Production parts as final parts from 3D printing
For small and medium quantities, 3D printing stays the right manufacturing method over the entire product life cycle, not just for the prototype. With documented parameters, lot tracking and easy reordering.
Series in 4 to 15 working days, depending on quantity
When printing remains the right series solution
Not every series has to eventually move into an injection mold. Many products stay permanently at small to medium volumes, where tooling cost would never pay back.
Niche products with stable demand
A few hundred parts per year, where an injection mold would never pay back, but printing remains reorderable at any time.
High-variant series parts
Products with multiple configurations, where each variant would need its own tool, but in printing is just a different file.
Spare and accessory parts over the product lifetime
Parts requested in small quantities over years, without stocking large lot sizes.
Series parts with frequent design updates
Products under active development, where tool changes would make every iteration more expensive.
Suitable materials
For series parts, reproducibility over the entire run matters most. We choose materials that process stably and deliver consistent properties across multiple reorders.
- PETGTough, food-safe-capable everyday workhorse.
- ABSClassic engineering ABS - strong, affordable, easy to finish.
- PA12Tough, low-friction nylon for functional mechanical parts.
- PCPolycarbonate - high impact, high heat, transparent option.
- ASAThe outdoor specialist - ABS mechanics with true UV stability.
- PLAFast, affordable prototyping and visual parts.
Details for stable series production
- 01Critical dimensions with tolerance, so inspection during the series is unambiguous.
- 02Planned annual quantity and lot sizes, to plan capacity and delivery rhythm.
- 03Whether an inspection report or first article check is required.
- 04Packaging requirements, for example individual packaging or bags per lot size.
- 05Whether design changes are expected during the product lifetime.
3D printing as permanent series production, not just prototyping
Many companies think of 3D printing first for prototyping, yet for a large part of manufacturing industry printing remains the most economical method over the entire product life cycle. Quantity is the deciding factor: as long as a product stays at a few hundred to a few thousand parts per year, an injection mold rarely pays back. Cost per part in printing does fall with rising quantity, but much more gradually than in injection molding, where high tooling cost only disappears after large lot sizes.
Repeatability over the entire product lifetime is the second key point for genuine series parts. We print with fixed, documented parameters per part and material, so a reorder after a year runs through the same process as the first batch. Critical dimensions are spot-checked during the series run, not only at the start and end of the batch, so deviations from material variation or machine condition surface early rather than at the customer.
Drawings and inspection requirements pay off much more for series parts than for a single piece, because they form the basis for every later reorder. An inspection drawing with the truly critical dimensions, rather than a complete dimensioning of every detail, keeps inspection effort manageable and makes clear what actually matters for the series. If demand grows significantly over time, for example to tens of thousands of parts per year with small, unchanging geometry, that is the point where switching to injection molding can pay off financially, and we say so even when it reduces our own order volume.
Manufacturing data at a glance
- Location
- Schleswig, Germany
- Part size
- up to approx. 250 x 250 x 250 mm, larger parts split and joined
- Quantities
- 1 to several thousand, no minimum order quantity
- Tolerances
- approx. ±0.2 mm for PLA, PETG and carbon grades, ±0.3 mm for ABS, ASA and PC
- Layer height
- 0.10 to 0.30 mm
- Materials
- 20 engineering filaments from PLA to PA12-CF and PC FR
- File formats
- STEP, STL, 3MF, OBJ, IGES up to 200 MB
- Lead time
- 2 to 4 working days for samples, 4 to 15 working days for series
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Series parts FAQ
- At what quantity does injection molding pay off instead of printing?
- This depends heavily on part size and tooling cost, but often falls in the range of a few thousand to tens of thousands of parts per year. At lower volumes or with frequent design changes, printing usually stays cheaper because no tool needs to be financed.
- How do you ensure part 1 and part 500 look the same?
- We print series with fixed parameters, the same filament lot where possible and documented print settings. Samples are measured during the run, so deviations surface early rather than only at the end of the batch.
- Do I get a dimensioned drawing or an inspection report?
- On request we prepare an inspection drawing with critical dimensions and deliver a measurement report with the series. Without a specification we check against the STEP file and standard manufacturing tolerances.
- Can I simply reorder later?
- Yes, we store part data, material and print parameters for reference. A reorder runs without renewed discussion as long as the drawing and requirements have not changed.
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