Ordering a custom part used to mean e-mailing a file, waiting a day or two for a quote, and going back and forth about materials. Today you can order a 3D print online in a few minutes: upload the model, see the price, pay, and the part arrives at your door. This guide walks through each step as it works in our shop, including what happens behind the scenes after you pay, so you know exactly what to expect.
Step 1: get your file ready
You need a 3D model of the part as an STL, 3MF or OBJ file of up to 50 MB. Three things make the difference between a part that prints first time and one that needs a second try:
- The size is right: the model is in millimetres.
- The mesh is closed: one solid without holes in its surface.
- The orientation is how you want it printed: we print the model the way it lies in the file, so put the flattest side down.
Which format to choose is explained in STL vs 3MF vs OBJ, and the full checklist is in how to prepare an STL for 3D printing.
Step 2: upload it and get an instant quote
To order a 3D print online, open the instant 3D print quote and drop in your file. Our slicer prepares the model exactly the way our printer will print it. That is why the price is a real price and not an estimate based on the size of a box around your part. You see a 3D preview and the dimensions it read from your file, so a units mistake shows up straight away.
Step 3: choose how it is made
- Material: PLA, PETG, ASA / ABS or flexible TPU. Our filament guide helps you choose.
- Colour: the colours we stock for that material.
- Quality: Draft, Standard or Fine, which is the layer height and decides the surface.
- Strength: Light, Standard or Strong, which is the walls and infill.
- Quantity: up to 100 pieces. The quote shows the price per piece at 1, 5, 10 and 25, so you see where a larger batch gets cheaper.
Every change is sliced again and the price updates within seconds. What each setting really does is explained in layer height, walls and infill.
Step 4: check the shipping and the delivery date
Pick your country and the quote adds the shipping cost and an expected delivery date. That date is not a standard promise. It counts the time we need to check your model, the prints already in the queue before yours, the printing itself and PostNL’s usual delivery time to your country. We ship worldwide.
Not ready to order yet? Have the quote e-mailed to you as a PDF. It stays valid for 14 days and links straight back to your quote.
Step 5: pay at checkout
Add the print to your cart, together with anything else from the shop if you like, and pay with iDEAL, a card, PayPal or another local payment method. Payments run through Stripe and PayPal; we never see your card details.
A custom print is made to your specifications, so the 14-day right of withdrawal that applies to our ready-made products does not apply to it. That is why the next step exists.
Step 6: a person checks your model
Before anything is printed, we look at your model ourselves: is it printable the way it lies, will thin parts survive, does anything need supports that would ruin a visible surface? We usually do this within one working day, at the latest within two. If we cannot print it well, you get your money back in full, with no discussion.
Step 7: printing, packing and shipping
Your part is printed on our Voron 2.4 in the Netherlands, cleaned up, checked and packed with care. It ships with PostNL and tracking. After dispatch, delivery usually takes:
| Destination | Working days after dispatch |
|---|---|
| The Netherlands | 1 to 2 |
| Rest of the EU | 3 to 6 |
| Rest of the world | 5 to 14 |
You receive the tracking link by e-mail, and you can follow your order on our track my order page. More about costs, countries and customs is on the shipping information page, and the carrier’s own tracking is at PostNL.
What happens to your file
Your model stays on our own server and is never shared. If you do not order, it is deleted within 30 days. If you do order, we keep it while your order can still need it, for example for a warranty reprint, and then it is deleted too.
Tips when you order a 3D print online for the first time
- Start with one piece of a new design; order the batch once it fits.
- Use Draft quality for test fits; it is the fastest and cheapest.
- Choose ASA / ABS for anything that sits in the sun or in a hot car.
- Lay long, thin parts flat in your file so they bend along their layers, not across them.
Have a model ready? Get your instant quote: it takes seconds and there is no obligation to order.
