Who it is for
A plastic clip, cover or bracket has broken, and the manufacturer no longer supplies it or only sells it as part of a whole assembly.
The part exists on paper, in a photo or in a manufacturing drawing, and printing needs a 3D model.
You have a part that works and want more of the same, without a mould and without technical documentation.
Two ways to work
Option 1
This suits parts whose shape can be described by dimensions: brackets, covers, bushings, clips, adapters. We build the model directly in CAD from the data you send us.
You don't need to send us the part. If an important dimension is missing, we ask before we start modelling.
Option 2
You send us the part by courier or bring it to the workshop in Piatra Neamț. We 3D scan it, and the scan captures the shape of the surfaces, including curves that are hard to measure.
From the scan we rebuild the part in CAD as a solid model you can edit later, not as a plain copy of the scanned mesh.
Dimensions and fits
A worn or broken part no longer has the dimensions it had when new. That is why we don't copy the defects: we rebuild the part to its intended shape, with broken edges completed, worn surfaces brought back to the original geometry and deformed holes made round again.
The dimensions that matter for assembly, such as hole and pin diameters, distances between mounting points or the thickness of a clip, are measured with a caliper and entered as such in CAD. The scan captures the shape, and the measurements set the fits.
If the part mounts onto another part, that part's dimensions matter just as much. Where possible, please send us the mating part or its dimensions as well.
Process
Photos, sketch, drawing or the part itself. We check that we have every dimension we need and ask you for anything missing.
We build the part as a solid model and save it in STEP format, which keeps the exact geometry and the units.
We send you screenshots and the main dimensions. We only print once you confirm that the model is right.
The part is printed in the material that suits its role, on the Fuse X1 or the Fuse 1+ 30W, then depowdered and blasted.
The part goes out by courier or you collect it from the workshop. You keep the STEP file and can use it for future orders.
What we need
The more complete the data, the more likely the first version of the model is right and the fewer questions we need to ask.
Photos and PDF drawings can be uploaded directly in the quote form, together with a description of the part.
Price
The price of the modelling depends on how complex the part is and how complete the data is. We tell you once we have seen the photos, the drawing or the part.
Modelling and printing appear as separate lines in the quote. A repeat order needs no modelling, because the model already exists.
Plastic parts that hold, cover or move something: brackets, covers, clips, bushings, adapters, knobs and handles. The final part is printed by SLS, so it has to fit in the build volume: at most 330 × 330 × 565 mm on the Fuse X1 and 165 × 165 × 300 mm in materials that only run on the Fuse 1+ 30W. Larger parts are split into segments.
Not for dimensions. We need photos from several sides, with a ruler or a caliper visible in the picture, and the main dimensions measured. If you can't measure the part, the safer option is to send it to us for scanning.
We measure the assembly dimensions with a caliper and enter them in CAD as exact values, so they don't depend on the scan. The printed part then has the tolerances of the SLS process: for PA12, Formlabs gives ±0.3 mm or ±0.5% in X and Y, whichever is larger. For tight fits, holes are designed slightly undersize and reamed after printing.
Yes. We send you the model in STEP format, which most CAD programs open. You can modify it, use it for future orders or send it to another supplier.
By courier, to the workshop in Piatra Neamț, or you bring it in person once we have agreed a time. Before you send it, write to us through the quote form and attach a few photos, so that we can confirm that scanning is the right option.
Yes. If the original broke at a thin section, that area can be thickened or stiffened with a rib, as long as it doesn't affect assembly. The changes show in the screenshots you approve before printing.
Send us photos or a drawing of the part and we'll tell you how we would remake it