Deutsch
English
Italiano
-
Manufacturing service
-
Manufacturing processes
-
Materials
-
Manufacturing processes
-
Other services
-
Knowledge area
Print it yourself or have it 3D-printed?
When it pays off to use a professional 3D printing service
3D printing has developed rapidly in recent years and is no longer only found in industry. Many hobbyists and companies use their own FDM or SLS printers to produce components directly on site. But does this always make sense? And when is a professional 3D printing service the better choice?
Which printing technologies are the most common for private use and beginners?
Anyone who only prints 3D on the side at home or at work usually uses one of these technologies:
- • FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling): Affordable and widely used, ideal for prototypes and simple functional components.
- • SLA (Stereolithography): High-resolution resin printing, often used for detailed models.
Advantages of in-house 3D printing
- • Full control over the printing process: changes can be implemented immediately.
- • Rapid prototype development: Particularly useful for iterative design processes.
- • Lower unit costs with frequent printing: If printing is done frequently, the investment can quickly pay for itself.
Typical use cases for in-house 3D printing
In-house 3D printing is particularly suitable for prototypes that are used for very simple mechanical tests. Spare parts for private use are also easy to produce yourself, provided they do not have high material and precision requirements. In addition, in-house 3D printing is ideal for decorative and hobby projects where individual design options are more important than industrial dimensional accuracy.
When does in-house 3D printing reach its limits?
Material and quality requirements
The choice of materials for home printers is usually limited to standard materials such as PLA, PETG or ABS. High-performance plastics or metal are almost impossible to produce with conventional desktop printers, as they require special printing technologies and high temperatures. This can significantly limit the possible applications. Handling resin printers is not entirely straightforward, as the liquid resins can be harmful to health and must be used carefully and disposed of with care.
Post-processing and time required
3D printing does not end with the printing process. Many components need to be post-processed, whether by grinding, painting or hardening, in order to achieve the desired surface quality. In addition, support structures are often required that need to be removed after printing. These work steps can be time-consuming and often require additional manual skills and suitable tools.
When is a professional 3D printing service worthwhile?
A professional 3D printing service offers numerous advantages, especially when high precision, expertise and material diversity are required. Specialized platforms such as the PROTIQ Marketplace offer a wide range of materials, from plastics and metals to ceramics. This means that special requirements can also be met that would not be feasible with home printers. Another decisive advantage is that there are no high investment costs. Especially for one-off, sporadic or complex projects, it is worthwhile using an external provider instead of purchasing expensive machines and building up the expertise yourself. This not only saves companies high investment costs, but also allows them to benefit from the expertise of experienced service providers who already have specialized technologies and processes at their disposal.
A professional 3D printing service is particularly suitable for applications in which functional end components have to withstand high loads. It is also often more economical to rely on a professional solution for series production of small to medium series. High-quality prototypes with tight dimensional tolerances also benefit from the precision of industrial systems. Furthermore, professional 3D printing is often the only practicable solution in medical technology, aerospace and other industrial applications, as there are special requirements in terms of material and processing quality.
Which solution is the best fit for which need?
Whether it is better to purchase your own 3D printer or use a professional service provider depends largely on your needs. Anyone who frequently needs very simple, fast and cost-effective prototypes or has recurring internal applications could benefit from in-house 3D printing. On the other hand, a professional 3D printing service is particularly worthwhile for high-quality, complex or resilient components as well as for series production or special materials. In many cases, a combination of both approaches can also make sense.
Tip: On the PROTIQ Marketplace, you will find a wide range of 3D printing services for various materials and processes as well as 3D printing training programs for companies – always a PROTIQ more practical!
More News
Are your 3D files ready?
Just upload your data. All files are automatically checked and optimized for printing.
