The 3D Printing Handbook by 3D Hubs
Our founders literally ‘wrote the book’ on 3D printing.
Read articleWe manufacture high-quality, competitively priced custom prototypes & production parts. Upload a CAD file for an instant 3D printing quote. Order parts in 5 minutes from your desk.
Get an instant 3D Printing quote All uploads are secure and confidentialOur online 3d printing services leverage a global network of over 2,400 3D printing machines, which means our customers get both competitive prices and fast lead times. We specialise in five processes, bringing you everything you need for custom 3D printing projects, from rapid prototyping with FDM to small production runs of metal 3D prints for industrial applications.
“Great print that came with great customer service.”
“Great job! Looking forward to using you in the future. Beautiful part.”
“3D hubs is great.. I'm planning on making many more purchase orders!”
“Couldn't ask for better service or product. Great communication. Worked with me in selecting a suitable material. Fast turnaround. ”
“My design arrived quickly and accurately.”
“First time having an item 3D printed. Truly amazed with the quality of the items I received!”
“Great service! Informative, helpful and when needs be, patient. Helped me a bunch with my designing and went above and beyond in general. Thank You!”
“The print turned out perfectly, the turnaround time wast faster than expected, and communication was excellent. Highly recommend!!”
“Better than expected quality. Great service.”
“Pretty fast, made sure all the parts were cleaned up nicely and they turned out great! ”
“Excellent service and hugy knowledgeable. ”
“5 star service. Fast response, great print quality, and quick turn around. Thank you. ”
“Great quality, price, and turnaround time!”
“excellent parts fast turn around and very good pricing.”
“Excellent service as usual. Highly recommended!”
“Great parts, fast shipping. Great quality ”
“Order came as ordered and even printed an extra part without asking. Would order from again.”
“Great service, quality parts, quick service.”
“My print looked great and arrived more quickly than another, smaller print I ordered from shapeways. It was cheaper too! Overall great service.”
“Great service. Fast turn around and shipping.”
“Thank you very much for the quick and perfect prints”
“Parts look great and were delivered early.”
“Great service, quick parts. Highly recommended!”
“Communicated well and kept everything up to date and speedy. ”
“very good 3d print service, highly recommended. ”
We’re eliminating slow and antiquated processes with automated engineering tools to help you reduce development cycles and increase the speed at which projects are delivered.
Upload a CAD file, receive a 3D printing quote in seconds. No more back and forth with suppliers or long email chains.
You automatically receive manufacturability feedback on all 3D prints. No more waiting for a technician before knowing you can proceed to production.
Easily manage orders online, track deliveries and share important details with others on your team.
Need help choosing? See our guide to selecting the right 3D printing process.
3D printing process
FDM | SLA | SLS | MJF | DMLS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Available materials | 10 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
[US] Lead time in days | From 2 | From 2 | From 3 | From 3 | From 10 |
[EU] Lead time in days | From 2 | From 2 | From 3 | From 3 | From 10 |
[US] Maximum build size | 19.68'' x 19.68'' x 19.68'' | 5.7" x 5.7" x 6.8" | 16.5" × 19.7" × 16.5" | 14.9'' x 11.2'' x 14.9'' | 9.84'' x 12.80'' x 9.84'' |
[EU] Maximum build size | 500 x 500 x 500 mm | 145 × 145 × 175 mm | 400 x 480 x 400 mm | 380 x 285 x 380 mm | 250 x 325 x 250 mm |
[US] Dimensional accuracy | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.0196'' | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.006" | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.012'' | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.012'' | <10mm: ± 0.2% with a lower limit of ± 0.008" >10mm: ± 2% |
[EU] Dimensional accuracy | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.5 mm | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.15 mm | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.3 mm | ± 0.5% with a lower limit on ± 0.3 mm | <10mm: ± 0.2% with a lower limit of ± 0.2 mm >10mm: ± 2% |
Prototyping applications | Low-fideily, proof-of-concept prototyping and visual design verification. | Detailed visual prototypes (especially of injection molded parts). | Functional and high-fidelity prototypes. Similar to MJF. | Functional and high-fidelity prototypes. Similar to SLS. | Design verification of metal parts. |
End-part applications | Non-visual end parts, such as jigs and fixtures. | Small, smooth, non-functional end parts. | Small batches of functional plastic parts. Similar to MJF | Small batches of functional plastic parts. Similar to SLS. | Alternative to CNC machining for complex, small or low-volume metal parts. |
Need help choosing? We have a whole range of resources on selecting the right 3D printing material for your application
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Resin | Post-cure time (mins) | Post-cure time (mins) |
---|---|---|
Standard clear | 15 | 60 °C |
Standard black | 30 | 60 °C |
Standard white | 30 | 60 °C |
Standard grey | 30 | 60 °C |
Tough 2000 | 30 | 70 °C |
Durable | 60 | 60 °C |
Grey pro | 15 | 80 °C |
High temp | 120 | 80 °C |
Flexible | 15 | 60 °C |
Rigid | 15 | 80 °C |
Every order includes our standard inspection report. Further reports and certifications are available on request, submit an order to begin.