What do I need to send for a quote on custom 3D printing of parts?

For a custom 3D printing quote you need a 3D model (ideally STEP, or STL or 3MF in millimetres), the quantity, the material or the part's operating environment, critical dimensions and a deadline. No model? A drawing with dimensions, a sketch or a photo with a measurement will do. We quote standard briefs within 24 hours on working days.

With 3D printing to order, the price list gives only an indication, and the exact price comes from the specific part. The more complete the enquiry you send, the fewer questions we send back and the sooner you get a number.

Quick list: what to send and why we ask

Which file format to send a 3D model in

The web form accepts STL, STEP, 3MF, PDF, JPG and PNG up to 10 MB. Files straight from a CAD program (for example SLDPRT or IPT) will not go through, so export them to STEP.

A printer does not read STEP directly, so it is converted to a mesh before printing. STEP, however, keeps the exact geometry, while STL and 3MF build it from triangles. The Hubs Knowledge Base explains the difference, and it also notes that the most common cause of a part at the wrong scale is units.

Two practical habits: one part per file, and a closed surface with no holes in the mesh. The basic printability check is free, model repair costs 15 € per hour, and we do it only after you approve it. How to prepare a model is covered in How to prepare a 3D model for printing.

When you need a drawing and what if it differs from the model

A model shows what a part looks like, but not which places matter. A PDF drawing is worth sending when there is a critical dimension (the seat for a board, the spacing of holes), when the part has a thread or an insert, or when it fits into another part.

Mark only the dimensions that must fit. A usable PDF has text that can be selected, not a phone photo of a drawing, and one part per sheet. One of the large online platforms states that a drawing without selectable text or with several parts on one sheet triggers manual review.

If the model and the drawing disagree (the drawing says 42, the model 41), we will get in touch and agree which one applies. You can speed this up by stating in the enquiry which of the two takes priority.

Material, environment and load

If you do not know which material to choose, that is fine. Describe where the part works and we will propose one. If the part has to meet specific mechanical, thermal or chemical parameters, our terms require you to state them in the enquiry. A few details help us:

• The highest temperature, not the average. According to the filament manufacturer Prusa Polymers, PLA withstands 55 °C, PETG 68 °C and ASA 93 °C (PLA, ASA). An enclosure inside a device that heats up to 60 °C will therefore not be made of PLA.
• Outdoor use and UV, if the part will be in the sun or rain.
• Chemicals and oils it will come into contact with.
• Load: what the part holds, pulls or pushes, what rubs against it and whether the load repeats.

More on materials: Which material to choose for 3D printing.

State safety-critical use straight away. Without a separate prior written agreement, 3D-printed parts are not intended for use where their failure could endanger life, health or property: load-bearing elements, safety components in transport, pressure parts, medical devices. If your part is one of these, say so in the enquiry. Without a separate written agreement we do not make such parts (see the terms and conditions).

Quantity, critical dimensions, surface and deadline

Quantity

State whether the order will be repeated (5 parts now, 20 later). For a series, printing starts only after the prototype or the first parts are approved, more in the section on small-batch production. The minimum order value is 10 € excluding shipping, so it pays to send smaller parts in one enquiry.

Critical dimensions

Mark only what has to fit: M4 screw holes, post spacing, the seat for the board, a groove for the mating part. Send the dimensions of the mating part too (screw, board, shaft), because a joint depends on both sides. Tight tolerances on every dimension are not needed and usually raise both the price and the production time. If a tighter tolerance is necessary, write it in the enquiry and we will check whether it is realistic for FDM.

Surface, colour and finishing

Tell us which side is visible. We choose the orientation on the print bed and the positions of the supports, which leave marks, accordingly. If colour matters, state it and we will tell you whether we can supply it. Assembly, bonding and installing threaded inserts are optional and charged separately, from 10 € per hour.

Deadline and collection

Production usually takes 2 to 5 working days, the exact date is in the quote and is counted from receipt of the deposit. Write the date and whether a later delivery is still useful to you (“by 10 October, not after”). You can collect in person in Bratislava or use a courier.

What if you do not have a 3D model

A model is not a condition. One of these is enough: a drawing with dimensions, a sketch with measurements (even a hand-drawn one), photos of the part, or a physical sample that you deliver to us for measuring. When taking photos, it helps to:

1. Photograph the part from above, from the side and from below on a flat surface in daylight.
2. Place a ruler or callipers next to the part so the scale is visible.
3. Measure and write down the key dimensions: length, width, height, hole diameters, wall thickness.
4. For a spare part, also photograph the place it fits into.

From a photo without a measurement we can judge the shape, not the size. We can make a model from such material: 3D modelling costs from 15 € per hour, reverse engineering from a physical sample from 20 € per hour, and the price is agreed in advance. For a broken component, see also spare parts.

An enquiry template you can copy

Copy it, change the values and paste it into the Project description field of the form or into an e-mail to 3dtlac@bersitech.sk. The form has separate fields for project type, quantity and deadline.

Part: printed circuit board enclosure, 5 pcs (later repeated in batches of 20)
Files: enclosure.step, enclosure.pdf (drawing, critical dimensions marked), units mm
Material: PETG (if you are unsure, describe the use)
Use: inside a device, temperature up to 60 °C, no UV, no chemicals
Critical dimensions: M4 screw holes, post spacing, seat for the board
Surface: top side visible, bottom side unimportant, colour black
Deadline: by 10 October, collection in person in Bratislava
Confidentiality: development prototype, do not publish

What happens after you send the enquiry

1. We look at the model. The basic printability check is free.
2. If something is missing or does not match, we get in touch with follow-up questions.
3. We send a quote by e-mail. It contains the specification (material, technology), the price of production, the price of delivery, the deposit and the expected deadline.
4. The enquiry and the quote are non-binding. A contract is formed when you confirm the quote by e-mail and a 60 % deposit of the price including delivery is received. The remaining 40 % is paid before dispatch.
5. For a series, we first make a prototype or the first parts and start the series after you approve them by e-mail.

Under our terms and conditions, the customer is responsible for the correctness and completeness of models and dimensions, so it pays to go through the dimensions once more before sending. The whole process is described on the page How it works, and indicative prices and worked examples are in the article FDM 3D printing cost.

Confidentiality and your files

We use models and documents only to fulfil your order and do not pass them to third parties. We keep them for at most 6 months after the order is delivered and, at your request, delete them as soon as the project is finished. We may put a photo of the finished part in our references unless you object. For development prototypes we assume that you do not agree.

If you need confidentiality before sending drawings, say so in the enquiry and we will agree the procedure before you send the files.

If you are comparing several suppliers, send all of them the same documents (how to choose a supplier). Ready with the documents? Send us an enquiry or write to 3dtlac@bersitech.sk.