--- title: "3D Printing Services | FDM, SLA, SLS & Metal | OpenSpindle" description: "Get quotes for 3D printed parts from independent machine shops. FDM, SLA/DLP resin, SLS and MJF nylon, and metal DMLS. Upload a model." canonical: https://openspindle.com/capabilities/3d-printing --- # 3D printing from independent machine shops Parts built layer by layer from filament, resin, or powder. No tooling, so complex geometry and one-off prototypes come fast, and low-volume production without a mold. Upload a 3D model and hear back from shops set up for additive. ## 3D printing shops on OpenSpindle Real shops running FDM, resin, powder, and metal additive. See their equipment and talk to the person making your part. [Browse all 3D printing shops](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=3D%20printing) ## Processes and materials our print shops run Additive is chosen by process first: filament, resin, or powder, each with its own strengths and material set. Pick the process, or tell the shop the requirement and let it choose. If your material is not here, ask when you request a quote. ### FDM / FFF (Filament) Molten thermoplastic extruded layer by layer. The workhorse for functional prototypes, jigs, and rugged low-cost parts. - **Best for:** Functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, tough end-use parts - **Typical accuracy:** ±0.5% (min ±0.5 mm) - **Grades:** PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon, TPU, PC, ASA, CF-Nylon ### SLA / DLP (Resin) Liquid photopolymer cured by light for smooth surfaces and crisp fine detail. Best when finish and feature resolution matter. - **Best for:** Fine detail, smooth cosmetic parts, casting patterns - **Typical accuracy:** ±0.2% (min ±0.15 mm) - **Grades:** Standard, Tough (ABS-like), High-temp, Castable, Flexible, Clear ### SLS / MJF (Nylon powder) Nylon powder fused by laser or a binding agent, with no support structures. Strong, near-isotropic parts and dense nesting for low-volume production. - **Best for:** Durable production parts, complex geometry, small batches - **Typical accuracy:** ±0.3% (min ±0.3 mm) - **Grades:** PA12, PA11, PA12-GF (glass-filled) ### Metal (DMLS / SLM) (Metal powder) Fine metal powder fused by laser into fully dense parts. For end-use metal geometry that machining cannot reach. - **Best for:** End-use metal parts, conformal cooling, lightweighting - **Typical accuracy:** ±0.1 to 0.2 mm - **Grades:** AlSi10Mg, 316L, 17-4 PH, Ti-6Al-4V, Inconel 718 ## Threads, Inserts & Finishing Printed holes are cleaned up after the build; heat-set inserts, tapped threads, and pressed hardware are added as a secondary op. Metal DMLS parts are commonly machined on critical faces and bores after printing. Applied after support removal. As-printed ships fastest; bead blast, dyeing, vapor smoothing, and paint are common depending on process. | Finish | Materials | Adds | Stacks with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | As-printed | All | +0 days | Anything | | Support removal | FDM, SLA, metal | +0-1 day | Included | | Bead blast | SLS, MJF, metal | +1 day | Dye, paint | | Dyed (black) | SLS, MJF nylon | +1-2 days | After blast | | Vapor smooth | ABS, resin | +1-2 days | Paint | | Machined features | Metal DMLS | +2-4 days | Heat treat | SLS and MJF parts come off the machine with a slightly grainy matte surface and are usually bead blasted, then dyed black if color matters. Say up front which faces are cosmetic or critical. ## What Makes a Good RFQ | Instead of | Send | | --- | --- | | "Print this part" | "PA12 SLS, qty 25, matte black dyed, per STEP" | | "Make it strong" | "CF-Nylon FDM, 3 mm walls, 50% infill, load along the X axis" | | "Needs to look nice" | "SLA tough resin, bead-blast and prime, ±0.15 mm on the bore" | Tell us the process (or the requirement and let the shop pick), material, quantity, and which faces are cosmetic or load-bearing. That is what sets the price and the machine. ## Industries Served - Aerospace & defense - Medical devices - Robotics & automation - Automotive - Electronics - Consumer products - Industrial / OEM - Energy Additive shops on OpenSpindle print prototypes, jigs and fixtures, and low-volume end-use parts for demanding industries, including AS9100 and ISO 13485 shops. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which 3D printing process should I choose? It depends on the job. FDM for cheap functional prototypes and rugged parts, SLA or DLP for smooth cosmetic parts and fine detail, SLS or MJF for strong production parts with complex geometry and no supports, and metal DMLS for end-use metal parts. Describe the requirement and shops recommend the process. ### How strong are 3D printed parts? Stronger than most people expect. SLS nylon and MJF parts are tough and nearly isotropic; carbon-filled FDM and metal DMLS reach engineering-grade strength. FDM is directional and weaker between layers, so orientation matters. Name your loads and material and the shop advises. ### What tolerances can 3D printing hold? Roughly ±0.5% for FDM, ±0.2% for SLA and MJF, and ±0.1 to 0.2 mm for metal DMLS, each with a process minimum. For features tighter than that, shops print oversized and machine the critical face after. Call out the critical dimensions on your model. ### Can I get metal 3D printed parts? Yes. DMLS and SLM fuse metal powder into fully dense parts in aluminum, stainless, tool steel, titanium, and Inconel. They are usually stress-relieved, cut off the build plate, and machined on mating faces. Send the model and note critical tolerances. ### Is 3D printing good for production? For low volumes and complex parts, yes. SLS, MJF, and metal have no tooling cost, so hundreds of complex parts can beat molding on price and geometry is effectively free. Past a few thousand simple parts, injection molding or machining usually wins on unit cost. ### What file formats should I send? STEP is best because it keeps true geometry and units. STL and 3MF work for print-ready meshes. Include material, process (or the requirement), quantity, finish, and any critical dimensions or cosmetic faces. ## Other Capabilities - [CNC Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-machining.md) - [CNC Turning](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-turning.md) - [5-Axis Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/5-axis-machining.md) - [Sheet Metal & Press Brake](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/sheet-metal-fabrication.md) - [EDM & Wire EDM](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/edm.md) - [Powder Coating](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?capability=Powder%20coating) ## Design Notes That Move Your Price Not a definition of 3D printing. The design choices that move your price, strength, and finish. - **Pick the process, not just the printer:** FDM is cheap and tough, SLA is smooth and detailed, SLS is strong with no supports, metal is end-use. Tell the shop the requirement and it routes to the right one, or spec the process yourself. - **Orientation sets strength and finish:** FDM parts are weakest between layers, so orient the print with loads running along the layers, not across them. Orientation also decides where support marks and layer lines land. - **Wall thickness has a floor:** Every process has a minimum printable wall, roughly 0.8 to 1.5 mm. Thinner walls warp or fail to print. Thicken load paths and hollow out bulk to save material and cost. - **Design for the support:** Overhangs past about 45 degrees need support that leaves marks and adds cleanup. Add fillets and chamfers, or reorient the part, to keep support off surfaces that show. ## Get 3D printing quotes Upload a model once and compare quotes from independent 3D printing shops.