Functional prototypes, printed in engineering plastics
For engineering and product teams who need to hold the part, fit it and test it before committing to tooling or a production run.
Upload your model and you have a price in seconds, with a free manufacturability check on every file. Print in the material the part has to work in, not just one that looks right, and change the design and print again as often as the project needs.
No CAD file? Start a design request
What people prototype with us
- Fit and assembly checks - Check that parts go together, clear their neighbours and can be assembled before anything is cut in metal.
- Working prototypes - Brackets, housings, mechanisms and clips tested under real loads, in materials that behave like the final part.
- Design iterations - Print, test, revise and print again. Each version is quoted instantly, so you can compare changes on price as well as function.
- Test rigs and mounts - Sensor mounts, cable guides and holding fixtures for the test bench.
How it works
- Upload your model. STL, 3MF, OBJ or STEP, straight into the online quoter. No account needed to get a price.
- Free DFM check. Every file gets an automated manufacturability report that flags thin walls, overhangs and other problems before you order.
- Instant price. Choose material, colour, quantity and turnaround and the price updates as you go. Quantity price breaks apply automatically.
- Printed in Christchurch. Your parts are printed in-house on our FDM printers.
- Couriered to you. Sent anywhere in New Zealand, rural addresses included, with tracking in your account.
Printed prototypes and the final part
An FDM part is built in layers, so it is strongest along the layers and weaker between them. That makes a printed prototype a good test of fit, form and function, but not a stand-in for the strength of a moulded or machined part. Tell us what you are testing and we will suggest a material and print orientation.
Need it sooner? Choose express turnaround when you configure your quote. The lead time for each option is shown before you pay.
Confidential projects
Confidential project? We can sign your NDA — ask us.
Recommended materials
- PLA (Polylactic acid, instant online quote) - For fit checks and visual prototypes, where the shape matters more than the strength.
- PETG (Glycol-modified polyester, instant online quote) - For tough, everyday functional prototypes.
- PC-CF (Carbon-fibre polycarbonate, instant online quote) - For prototypes that have to carry load or sit near heat, and behave like a working part.
- TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane, instant online quote) - For flexible parts: seals, grips and bumpers.
Compare every material we print
Questions
What files can I upload?
STL, 3MF, OBJ and STEP. STEP files are converted automatically for quoting, so you can upload straight from your CAD package.
Which material should I prototype in?
PLA is fine for fit checks and looks. If the prototype has to work - carry load, flex, run warm or live outside - print it in the material you would use for the real part. Our lead engineering material is PC-CF, and the materials page says what each one is for.
Will a printed prototype behave like the finished part?
Not exactly. FDM parts are weaker between layers than along them, so they test fit, form and function well but are not a direct stand-in for a moulded or machined part's strength. Tell us what you are testing and we will suggest a material and orientation.
Can I get prototypes faster?
Yes. Choose express turnaround when you configure your quote. The quote panel shows the lead time for each option before you pay.
Can you check my design before it is printed?
Every upload gets a free automated manufacturability report. If you would like an engineer to review the design itself, our design service offers a design-for-printing review.
Can you sign an NDA?
Yes. Ask us through the contact page before you send the files.
Start with a price
Upload a model for an instant price and a free manufacturability check. Only have a sketch or an idea? Our engineers can model it for you.