Ultimate 3d-Changing how we price lower quantity part runs!
At Ultimate 3D we excel at large production runs. As a result, we compete with injection molding prices when you amortize the tooling into the mix.
We have come to realize that our pricing structure is inhibitive to the onesie, twosie quantities. Hence, we have restructured how we price your parts.
That said, if you have sent us parts to quote for small quantity runs and prototypes and found our price to be slightly too high, give us another shot at your projects!
With 1 week or less lead times, you have your parts in hand very fast. Put us to the test and see why we are an industry leader when it comes to customer service and competitive pricing.
Email us your files, tell us how many parts you want pricing for and which material you prefer. Include your contact info so we can give you a call to discuss how we can best serve your project needs!
Giving you something to Dance about!
Our mission is to provide 3D printing customers with extraordinary products and services from a team that loves doing their job. We want people to be excited about 3D printing with us.
WHAT WE DO
Rapid Prototyping: Once your CAD file is ready, we will usually print your parts in 1 week or less.
(Higher volume orders may require extra time).
We specialize in high quantity production parts and are very competitive with injection molding on lower volumes. Consequently, it is possible to make thousands a part faster and lower priced than injection molding.
We print parts that are impossible to injection mold.
We gladly review all models for printability and cost effectiveness and give constructive feedback for your benefit.
Ultimate 3D now Finishing 3D Printed Parts
Finishing 3D Printed Parts
We have teamed up with a world class Painter/Finisher to help bring your prototype and production parts to life. Finishing 3D printed price.
We offer a full spectrum of colors, once the color is decided you can chose a finish from Flat to Full Gloss finishes.
Your parts are sanded smooth, then filler primer is applied. At this point the parts are wet sanded. Then the color of choice is sprayed on. Once the color is on, a clear coat is applied in the desired finish (Flat to Full Gloss).
If you have a proof-of-concept project that you need in a hurry, we can print the parts in a week. They painted in a matter of days and shipped to you overnight!
The project below was printed in our SLS machines using Nylon 12 material. The parts also received 2mm heat staked threaded inserts for assembly purposes.
Our mission is to provide 3D printing customers with extraordinary products and services from a team that loves doing their job. We want people to be excited about 3D printing with us.
WHAT WE DO
It is called “rapid prototyping” for a good reason. Once your CAD file ready, we will usually print your parts within three to four days – faster if necessary.
(Higher volume orders may require extra time).
We specialize in high quantity production parts and are very competitive with injection molding on lower volumes. It is possible to make thousands of one part faster and lower priced than injection molding when you amortize the cost of tooling into the part cost in many cases.
We can print parts that cannot be injection molded, due to under-cuts, hollows, holes on an angle and complex geometries.
We gladly review all models for printability and cost effectiveness and give constructive feedback for your benefit.
Ultimate 3D Has Expanded
Our New Prodways P4000X printer has arrived and is up and running!
What does this mean for you? It means we can print twice as many parts keeping
our outstanding lead-time to 1 week or less.
From the beginning we have situated ourselves to be your number one supplier of 3D Printed parts, this is our way of staying at the top of your supplier list.
Our mission is to provide 3D printing customers with extraordinary products and services from a team that loves doing their job. We want people to be excited about 3D printing with us.
It is called “rapid prototyping” for a good reason. If you have your Cad file ready, we will usually print your parts within three to four days – faster if necessary.
(Higher volume orders may require extra time).
We specialize in high quantity production parts and are very competitive with injection molding on lower volumes. We can make thousands of one part and are faster and lower priced than injection molding when you amortize the cost of tooling into the part cost in many cases.
We can print parts that cannot be injection molded, due to under cuts, hollows, holes on an angle, complex geometries.
We gladly review all models for printability and cost effectiveness and give constructive feedback for your benefit.
Do you create CAD models?
While we have extensive experience and understand CAD, it is not the focus of our business. However, if you have the need for design work, several of our customers are also designers that we recommend for such services. If you have a model you need someone to look over to make sure it’s fit for printing, we can definitely do that and make suggestions when needed.
Can you print in color?
We don’t print with colored materials, but we can dye the finished products a variety of colors. We can also paint parts and apply hydrographic patterns.
What materials do you use?
Our standard material is Nylon 12, with composite variations.
Nylon 12 (durable white plastic)
Glass-filled nylon
Carbon fiber-filled nylon
Fire retardant nylon
Alumide (Aluminum filled Nylon)
* For more detailed information about our materials, check out the data sheets on our website – ult3d.hookdm.net
If you have a project that requires 3D Printing give us a call at 503-848-8227 we will gladly discuss the options for your project. Pricing will be determined after evaluation of each project. Prior to calling, email your models to quotes@ult3d.hookdm.net so we can look at them while we talk!
We are a friendly bunch and genuinely want to help!
Address: 5575 SE Alexander St, Hillsboro, OR 97123 (click to map it)
Ultimate 3D now printing with ALUMIDE
Alumide is a material used in 3D printing consisting of nylon filled with aluminum particles, its name being a combination of the words aluminum and polymide.
The aluminum in the plastic creates a unique feel and look. Your part will have a slight "sparkle" to it in a grey metallic tint. The aluminum makes it easier to "polish" the part, not a shiny polish, but a very smooth polish. We have wet sanded the material with 800 grit paper to get an almost glass feel.
The surfaces of Alumide parts can be refined very easily by grinding, polishing or coating. The machining of Alumide laser-sintered parts is simplified through the cut breaking effect of the aluminium filling.
- excellent dimensional accuracy
- well-balanced ratio of density and stiffness
- increased thermal conductivity good machinability
Applications
- Manufacture of stiff parts of metallic appearance for applications in automotive manufacture (e.g. wind tunnel tests or parts that are not safety-relevant)
- Tool inserts for injecting and moulding small production runs
- Illustrative models (metallic appearance)
- Education and jig manufacture
Alumide can also be dyed different colors. The Polymide takes on the color, while the Aluminum adds contrast.
Alumide is finding it's way into many segments of the industry for 3D printed parts, it is very strong and has a higher heat deflection than most other Nylons and filled Nylons.
If you have a part that you believe would benefit from the characteristics of Alumide, email your file(s) to quotes@ult3d.hookdm.net and we will work up a quote within an hour.
We specialize in high quantity production parts and are very competitive with injection molding on lower volumes. We can make thousands of one part and are faster and lower priced than injection molding when you amortize the cost of tooling into the part cost in many cases.
We can print parts that cannot be injection molded, due to under cuts, hollows, holes on an angle, complex geometries.
We gladly review all models for printability and cost effectiveness and give constructive feedback for your benefit.
Office Phone
503-848-8227
Quotes: quotes@ult3d.hookdm.net
Questions: info@ult3d.hookdm.net
Ultimate 3D Open House
A little over a year ago we became Ultimate 3D LLC, in celebration we want to throw a party and you are invited!
Please RSVP at info@ult3d.hookdm.net so we know how many to plan for.
Many have already committed, but we don"t want anyone left out! We will have locally grown grass fed hamburger and all the fixin"s and a tour of the facility!
Meet the crew: Robin and Patty, Tom and Tammy, Mike and Julie.
Our Mascot online casino will be here too!
Here are the details!
Everyone is welcome to show up anytime after 11:30 with lunch provided at noon. You will see where and how your parts are created, we may even have a build scheduled to change out during that time so you can see what a fun mess this process is.
For those that ride and want to explore some really cool and obscure roads west of Portland, Robin, Mike & Tom will lead a 2-3 hour ride. We will leave the shop at 8:30 am returning between 11:00 - 11:30. So be here at by 8:00 or soon after so we can go over some of the particulars of the ride.
What to bring: your appetite and questions and if you ride, bring your motorcycle.
Please RSVP info@ult3d.hookdm.net so we know how many to prepare for and let us know if you plan to be here for the ride.
Address: 5575 SE Alexander St, Hillsboro, OR 97123 (click to map it)
If you have a project that requires 3D Printing or if you are not sure if your project can be 3D printed, give us a call 503-848-8227 we will gladly discuss your project and help point you in the right direction. Prior to calling email your models to quote@ult3d.hookdm.net so we can look at them while we talk!
We are friendly and genuinely want to help!
Comparing SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) with injection molding
Before you manufacture anything, you need to decide two major things:
- What material(s) your product will be made of.
- How to manufacture it.
This post will contrast injection molding and 3D printing, specifically looking at the costs associated with each. As a common 3D production method, we're using selective laser sintering as our example.
If you want to build something out of nylon, there are a couple of popular options.
Injection molding is the process of filling the cavity of a mold with molten nylon or other material. The nylon comes in the form of beads that are typically a couple millimeters in diameter. The beads are poured into a hopper that feeds them into a heating chamber that uses an auger to move the heating beads, which are in the process of melting, to the injector(s). The injectors fill the mold. When the mold is cool enough it is split open to remove the product.
The costs involved with injection molding are based on the material and equipment used, along with the creation of the mold. The largest chunk of the cost comes from producing the mold. This is because the mold needs to be milled, typically with expensive CNC equipment to get the most accurate result. Because of the large initial cost of injection molding there is also a high cost associated with a product that is not going to be produced in mass quantities. Typically, you’ll need quantities in the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, to offset molding costs and have a good return on investment.
3D printing with SLS (selective laser sintering), on the other hand, involves using a CAD file to communicate with the 3D printer software, then adding the required material to the tool. The material, in powder form, is evenly spread across the print bed. The laser sinters, or melts, the powder for the designated cross section of a thin layer and then another layer is added. This process is repeated until the entire volume of the build is completed. The build can include many separate parts. Whatever we can fit in the build area, we will, in order to maximize volume efficiency.
3D printing costs are based on the material used, the volume of the part to be printed, and finishing. If a large quantity is requested, such as a few hundred parts, then a discount is applied. Finishing costs are all about labor and materials. For example, if you want it painted, how much does the paint cost and how much time does it take to paint all the parts?
A part with a specific volume that is manufactured with a quantity of 1,000 units to be shipped in less than 5 days will cost approximately $23 per unit using injection molding.
The same part, done by Ultimate 3D using SLS, would cost approximately $3 per unit.
3D Printing with Nylon: Why we love it, and you should too
As many of you may already know, nylon is a thermoplastic. If you're 3D printing with nylon materials, you're either using a powder that hardens into durable plastic when melted by a laser, or you're using a plastic filament that's extruded through a nozzle. Nylon has unique properties that make it a preferable material to print with in many cases.
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Why should you print with nylon?
Compared to other common 3D printing materials, nylon has quite a few advantages, which we will discuss in this post. Whether you’re considering printing your own products, or you want to order products from a third party, this should give you an introductory understanding of 3D printing with nylon.
Nylon is a thermoplastic, which allows it to be reused—whether printing via FDM or SLS. In an FDM context, the plastic can be melted and re-melted. However, the properties will change with heat and begin to break down. Most of the excess powder from SLS can be reused. Reusing nylon in the context of selective laser sintering means recycling the unaffected powder and mixing it proportionately with virgin powder to ensure that the materials continually perform their best during the build process.
We’ve made a basic list of the benefits of nylon in 3D printing. If you have any questions about these benefits or other properties of nylon, feel free to call or email us with your questions.
Benefits of 3D printing with nylon:
- 3D printing with nylon makes a much stronger part, if your other variables are correct.
- You’ll get better pliability with nylon, which can make for a more functional part.
- Typical nylon parts can be drilled, tapped, and tumbled without risking breaking or scratching the parts (unless they have incredibly thin details or appendages, in which case you want to handle parts carefully). This allows you to explore different finishing and assembly options with a low risk of breaking or damaging parts.
- Nylon is lightweight compared to many other traditional materials.
- Nylon is relatively absorbent, so dying parts printed with nylon works very well because a scratch won’t ruin the exterior. However, this also means if you print something like a coffee cup in nylon, it can end up stained unless you give it a protective finish.
- Nylon can be reused for 3D printing, which looks different depending on the type of 3D printing you’re doing.
Printing with nylon will be different depending on the method—be it selective laser sintering or fused deposition modeling. However, most of the benefits are the same, to different degrees. Keep in mind that different 3D printing technologies have different strengths and limitations, regardless of the printing material.
Pro tip! Nylon easily absorbs water from the air, so it needs to be kept in a dry storage environment.
Anything you love about printing with nylon that we didn't mention? Share in the comments below!
How much does 3D printing cost?
Many people exploring advanced manufacturing options are curious about the cost of 3D printing. Determining the cost of a 3D printing project can be tricky because the technology is relatively new and many companies differ in the way they structure their pricing. By familiarizing yourself with the basic costs associated with 3D printing, you can get a general idea of how prices are determined and know what questions to ask when you request a quote.
While traditional manufacturing requires the high initial cost of tooling (creating the proper molds), and an additional cost for each product, 3D printing is much more affordable on the front end. A 3D printer can immediately begin printing virtually any part as soon as the machine has a digital 3D model on which to base the building process. The model’s complexity typically does not affect cost of manufacturing.
Instead, cost is generally based on two simple variables:
- The volume of materials used.
- Any labor associated with finishing parts after printing.
Because SLS technology uses powder-based materials, every part must be removed from the surrounding powder and cleaned of any excess material, which feels a lot like flour. Some parts will require in-depth cleaning to clear small tubes or cavities of the powder inside. Depending on their end use, some parts require additional finishing services like hand sanding or dying, which incurs an extra labor fee.
To clarify, different 3D printing methods have different costs due to the price of building materials, as well as total build time. For the purposes of this post, we will explore the pricing for selective laser sintering (SLS), which is Ultimate 3D’s current focus.
A cost metaphor
To get a picture of how costs are incurred in the printing process, let’s use a baking metaphor. First understand that SLS forms products from a powder that turns into a solid when it comes in contact with a laser. SLS building materials include different kinds of powder that vary in price, some more than others. The products are created layer by layer within a build chamber, so the flat surface area is fixed, while the height of the total build is the flexible variable.
If you were to print just one layer of plastic cookies, the build would be shallow—like the shape of a cookie tray, with powder filling the spaces between all the cookies so it’s a solid powder slab.
In another scenario, say you’re printing a birthday cake. The build size will be much larger because the flexible variable, height, has increased. The birthday cake sits on the same size of cookie sheet, completely surrounded in powder up to its very top so you have a big cube of loose powder with the solid cake safely inside. The powder costs money, and the taller the build, the longer it takes to make. Luckily, the surrounding powder can be recycled a few times when handled properly.
So, which is more expensive to print? Some companies will charge for the total volume of the build, whether the powder is loose or “baked,” making the cake much more expensive because it’s taller. Other companies will charge only for the amount of batter baked, so if the cookies altogether have more volume, the cookies could actually be more expensive. Still, other companies might charge for a combination of these variables or have an even more complex pricing system.
If you’re hungry now and still have no idea what to expect if you ever want to 3D print something, we’ll explain how Ultimate 3D charges for 3D printing:
How Ultimate 3D sets your price.
Pricing is based simply on the amount of powder “baked” into a solid. Regardless of height or other factors, the customer pays for the volume of their finished products, measured in cubic centimeters. Customers will also receive volume discounts for higher volume orders. Finally, finishing services such as sanding or dying factor into the final cost.
Pricing per cubic centimeter will differ between companies, starting at a few dollars per cubic centimeter and rising with more expensive materials or processes. The cost of materials (some of much more expensive than others), the volume of the project, the experience of the company, and the necessary post-printing services will all affect the final cost of 3D printing.
One fascinating aspect of the cost issue is that because commercial 3D printing is relatively new, we can expect certain costs to adjust as the technology becomes more common.
How to get a good price for 3D printing services.
If you’re going to pursue 3D printing services and you want to save on dollars and cents, call around for a few quotes to see where you can get a good product for a fair price. It’s good to keep in mind that while professional 3D printers can make parts with exceptional quality, the technician’s understanding of the proper techniques for printing with each material will affect the quality of the part, including its durability and appearance. You can’t go wrong by asking some questions to make sure you’re getting the best product.