In-House Service
3D Printing
We use FDM 3D printing to produce functional, load-bearing components for agriculture, mining, and industry. If you have never had anything 3D printed before, this page will tell you what you need to know — and why we have a conversation before we give you a price.
What is FDM 3D Printing?
FDM stands for Fused Deposition Modelling. In plain terms: a machine melts a strand of plastic and deposits it in precise layers, one on top of the other, until a three-dimensional part is built up from the base. Think of it like a very controlled hot-glue gun following a computer-generated path — except the result is a solid, structural component.
The process is well suited to producing parts that are complex in shape, custom in size, and needed quickly — without the cost of tooling or the minimum quantities that traditional manufacturing methods require. A single bracket, a replacement housing, a custom jig — all are practical candidates for 3D printing where they would be impractical or expensive to machine or cast.
When the right material is chosen and the part is set up correctly, FDM components can handle real operating loads, chemical exposure, UV, heat, and impact. The key phrase is set up correctly — which is why we talk before we print.
Why We Don't Quote Online
Our laser cutting service offers an instant online quote because the key variables — material, thickness, and cut length — largely determine the cost and the outcome. 3D printing is different.
Before a single layer is deposited, a series of decisions have to be made: which material is right for the operating environment, how the part should be oriented on the build plate, how dense the internal structure needs to be, whether support material is required and how it will be removed, and whether any post-processing is needed for fit or finish. Get these wrong and the part may look fine but fail in service. Getting them right requires knowing what the part actually needs to do.
We ask a few questions first — not to slow things down, but to make sure what we recommend will actually work for the job. That conversation usually takes minutes, and it means you get a part that performs rather than one that merely exists.
What We Focus On
Our 3D printing work is focused on functional components — parts that carry loads, withstand operating conditions, and need to perform reliably in the field. That includes replacement and reverse-engineered components for agricultural and mining equipment, custom brackets and housings, jigs and fixtures for fabrication and assembly, and application-specific parts where off-the-shelf options don't exist or don't fit.
We are not the right fit for decorative prints, novelty items, or display models. Not because there is anything wrong with that work — it is simply not where our capability and focus lies. If what you need is a part that has to do a job, we are the right conversation to have.
Ten Years of Real-World FDM
We have been CAD designing and producing functional FDM components for industrial applications for ten years. Not prototypes for a shelf — parts that go into operating equipment and need to keep working. That decade of hands-on experience is the difference between knowing what a material specification says and knowing how a part actually behaves under load, heat, and repeated stress in the field.
When a part comes to us that is suited to 3D printing, we don't just orient the file and press go. We look at it as a design problem first. A part designed with 3D printing in mind — with the geometry, wall thickness, load paths, and material properties considered from the start — will outperform a direct copy of a machined part every time. That process is what Design for Manufacture means in this context: we redesign for the process, not just translate it.
Where validation is needed, we work through it methodically — test iterations are purposeful, not exploratory. We define what the part needs to achieve, identify the variables most likely to affect that, and test against them specifically. The goal is always a confirmed, performing part — not an open-ended development cycle on your budget.
Materials
We work primarily with commodity FDM materials. In our experience, exceptional results come from understanding your materials deeply — knowing their limits, their failure modes, and how to get the most out of them — not from chasing exotic alternatives. The right material for the job is the one that does the job.
PLA
A reliable, easy-to-print material suited to prototypes, jigs, and low-stress indoor parts. Not recommended where heat or impact resistance is required.
PETG
A step up from PLA in toughness and chemical resistance. A strong general-purpose choice for brackets, housings, and parts that see moderate loads or outdoor exposure.
ASA
Designed for outdoor use. Resists UV degradation, heat, and moisture — well suited to agricultural and industrial applications where parts live outside.
Nylon
Tough, slightly flexible, and highly wear-resistant. Excellent for gears, bushings, cable guides, and anything that needs to absorb impact or repeated movement.
Polycarbonate
One of the strongest FDM materials available. Used where high impact resistance and elevated operating temperatures are a genuine requirement.
Carbon-Fibre Filled Variants
Carbon-fibre reinforced versions of PETG, Nylon, and Polycarbonate. Significantly stiffer and lighter than their base materials — used where rigidity-to-weight ratio matters.
Developing Capabilities
We are actively developing capability in metal additive manufacturing — the ability to produce structural metal components directly from a digital model, without traditional tooling or machining. For the right application, this changes what is possible: complex internal geometries that cannot be machined, consolidated assemblies that would otherwise require multiple parts, and rapid production of critical spares without waiting for a foundry or a machine shop queue.
The industries where this matters most are the ones we are targeting deliberately. Oil and gas infrastructure runs on ageing plant where OEM supply chains have dried up and lead times on critical spares are measured in months. Defence procurement requires components produced to exacting standards with full documentation and no ambiguity about provenance. Both environments reward suppliers who understand the stakes — and who have the discretion and the process discipline to operate in them.
If you have requirements in these areas — current or anticipated — we welcome a confidential conversation. We understand this is a long game and we are playing it seriously.
Tell Us What You Need
No forms, no instant calculators — just a straightforward conversation about what you're trying to achieve. Reach out and we'll take it from there.