum of € 8.00 per order, VAT included, with no set-up costs and no tooling costs; shipping is added if you do not collect. Drop your STL file into the price calculator for an estimate; how the price is built up is explained on what 3D printing costs.

From prototype to small series

Once the design is right, you can have the same print made in a small run, without tooling costs. You order up to 999 pieces per request, with a 10 percent volume discount from 5 pieces and 15 percent from 10 pieces. More about series and ordering as a business is on 3D printing for businesses.

Frequently asked questions about having a prototype printed

How quickly will I have my prototype?

With a file you receive a quote within 48 hours, and after payment your prototype is ready within 2 to 4 working days. If something has to be designed first, the expected delivery time is stated in the quote. Collection in The Hague is free; shipping costs € 4.50 or € 6.95.

Can I have a prototype printed as a private customer?

Yes. You do not have to be a business, and one piece is enough.

Can I get an invoice in my company name?

Yes. Choose the business option in the request form; the quote is then in your company name, and after payment you get the invoice with the VAT shown separately.

Who do my files belong to?

Your files remain yours. We only use them to make your order.