3D PRINTING GUIDES
Expert guides and resources to help you understand 3D printing, manufacturing methods, and make informed decisions.
3D Printing vs Traditional Manufacturing
Comprehensive comparison of 3D printing with traditional manufacturing methods. Costs, lead times, design freedom.
READ GUIDE →3D Printing Materials Guide
Complete guide to 3D printing materials. PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU. Choose the right material for your project.
READ GUIDE →3D File Formats Guide
Complete guide to STL, 3MF, OBJ, STEP, and IGES formats. Learn which format to use for your project.
READ GUIDE →STL File Preparation
Step-by-step guide to preparing 3D models for printing. Mesh repair, optimisation, best practices.
READ GUIDE →Layer Height & Print Quality
Understand layer height, resolution, and quality settings. Choose the right settings for your project.
READ GUIDE →Post-Processing Techniques
Transform prints into professional products. Sanding, painting, smoothing, and finishing techniques.
READ GUIDE →Design for 3D Printing
Master designing parts for 3D printing. Best practices, design rules, common mistakes to avoid.
READ GUIDE →Cost Optimisation
Reduce 3D printing costs by up to 60%. Proven strategies for material, time, and design optimisation.
READ GUIDE →Troubleshooting Guide
Fix common 3D printing problems quickly. Get your prints right the first time.
READ GUIDE →SLA Resin Printing Guide
Complete guide to SLA resin printing. Process, materials, strengths, limitations, and post-processing explained.
READ GUIDE →Designing for SLA on the Form 4
SLA design rules and dimensional tolerances: minimum wall thickness, feature sizes, clearances, and tolerance bands by part size.
READ GUIDE →Choosing an SLA Resin
A decision tree and comparison table for our 14 Formlabs Form 4 resins — tough, rigid, flexible, silicone, high-temp and castable.
READ GUIDE →SLA Resin Technical Reference
The published numbers for every Form 4 resin we print — tensile strength, modulus, elongation, impact, heat deflection and Shore hardness — plus what won't run on a Form 4 at all.
READ GUIDE →FDM vs SLA — Which Should You Choose?
Honest comparison of FDM and SLA. Strength, detail, cost, durability, and when to use each technology.
READ GUIDE →PLA vs PETG — Which Filament Should You Choose?
Honest comparison of the two most common FDM filaments. Strength, durability, finish, cost, and the right pick for your project.
READ GUIDE →How Much Does 3D Printing Cost in the UK?
Real prices for 3D printing in the UK in 2026. Costs by technology, size, and material — plus how 3D printing compares to CNC and injection moulding.
READ GUIDE →Get a Printables Model Printed
The easy one: paste the Printables link and we pull the files in for you. No account, no download.
READ GUIDE →Get a MakerWorld Model Printed
Bambu Lab's model site. Sign in with a free Bambu account, download the 3MF or STL, upload it to us.
READ GUIDE →Get a Thingiverse Model Printed
No account needed. Click Download All Files, upload the zip to us — we pull the printable files out.
READ GUIDE →Get a Cults3D Model Printed
Free and paid models. Sign in, download (or buy first), upload the file to us for a price.
READ GUIDE →Get a MyMiniFactory Model Printed
Big on miniatures and tabletop. Free account, click Download, upload the files to us.
READ GUIDE →Get a GrabCAD Model Printed
Engineering CAD library. Free account, download the STEP or STL, upload it to us — we accept STEP directly.
READ GUIDE →Get a Thangs Model Printed
Search engine and library in one. Free account, click Download, upload the STL to us.
READ GUIDE →