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.
“Speedy turnaround, good communication and high quality of parts. Would recommend!”
“Fantastic. Was flexible and helped me get things much faster than I expected. Will absolutely use again.”
“Highly pleased and impressed with the printed figurines. I would give a 6 start rating if it was possible! I'll definitely be making use of their services again in the future.”
“Quite a simple part. But all good and very helpful communication before printing...”
“Great chap! Good to work with and reliable. Highly recommend. ”
“Very good quality for fine 3d prints! I needed a good finish for a 3rd year major project (aesthetic version) and wasn't disapointed.”
“Great service, nice print and well packaged. Many thanks.”
“Arrived 4 days before scheduled delivery, very nice finish on the product, would definitely use again!”
“delivered before the shipped date, it was that fast...”
“Great to see these results, thanks for a super print”
“Great service, very responsive. Would use again.”
“Great service, fast process time and delivery along with good communication. 5*”
“Excellent service. Good quality print, received much faster than I was expecting.”
“Ordered on the 8th, expected on the 14th. Actually arrived on the 9th, next day. Pretty amazing!”
“Excellent quality print again and prompt delivery. Great communication and help in setting this up.”
“Fantastic print quality, time and service.”
“Very well made , very clean and made as to 3D cad file supplied”
“Great service, did some test prints as well, all turned out very nice.”
“I received professional quality prints with very fast turnaround at a very competitive price. Excellent service and communication, review and customization (infill %) was agreed in a couple of minutes. Will use them next time as well if I need something printed.”
“Thank you for the extra speedy service on this one!”
“Prints were quickly delivered and just what I needed! Thank you Roy”
“Speedy service, will use again. Good quality product.”
“Helpful advice offered on print material choice for my application. This resulted in more functional prototypes. The models were dimensionally accurate for our application. Overall very happy with the order and turnaround time.”
“Excellent service and perfect prints. Will be back for more.”
“Very quick deliver, excellent print quality - many thanks!”
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 1 | From 2 | From 3 | From 3 | From 10 |
[EU] Lead time in days | From 1 | 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-fidelity, 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 temperature |
---|---|---|
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.