Fused Deposition Modeling

FDM extrudes thermoplastic layer by layer, which makes it the most economical way to put a real part in your hand. We run it for form-and-fit prototypes, shop-floor jigs and fixtures, and low-stakes end-use parts in materials that hold up — PETG and ASA where heat, impact or outdoor exposure matter. The trade is visible layer lines; the win is strength per dollar and a two-day turnaround. If your part needs a smoother surface or finer features, we'll tell you up front — honestly, some parts belong on a different process.

Need more than as-built? FDM parts can take heat-set inserts and light post-machining — see finishing.

Materials we run

FDM only, and three thermoplastics we have dialled in — picked for what a part has to survive, not for what is easiest to print.

• PLA — the most economical option. Stiff and dimensionally stable, ideal for form-and-fit models, presentation parts and low-stress fixtures. Skip it for anything that sees heat, sunlight or sustained load.
• PETG — our workhorse. Tough, impact-resistant and comfortable with moisture, chemicals and mild heat. The default for functional prototypes, enclosures and shop-floor parts that get handled.
• ASA — for outdoors and under the hood. UV-stable and higher-temperature than PETG, so it holds up to weather, sunlight and warm environments where PLA and PETG soften.

Not sure which one your part needs? That is a design-for-manufacturing question, and it is answered by the engineer who reviews your quote — not a web form.

What FDM is right for — and what it isn't

We are specialists, so we will tell you where the process wins and where it doesn't.

Right for: functional prototypes you can actually test, jigs, fixtures and shop tooling, low-volume end-use parts, and large parts that would be expensive to machine. When you need a real part by Thursday, this is the process.

Not the best fit: cosmetic Class-A surfaces, sub-millimetre fine detail, fully watertight parts without post-processing, and high-volume runs where injection moulding eventually wins on unit cost. If your part lands here, we will say so up front rather than take the order.

How we run it

Every part is set up by the engineer who runs it. Orientation, wall count and infill are DFM decisions, not defaults — they change how a part performs and what it costs. That is why a real quote comes back in a day, with feedback on your geometry, instead of an instant price that ignores it.

Turnaround and pricing

Standard lead time is two business days, prototypes start at $49, and there is no minimum order quantity. Pricing is per gram and published — we would rather show our rates than hide them behind a “contact us.” Upload a CAD file and you get an engineer-reviewed quote, with design feedback, within 24 hours.

Getting a quote

Send a STEP, STL, IGES or SLDPRT file to the quote portal. An engineer reviews it, flags anything that will cause trouble on the machine, and returns pricing and lead time within one business day. Uploads are confidential and an NDA is available on request. We are in Columbus, Ohio, at 6540 Huntley Rd, Monday to Friday.