Frequently Asked Questions
How long will my project take?
We turn projects around as fast as possible and can complete some work same-day, but the timeline depends entirely on the scope of work. Here are some averages to give you a better idea:
Single 3D Prints: 1-3 business days if the job is small to medium size, 2-5 business days for large prints, 4-8 business days for SLS prints.
Short-Run Manufacturing: Production runs are heavily dependent on what is bring printed and how many. We oftentimes fulfill as prints are completed if parts are needed ASAP. Contact us for a specific quote.
3D Modeling: 1-5 business days, depending on the complexity of the design and the number of concurrent design jobs.
3D Scanning: 1-5 business days.
If you have a tight deadline, please contact us ASAP so that we can make a quick assessment for you.
What is the build size of your printers?
We often build objects that are larger than our build sizes by printing objects in parts and assembling. That being said, we have build sizes as large as 12 feet and as small as 2 inches and are constantly increasing our printing capacity.
How does scanning work?
Currently we are able to scan non-moving objects. Scanning is labor-intensive so we prefer to carve out a half-day session per client, and can typically scan multiple items in that half-day session. The result of a scan is a point cloud file (OBJ, STL, etc.) that can be manipulated in mesh-based software but not directly-edited parametric CAD software. If you need an editable file for reverse engineering or specific changes, the scan data needs to be converted (manually) to a CAD model which would add additional modeling hours to the project.We prefer to know our clients’ end goals with a scan so that we can confirm that the output we provide will meet the needs of the project. For instance, if the scan is intended to then go to manufacturing, a point cloud will not likely suffice and a CAD model will need to be created from the point cloud data.
What materials do you print with?
The most common materials we print with are PLA, ABS, PET, Flexible, Polycarbonate, Nylon, and SLA Resins (standard, tough, high-temp, dental, castable, flexible).
Do you print flyers, signs, shirts, etc.?
We get asked this a lot, but the answer is “no”.
We only print physical objects utilizing various additive manufacturing technologies (commonly called 3D printing) but do not print 2D objects that appear to be 3D.
