Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What sort of engineering filaments do you offer?

We offer just about every filament you can name, including ABS, ABS-FR, ASA-CF/GF, Nylon-CF/GF, PETG-CF/GF, PC-CF/GF, PPA-CF, PPS-CF, PP, TPU, and more.

Q: Which method of plastic manufacturing do you recommend?

It depends on your needs. FDM is ideal for functional prototyping and scalable production. SLA is best for high-detail, aesthetic parts. Resin-based injection molding is ideal for large quantities with high repeatability.

Detailed answers about our offerings, processes, and how we can support your projects.
‍Please read carefully.

How much will a project cost? This is the number one question we get asked.

It depends. For example, on simple parts that require redesign / reverse engineering we charge a base rate of $65, just for the modeling — complex parts or multicomponent parts will cost more. If you provide the CAD / .STL file to us, then we will wave this fee. Depending on material and process selection, the price can move to upwards of $90, all the way up to hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Below are the considerations that go into pricing our services:
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1) Do we have to redesign / re-engineer this part? Does this involve 3D scanning or can it be done with traditional measuring equipment?
2) What process is being used? SLA? FDM? Lost-Wax Casting?
3) What material is being used? Is it cheap PLA or is it a high-end thermoplastic like PPS-CF?
4) What sort of tolerancing is required?
5) What quantity is being ordered? Is it a single unit or is there hundreds of units?
6) Are you a repeat customer?

The above considerations ultimately determine the final price being paid.

How do I get started on a project with your team?

Simply reach out through our contact form or call our office. We'll schedule an initial consultation to discuss your project requirements, goals, materials, and timeline. From there, we’ll get you onboarded and develop a detailed plan tailored to your needs. We do offer expedited services when needed.

We do require a 50% deposit on projects for new customers. We may wave this in the event of expedited orders.

What sort of lead times do you offer?

Most printed parts ship in 3–5 days, most 3D scans are delivered in 5–7 days, and most molded parts take 7–15 days. Expedited turnaround is available — call and tell us your deadline.

What industries do you serve?

We serve an array of industries, including automotive, energy, infrastructure, heavy machinery, OEM, and entertainment. We consider ourselves "industry agnostic". America's industrial and manufacturing sectors are our focus. Rarely do we work directly with individual consumers.

How are you different than Xometry, Protolabs, or Craftcloud?

We're different in a few ways.

1) We do not outsource our production. We are not a middleman — everything is made in-house. The companys above often outsource to Canada, Mexico, or even China. If you need a part made in the US, it incurs an additional fee...
2) You can call or email us, and we'll respond same day.
3) We are not locked into any particular machining enviroment. For example, some of these company's only offer materials that fit on Stratasys machines.
4) Our lead times are dramatically lower, often hours to a few days. They take a minimum of a week. You want a rush on your order, expect a 50% markup from them...
5) You can use our instant quoting system without registering an email — no commitment, no sales people bothering you.

Domestic production with expedited lead times is our standard, not something you ask for.

What sort of surface finishes and tolerances can you achieve?

Depending on the method of production and material, the surface finish can vary quite a bit. FDM printed parts will have layer lines between 0.10mm and 0.30mm thick (± 0.05mm) Resin based prints, or parts derived from plastic injection molds made of resin, will contain fully-dense and isotropic features. Tolerances for FDM are as low as 0.1mm, while resin can achieve tolerances as low as 0.05mm. Pure resin prints and injections molds will have the best surface finishes and ability to adhere to strict tolerances — but will require the most post processing.

What sort of engineering filaments do you offer? How about resins?

We offer just about every filament you can name, including reinforced variants. Filaments denoted CF contain carbon fiber, those denoted GF contain glass fiber. We offer the following engineering filaments:
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ABS
ABS-FR (Fire Retardant)
ABS-CF/GF
ASA-CF/GF
Nylon-CF/GF (AKA Polyamide or PA)
PAHT-Nylon High Temp
PETG-CF/GF
PC-CF/GF (Polycarbonate)
PET-CF
PPA-CF
PETG-Tungsten
PP (Polypropylene)
PPS-CF (Polyphenylene Sulfide)
TPU
TPU-GF

For resins, we offer engineering resins that can contain glass fibers or high ceramic content to support high heat and high stress applications. We also carry non-engineering resins for aesthetic or cosmetic prints. The engineering resins are what we use for quick turn around on parts that need injection molding.

Which method of plastic manufacturing do you recommend?

It depends.
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If you need parts where surface finishes are a lower priority (i.e. layer lines, small imperfections, support scarring, seams, stringing), FDM is the way to go. We do our best to avoid these "imperfections" from occurring at all. FDM is scalable, cheap, and still allows for complete functionality. The types of plastic available in this method are numerous (see above). We recommend this method for components that will be out of sight and out of mind (though some parts can be printed with high resolution and nice surfaces finishes). This is the preferred method for functional and rapid prototyping. Depending on the parts function, print orientation will matter.

If you need a handful of parts where aesthetics do matter, then go with SLA (resin printing). Resin printed parts have uniformed surface finishes with high accuracy. These parts are also solid and have isotropic strength profiles. Nicely textured surfaces are possible with this method. Use this method for parts requiring finer details. Certain resins do have engineering properties that are comparable to injection molded parts (i.e. they are described as "ABS-like", or contain glass or ceramic content). If the part is small, the quantity can be scaled up very quickly via this method.

If large quantities are needed with high repeatability and accuracy, then resin-based injection molding will be your answer. We can manufacture resin-based injection mold cavities with high heat resistance and low deflection, quickly. In some cases, these molds can last a few hundred (even thousand) shots before breaking or falling out of tolerance (contingent on the injected plastic composition and pressure used). We do require an MOQ (minimum order quantity) for this method. Injected plastics with high glass or carbon fiber content, coupled with higher injection temperatures, will significantly degrade the molds after only a few injections.

What sort of infill and colors are available?

Customer part density will vary based on the customer's needs. For FDM produced parts requiring higher structural strength, we recommend 50%+ for infill. For general function parts, 20% to 50% is sufficient. For cosmetic and aesthetic parts, 10% to 20% infill works. Though some FDM filaments can come in different colors, we generally discourage color on parts that require structural strength as there is some evidence to suggest that color additives may affect their strength profile. When possible, we recommend "natural" filament color (i.e. most carbon fiber based prints are matte black).

Parts printed in resin or injection molded will be solid, unless designed otherwise. Color choice for resin prints are limited as well.

Do you offer samples?

Yes. Ask us about sample parts in FDM and resin so you can check finish and feel before you order.

What other services do you plan on providing in the future?

We add new capabilities based on what customers need. If your part calls for a process we don't list, ask — we'll tell you honestly whether we can do it in-house or point you in the right direction.

Do you seriously not make toys?

We do not make toys... So don't send us any of those stupid Etsy dragons to print.

Our reasoning for this can be found in one of our blog posts.

We will make props and figurines, so long as they are not multicolor.

Can you add threaded inserts to printed parts?

Yes. We install heat-set threaded inserts in FDM parts, so they arrive with metal threads ready for assembly. Add them in the instant quote, or call out the thread size and locations on your drawing.

Insert design guidelines →