Frequently asked questions

We accept STL, STEP, 3MF and OBJ. If you have the model in CAD, send STEP, because it keeps the exact geometry and units, and holes and cylinders stay round instead of faceted. STL and OBJ are triangle meshes without units. We treat them as millimetres, so tell us if your model uses a different unit.

The quote form accepts files up to 8 MB. For larger files, put a download link in the form (Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer or similar). A STEP file is usually much smaller than a fine STL of the same part, and 3MF is a compressed format.

Tell us the material you want (or what the part is for, if you are not sure which material to choose), the quantity, the critical dimensions and tolerances, the faces that matter visually, whether you want the parts coloured and the delivery address. For parts with fits, a PDF drawing with the important dimensions helps a lot.

There is no minimum quantity; you can order a single part. The minimum order value is 150 lei excluding VAT, because preparation, cleaning and packing cost the same whatever the size of the part. The price depends on the volume of material, on the space the part takes up in the build chamber (its bounding box) and on how well it nests next to other parts. That is why a small part ordered on its own costs proportionally more than the same part ordered in a batch.

The price starts from the material used and takes into account the space the parts take up in the chamber, the height they occupy in the build, post-processing (blasting, colouring) and the quantity. We do not publish a price per gram, because 2 parts with the same mass can take up very different amounts of space. For STL and OBJ files the quote form shows an indicative price straight away, and you get the exact price in the quote.

Before we quote, we check the model for walls under 0.6 mm, holes under 1 mm that may close up, closed cavities without powder escape holes and open triangle meshes. If we find a problem, we tell you what it is and where it is, and you decide whether to change the model or have us print it as it is.

Yes. Send photos of the part with its main dimensions, a sketch or a PDF or DXF drawing, or send us the part by courier. We model it in CAD or 3D scan it, send you the model for approval and then print it. Modelling is listed separately in the quote, and you keep the STEP file.

For most functional parts we start from PA12, which is stiff and dimensionally stable and reproduces fine detail well. PA11 is more ductile and handles impact better. PA12 GF and PA11 CF are stiffer and withstand higher temperatures under load. TPU 90A is flexible, like firm rubber. Polypropylene is used for chemical resistance, hinges and parts that need to be welded. If you tell us what the part does, we will recommend the material.

The surface is matte and slightly grainy, similar to fine stone. In a Formlabs study, automatically blasted PA12 parts had a surface roughness Ra of about 8 to 16 µm depending on the face, and with additional polishing it came down to 4–9 µm. That is good enough for functional parts, but it is rougher than the surface of an injection-moulded or SLA-printed part.

Each material comes out in the colour of its powder. PA12 is grey, PA12 White is white and PA11 CF is black. Rigid parts and TPU 90A can be immersion-dyed black, and PA12 White can also be dyed red, blue, green, yellow or orange. For any other colour we spray-paint the part in the RAL code you give us. Immersion dye only penetrates slightly into the surface, so a deep scratch can show the base colour.

For PA12, Formlabs gives ±0.5% or ±0.3 mm on X and Y and ±1% or 0.6 mm on Z (the build axis). On X and Y the larger value applies, and on Z the smaller one. Other materials can deviate somewhat more. For precise fits, such as bearings and locating pins, design the holes slightly undersize and ream them, or use bushings.

No. The unsintered powder around the part supports it during printing, so there are no supports to remove and no support marks. You can design internal channels or mechanisms printed already assembled, and parts can be stacked on top of each other in the chamber. Large flat parts can still warp as they cool.

Tensile strength is comparable (50 MPa for Formlabs PA12), but elongation at break is lower than for an injection-moulded part and drops further along the Z axis (for PA12, 11% in XY and 6% in Z). For parts loaded in bending or impact, the orientation in the chamber matters, so tell us the direction of the load.

We confirm the lead time in the quote, because it depends on the quantity, the material, how full the build is and what else is in progress in the workshop. An SLS build includes printing, slow cooling of the chamber, depowdering and blasting, and these steps cannot be shortened beyond a certain point without affecting the parts.

When printing finishes, the parts sit in hot powder and have to cool gradually. If they are taken out too early, they can warp. Formlabs gives a cooling time of up to half the print time. That is why, even if we start a build in the evening, the parts are not necessarily ready the next morning.

On the Fuse X1 the build volume is 330 × 330 × 565 mm, and on the Fuse 1+ 30W it is 165 × 165 × 300 mm. The usable part size is slightly smaller than the build volume and varies from material to material. Also, not every material runs on both printers. Larger parts are split into segments that are bonded or fastened together mechanically.

Depowdering in the Fuse Sift and automatic blasting in the Fuse Blast are included. Blasting removes the remaining powder and evens out the surface. Colouring, protective lacquer, extra polishing and fitting threaded inserts are discussed separately and appear in the quote if you ask for them.

Yes, as long as we use the same files, material and orientation. Formlabs reports stable X and Y dimensions between builds and between positions in the chamber. If you have critical dimensions, tell us which they are with your first order, so we keep the same orientation for them in later batches.

We ship by courier anywhere in Romania. The parcel usually arrives on the next working day after dispatch. We set the dispatch date in the quote, together with the production lead time.

Yes, shipping to European Union countries is available on request. We quote the cost and transit time per order and list them separately in the quote.

Yes, from our workshop in Piatra Neamț, at a time we agree in advance. Mention in your request that you want to collect the parts yourself, so we leave shipping out of the quote.

It depends on the weight and dimensions of the parcel. Shipping appears as a separate line in the quote, so you know the total before you confirm the order.

By bank transfer, against a proforma invoice that you receive after you accept the quote. The payment details are on the proforma invoice.

Yes. For companies we need the company name, tax ID (CUI) and registered office address, and for private individuals the name and address. The quote, payment and delivery work the same way in both cases.