3D printing from STEP files: upload the CAD file, get the price

Sync 3D accepts STEP, STL and 3MF straight from the quote tool. STEP is read in your browser, converted to a watertight mesh at the resolution the printer can actually use, and priced in about 30 seconds. You keep the exact geometry from SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, Inventor or FreeCAD, and the engineer who checks the file sees your real dimensions, not a coarse export.

Prices and facts checked 24 October 2026: parts from £3.50, PETG £0.18 a gram all-in, delivery from £2.70 (large letter for thin parts) or £5.45 tracked (free over £40), no VAT, dispatch within 48 hours.

Why STEP is the better upload

• Exact geometry: true cylinders and threads instead of faceted approximations, so holes and press fits come out at the size you drew.
• Units are unambiguous: STEP carries millimetres; an STL drawn in inches or metres arrives 25 or 1,000 times the wrong size, which the tool flags but you then have to fix.
• Nothing to export: save from your CAD package and upload. Assemblies are split into their bodies and priced per part.

What the quote tool does with it

The file never leaves your browser until you order. It is tessellated at 0.02 mm chord tolerance, checked for closed volumes, measured for bounding box, volume and surface area, and priced from the grams of PETG and the estimated print time. Change layer height, infill or quantity and the price updates live. ±0.2 mm dimensional tolerance; 0.08 to 0.28 mm layers; up to 400 × 400 × 380 mm.

Prices

PETG £0.18 a gram all-in, £3.50 floor per part, no VAT, 7% to 18% off from 10 parts. Over £80 an engineer confirms the price by email.

Questions people ask

Can I upload a STEP file for a 3D printing quote?

Yes. Sync 3D's quote tool reads STEP (.step/.stp), STL and 3MF directly in the browser and prices the part in about 30 seconds; no conversion to STL is needed and the file is not uploaded until you order.

Is STEP better than STL for 3D printing?

For engineering parts, yes: STEP keeps exact curves, threads and millimetre units, so holes and fits print at the drawn size and nothing arrives at the wrong scale. STL is fine for organic or already-meshed models.

What tolerance do you hold?

About ±0.2 mm on a well-designed PETG part, ±0.5 mm over 200 mm. Press fits and threads are reviewed by an engineer before printing.

Which CAD packages work?

Any that export STEP AP203 or AP214: SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, Inventor, FreeCAD, Rhino, Creo and NX among them.