Confidential 3D printing: priced in your browser, sliced on our own computer, printed locally
Some printers and quoting services send your model to a cloud the moment you drop it in: a manufacturer's slicer account, an analysis server, a marketplace. Sync 3D does none of that. The quote is calculated by code running in your browser, the file is only transferred when you order, it goes to our own order store, it is sliced on a workshop computer and the printer runs from that machine. No cloud slicer, no manufacturer account, no third party ever holds your geometry. Same prices as every other order, no confidentiality surcharge.
Prices and facts checked 25 October 2026: parts from £3.50, PETG £0.18 a gram all-in, delivery from £2.43 (large letter for thin parts, £2.90 tracked) or £5.45 Tracked 48 in a box (free over £40), no VAT, dispatch within 48 hours, files deleted 30 days after dispatch.
Where your file goes, step by step
| Step | Where the file is | Who can see it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Quote | Your browser only. JavaScript parses the STL, STEP or 3MF, checks it is watertight, measures it and prices it. | You. Nothing is transferred; an anonymous record of size, weight and price is kept with no file. |
| 2. Order | Over HTTPS to Sync 3D's own order store, a database on Cloudflare reachable only with our private key. The order email carries a keyed download link, not the file. | The two Sync 3D engineers. |
| 3. Slicing | Downloaded to the workshop computer and sliced there with cloud features off. The printer runs from that computer, not from a manufacturer's cloud account. | The engineer printing it. |
| 4. Printing and inspection | Printed on our own machine in London, hand inspected, packed. No photographs are published without written permission. | The engineer printing it. |
| 5. After dispatch | Deleted from the order store 30 days after dispatch; the workshop copy is removed on the same schedule. Earlier deletion on request. | Nobody. |
One honest exception: if our order store were unreachable at the moment you order, the checkout falls back to a short-lived temporary file link so the order still reaches us; the link expires and the copy is deleted. It has not been needed since the order store went live in September 2026.
How files leak elsewhere
None of this is exotic; it is the default on much of the market, and it is worth asking any service these four questions.
- Cloud slicers. Several popular desktop printers slice and print through the manufacturer's cloud account. The model is uploaded to that company's servers, kept in a library and governed by their terms, not the print shop's.
- Server-side quoting. Many instant-quote sites send the file to a server for analysis the moment it is dropped in, before you have decided to order, and keep it.
- Marketplaces and hubs. Platforms that route your job to third-party makers pass the file to whichever workshop accepts it.
- Email attachments. A file sent by email sits in inboxes, sent folders and backups indefinitely.
Work where confidentiality matters
| Application | Why privacy matters | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-patent prototypes | A public disclosure can defeat a patent application. Your geometry stays in two pairs of hands and is deleted after 30 days. | Prototype by Tracked 48, NDA first if you prefer. |
| Startup hardware under NDA | Investors and partners expect the file never to leave your control. We sign your NDA or provide ours. | Iterations at £0.18 a gram, Priority dispatch for deadlines. |
| Jigs, fixtures and tooling | A fixture reveals how you make your product. Printed, inspected and shipped without any photograph or description published. | Batch pricing from 10 parts, reorders at the same unit price. |
| Parts for your own clients | Agencies, repairers and engineers who print under their own name. Unbranded parcels, no contact with your customer. | Your business name as sender on request. |
| University and competition work | Formula Student, research rigs and dissertations where the design is the result. Education rate available. | 10% education rate with a university email. |
| Replacement parts for proprietary machinery | Modelled from photos and measurements of the broken part; the CAD is yours and is not reused. | You own the resulting STL and STEP files. |
| Unreleased products and packaging | Housings, mock-ups and fit checks before launch. | Dispatch within 48 hours, Tracked 24 for next-day. |
| Personalised items | Parts carrying names, addresses, dates or medical details. | Same deletion schedule, no marketing use. |
What we put in writing
- A mutual NDA, yours or our one-page version, signed before any file is sent.
- No use of your geometry, photographs or project description in marketing, case studies or examples without written permission. The delivered examples on this site are described by part type and price only.
- Written confirmation of deletion on request, store and workshop.
- A named engineer who handles the job from file check to dispatch.
- Parts are uncertified prototypes and components; for medical, aerospace or safety-critical use the customer carries certification. Full terms are on the policies page.
What we do record
Honesty cuts both ways. Each quote sends a small anonymous record to our own server: file type, dimensions, weight, material, price and how the visit started (for example "Google Ads" or "ChatGPT"). It holds no file, name, email, cookie or IP address. When you order we keep your name, email, delivery address and order history as our accounting record; card payments are handled by Stripe and never touch our systems. Google Analytics loads only if you accept the banner. The full privacy policy is a page long.
Questions people ask
Is my STL uploaded when I get a 3D printing quote?
No. At Sync 3D the quote tool reads the STL, STEP or 3MF with JavaScript in your own browser, measures it and prices it there. Nothing is transferred until you press Place order; close the tab and the file has gone nowhere. The only record of a quote is anonymous: file type, dimensions, weight and price, with no file, name or address.
Do you use a cloud slicer or a cloud-connected printer?
No. Ordered files are downloaded to a workshop computer, sliced there with the slicer's cloud features switched off, and the printer runs from that computer. The printer is not signed in to a manufacturer's cloud account, so your model is never uploaded for slicing, previewing or printing.
Who can see my file after I order?
The two engineers who run Sync 3D. The file sits in our own order store on Cloudflare, reachable only with our private key, and the order email we receive carries a keyed download link rather than the file itself. We do not share, publish or reuse customer geometry, and we never show a customer's part in marketing without written permission.
How long do you keep my file?
Thirty days after dispatch the file is deleted from the order store, and the workshop copy is removed on the same schedule. The order record itself (name, address, amounts, dates) is kept as an accounting record. Earlier deletion, or written confirmation of deletion, is available on request.
Will you sign an NDA for 3D printing work?
Yes. Email a mutual NDA before you order, or ask for our short one-page version. Confidential jobs are priced exactly like any other: PETG at £0.18 a gram with a £3.50 floor, no VAT, no minimum order.
Can you print parts for my own customers without your branding?
Yes. Parts ship unbranded, packaging carries no Sync 3D marketing, and we do not contact your customer. Tell us in the order notes if the parcel should show your business name as the sender.
Price the part without uploading it
Drop the file in, read the price, close the tab if you like: nothing has left your browser. Order when you are ready and the file goes only to us.
Get an instant quote