3D printing for engineering and automotive in Bratislava

What we make for engineering and automotive

Using FDM, that is plastic deposited in layers, we print single pieces and small batches. These are parts that a company uses every day and that would otherwise be machined, welded or left waiting for a supplier.

The largest part we print in one piece is 256 × 256 × 256 mm, larger ones we make in sections and glue together. Details of the individual services are on the pages for 3D printed spare parts, prototype printing and small-batch production. If you have no model, we create one from a sample as part of 3D modelling and reverse engineering. An overview of where 3D printing pays off in manufacturing and where it does not is in the article 3D printing in industry.

The automotive industry in Slovakia in numbers

The supply chain around the car makers is broad, and every company in it has a recurring need for small aids: a bracket missing on the line, a template after a product change, a replacement cover for a machine the manufacturer no longer supports. These figures show the scale of the sector:

• In 2025, according to preliminary data from the Automotive Industry Association of the Slovak Republic (ZAP SR), 1.07 million vehicles were produced in Slovakia.
• That is almost 196 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, which ZAP SR describes as the world's highest production per capita.
• According to ZAP SR, the automotive industry accounts for more than 52% of industrial output and 42.6% of exports.
• According to the SARIO agency, the supplier network comprises more than 360 Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies.
• The Volkswagen Slovakia plant in Bratislava produced 336,905 vehicles in 2025, according to the TASR news agency.

For a small company in this environment, ordering tooling or machining for a single bracket or ten spacers often does not pay. We print such pieces.

What large companies do with 3D printing

Large car makers print aids in their own workshops. Three documented examples:

These are the large companies' own printers run by their own teams. Treat the savings as an example from industry, not as a result we promise you, and note that for Škoda and Autoeuropa the sources come from printer suppliers. We are external capacity for smaller suppliers and workshops that have no printer farm of their own.

Materials, temperatures and environment

The choice of material depends on the temperature the part works at, the fluids it meets and the direction of the load. Heat resistance according to the manufacturer:

These are figures from the manufacturer Prusa Polymers for its branded filaments (PETG, ASA, PC Blend, PA11 Carbon Fiber). They serve to compare materials, not as a guarantee for every brand. A wider comparison is in the articles Which material to choose for 3D printing and Material for 3D printing under heat and load.

Oils and cooling emulsions

With oils, greases and cooling emulsions it depends on the specific fluid and the time of contact. For PA11 Carbon Fiber, Prusa states resistance to motor oils and diesel, so for such use we count on it as the first choice. For the other materials we decide on such use only after a test on a sample. Mind cleaning agents too: ASA dissolves in acetone (Prusa Knowledge Base).

What we do not supply, and why

We are not a certified supplier under IATF 16949 or ISO 9001. Under IATF rules the standard concerns sites that make series, service or accessory parts permanently built into a vehicle (VDA QMC). Jigs, templates and production aids are not among such parts. PPAP is an approval process for parts in series production (AIAG), and we do not make series parts for vehicles.

A certified company must, however, also manage its own suppliers, and according to the certification body DQS it chooses the method itself, from an ISO 9001 certificate to its own audit. So the requirements for a supplier of production aids are set by that supplier's customer. Ask your purchasing department what it requires from a supplier before you order.

These limits also follow from our terms and conditions: without a special written agreement, 3D printed parts are not intended for use where their failure could endanger life, health or property.

How we protect your files

We use the models and files you send only to fulfil the order, we do not publish them and we do not pass them to third parties. We do not publish photographs of development prototypes from company orders without your consent. If your purchasing rules require confidentiality before drawings are sent, write to us and we will agree a procedure.

Škoda Auto shows how sensitive this area is: according to an interview published by Prusa, new models must be approved by patent specialists before printing.

How an order works

1. Enquiry. Send a 3D model (STL, STEP, 3MF) or a sample, drawing or photograph, together with the number of pieces and a description of the use: temperature, fluids, direction of load. What else to prepare is described in the article What to send for a 3D printing quote.
2. Quote. Within 24 hours we send the price, material and delivery date. A basic check that the model is printable is free.
3. Deposit and printing. Once you approve, you pay a 60% deposit and the lead time runs from the day it is credited. For a batch we first make a prototype for your approval.
4. Collection or delivery. You pay the remaining 40% before dispatch. For long-term cooperation we can agree an invoice with a due date.

The whole procedure is described on the page How it works.

What it costs

Printing costs €1.80 to €3.00 per hour plus material from €0.04 per gram. As a guide per gram, a small part up to 50 g comes to €0.16, a medium one (50 to 250 g) to €0.12, a large one over 250 g to €0.09 and a batch under €0.07. Example: a part weighing 120 g at €0.12 per gram comes to €14.40. This is an illustrative calculation from the price list, not a quote: we always state the final price in the quote. The minimum order value is €10 excluding postage, prices are final and we are not a VAT payer. All rates are in the price list.

Where to find us

We are based in Bratislava, in the Podunajské Biskupice district (Baltská 21A). You can collect finished parts in person by arrangement, or we send them by courier, also outside Bratislava. Contact details and collection arrangements are on the page 3D printing in Bratislava, and you can send an enquiry through the contact form.

Sources

Links were checked on 1 October 2026.

• Automotive Industry Association of the Slovak Republic (ZAP SR), press release of 13 January 2026 (PDF)
• SARIO, automotive industry in Slovakia
• TASR, 31 March 2026, vehicle production at Volkswagen Slovakia in 2025
• Prusa Research, 3D printing in Škoda Auto, 9 December 2022
• UltiMaker, Volkswagen Autoeuropa: 3D printed tools, jigs and fixtures
• BMW Group, press release of 23 May 2024
• VDA QMC, scope of IATF 16949 certification
• DQS, supplier management under IATF 16949
• AIAG, PPAP 4th edition
• Prusament PETG, Prusament ASA, Prusament PC Blend, Prusament PA11 Carbon Fiber
• Prusa Knowledge Base, ASA