Applications
What customers use FDM manufacturing for
Six application types we produce regularly, with the engineering reasoning behind them: the problem being solved, the material that fits and what matters in the design.
Assembly jigs and fixtures
Problem: Machined aluminium fixtures are accurate but slow and expensive to change, which is a problem when the product they hold is still moving.
Approach: Printed fixtures in reinforced nylon reach the stiffness needed for hand assembly and drilling guides, at a fraction of the lead time. Revisions cost a print, not a new tool path.
- Locating surfaces are designed to be printed flat, so the accurate face never sits on supports.
- Bushings and drill guides use steel inserts pressed into printed pockets.
- Repeat fixtures are produced from the same print profile so every copy matches.
Electrical housings and enclosures
Problem: Low-volume electronics need housings that pass flame-retardancy expectations without paying for an injection mould.
Approach: PC FR UL94 and ABS-FR give a flame-retardant base material with enough heat resistance for enclosed electronics, printed in the exact quantity needed.
- Snap fits are oriented so the flexing arm is not loaded along the layer boundary.
- Threaded assembly points use heat-set inserts for repeated opening and closing.
- Cable entries and vents are printed in place rather than drilled afterwards.
Replacement parts for machines out of production
Problem: A single broken plastic part can stop a machine that is otherwise fine, and the original supplier no longer stocks it.
Approach: The part is measured, redrawn and printed in a material matched to the original duty: heat, chemical contact or wear. Often the reprint is stronger than the original because the failure point can be reinforced.
- Wear surfaces move to glass or carbon filled nylon where the original used unfilled plastic.
- The known break point gets a fillet and extra wall instead of the original sharp corner.
- A second spare is produced with the first, so the next failure does not stop production.
Small and medium batch production parts
Problem: Volumes between 50 and a few thousand parts fall in the gap where tooling is not justified but hobby printing is not reliable enough.
Approach: Batches run on a fixed profile with the same material lot where possible, with dimensional checks on first, middle and last parts of the run.
- Print time per part is optimised at the design stage, since it drives unit cost more than material does.
- Repeat orders reuse the released profile so batch two matches batch one.
- Packaging and part counting are part of the process, not an afterthought.
Functional prototypes before tooling
Problem: Design decisions made on a screen are guesses until someone holds the part and loads it.
Approach: Prototypes are printed in a material close to the intended production plastic, so test results transfer instead of being thrown away.
- Fit and clearance issues are found on the bench, not after a mould is cut.
- Several design variants can be printed in one run and compared directly.
- The same file that passed testing becomes the production file.
Outdoor and UV exposed parts
Problem: Parts printed in PLA or ABS that look fine in the workshop become brittle and discoloured after a season outside.
Approach: ASA and reinforced nylon hold up far better under sunlight and weather, which is why they are the default for mounts, covers and outdoor housings.
- Colour choice matters: darker parts run hotter in direct sun, which raises the required heat resistance.
- Water traps and unvented pockets are removed at the design stage.
- Fasteners are stainless where the part is permanently mounted outdoors.
Your application is not listed?
Send us your part with the service conditions and quantity. You get a quote and a material recommendation.