3D printing FAQ: the questions people ask before ordering in the UK

Every answer below is a plain fact about Sync 3D, a 3D printing service run by two mechanical engineers in London: parts from £3.50, no minimum order, no VAT added, dispatched within 48 hours and posted to any UK address. If your question is not here, email formasync3d@gmail.com and an engineer will answer it.

Facts checked 20 September 2026. The single-table summary is on the 3D printing service UK page.

Getting a part printed

Where can I get something 3D printed in the UK?

Online, by post, from sync-3d.co.uk: upload the file, see the exact price in 30 seconds, order, and the part is printed in London and posted to any UK address by Royal Mail. There is no sign-up, no minimum order and no VAT added. Parts start at £3.50. Two mechanical engineers run the service and check every file before it prints.

How do I order a 3D print online?

Four steps. 1) Drop an STL, 3MF or STEP file on the home page; the price appears in about 30 seconds and updates live as you change material, layer height, infill or quantity. 2) Add the part to the order and enter your name, email and delivery address. 3) An engineer checks the file and emails a payment link, usually the same day. 4) The part is dispatched within 48 hours of payment with a Royal Mail tracking reference.

Can I order just one part?

Yes. One part is the most common order. The only floor is £3.50 per part; there is no minimum order value and no set-up fee. Orders of £40 or more get free Tracked 48 delivery.

Which file formats do you accept?

STL, 3MF and STEP. STL is what every slicer and most download sites produce; STEP is preferred for engineering parts because it carries exact geometry. OBJ and other formats can be converted first, or emailed for conversion. Details and common file problems are on the print my STL file page.

I only have a broken part or a photo, not a file. Can you still print it?

Yes. Email photos and measurements of the part to formasync3d@gmail.com and an engineer will model it in CAD, quote the design time and the print together, and reprint it, often tougher than the original. Examples and prices are on the replacement parts page. Safety-critical parts and parts that run hotter than about 75°C are declined.

Is my file kept private?

The quote runs inside your browser, so the file is not uploaded to anyone until you place an order. After an order it is used only to print your part and is not shared or published.

Prices

How much does it cost to 3D print a small part in the UK?

At Sync 3D a small part is £3.50 to about £10. Real September 2026 orders: a pair of gaming-chair screw inserts £7.00 for two, a solar-controller cover plate 125 × 77 × 20 mm £7.82, a camera bracket for a London lab £4.73, a vacuum-hose adapter £8.17. A phone-stand-sized part is typically £4 to £10 and a large enclosure £20 to £45. Delivery is £5.45 on top, free from £40. Worked examples are on the cost guide.

How is the price worked out?

PETG is £0.18 per gram fully loaded, meaning machine time, labour and inspection are included, with a £3.50 floor per part. The calculator measures your file, estimates shell, infill, supports and print time, and prices it. Finer layers, higher infill and rush production cost more; quantity discounts apply from 10 parts. The full list is on the prices page.

Is VAT added?

No. The price shown is the price paid. Forma Sync Ltd is not VAT-registered, so there is nothing added at checkout and no VAT to reclaim.

Do you give discounts for larger quantities?

Yes: 7% off from 10 parts, 12% from 25 and 18% from 50, applied automatically in the quote. A 30 g bracket is £5.40 as a one-off, £5.02 each at 10, £4.75 at 25 and £4.43 at 50. Runs above 50 are quoted by hand on the batch page.

What happens if my quote is over £80?

The checkout sends it as a manual quote request instead of an order. An engineer prices it properly, allowing for orientation, supports and print time, and emails a confirmed price and dispatch date within one working day. Under £80 the instant price is the price.

Can I get the quote emailed to me?

Yes. Every quote has an "Email me this quote" button that sends the price, part details and a link back to the page, so it can be forwarded to whoever approves the spend.

How do I pay?

By card, through a payment link emailed after an engineer has checked the file. Nothing is taken on the website itself. Businesses can pay by bank transfer against an invoice that carries their purchase-order number.

Delivery and timing

How long does 3D printing take?

Standard orders are dispatched within 48 hours of payment, then Royal Mail Tracked 48 takes 2 to 3 working days, so most UK customers have the part within a week and often sooner. Priority (next-day dispatch, +35%) and Express (same-day dispatch, +85%) are selectable in the quote, and Tracked 24 or Special Delivery by 1pm can be chosen at checkout.

How much is delivery?

Royal Mail Tracked 48 is £5.45 for a small parcel and free on orders of £40 or more. Tracked 24 is from £6.95 and Special Delivery guaranteed by 1pm from £11.95. Larger parcels are priced by size and weight at checkout, and a tracking reference is emailed on dispatch.

Do you deliver to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the islands?

Yes, every UK address, at the same prices. Times by region are on the 3D printing by post page.

Can I collect my part in London?

No. Every order is posted. Tracked 24 reaches London postcodes the next working day and is cheaper and faster than a trip to a workshop, which is why there is no collection point.

Do you ship outside the UK?

By quotation only. Email formasync3d@gmail.com with the destination and we will price Royal Mail International Tracked.

Materials, size and quality

Which materials can you print?

Engineering-grade PETG in black is stocked: about 50 MPa tensile strength, usable to about 75°C, good UV and water resistance, and tougher than PLA. PLA, ASA and TPU are being added at the same per-gram price. The service prints FDM only, not resin, SLS nylon or metal. See PETG vs PLA and how strong PETG is.

Which colours are available?

Black PETG at present. Other colours can be ordered in for batch runs; ask by email.

How big a part can you print?

Up to 400 × 400 × 380 mm in one piece, which is larger than most desktop services offer. Bigger parts are printed in sections and joined.

What tolerance and layer heights do you work to?

Layer heights from 0.08 mm to 0.28 mm, with 0.2 mm as the default, and dimensional tolerance of about ±0.2 mm. Press fits and threads are reviewed by an engineer, and the quote tool lets you set the infill.

Is every part checked?

Yes, twice. A mechanical engineer checks the file before printing (wall thickness, orientation, tolerances, threads, press fits) and adds design-for-manufacture notes where they help, and every printed part is hand-inspected before dispatch.

About Sync 3D

Who is behind Sync 3D?

Two brothers in London: a Ph.D. in computational fluid dynamics and an FDM specialist with 12 years of printing experience. The company is Forma Sync Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16274422. It also offers CAD design and CFD analysis.

Do you have reviews?

Yes, on Trustpilot. As of 20 September 2026 there are two reviews, both five stars, from customers who ordered in September 2026.

Do you work with businesses, labs and schools?

Yes. Prototypes, jigs, fixtures, brackets and small production runs, with a sample part printed for approval before a batch, a confirmed dispatch date before payment, and invoices carrying your purchase-order number. Education orders get a 10% rate on request.

How do I contact Sync 3D?

By email: formasync3d@gmail.com. There is no phone line, which keeps prices where they are; emails are answered within one working day, usually the same day.