Printer Options

Find the right 3D printer for your job.

Compare Printers
FDM (Makerbot) 3D printing is offered at the NExT Lab, not the Fab Lab.
HP Jet Fusion
Resin
FDM (NExt Lab)
Outcome Examples

Printer Parameters
​Title
​Title
Pros
Strong & flexible, great for end use and delicate parts
Full colour printing for vibrant models
Great value for printing many parts as cost based on overall print height
Cons
Cost by height can mean small prints can be expensive
Thin and flat parts may warp
Base material is blue-ish white
Surface finish rough
Small parts may get lost during post-processing
Print Material
HP 3D High Reusability CB PA 12 (Thermoplastic)
Build Area
332 W x 190 D x 248 H (mm)
Supports Needed
No
Resolution
Fine detail and high dimensional accuracy
Surface Finish
Textured
Colour
Full colour, Black or White
Strength
Engineering grade parts
Cost
$$$ Use the price estimation tool on our job submission platform to get an idea of the cost of your job
Outcome Examples
Printer Parameters
​Title
​Title
Pros
Wide variety of materials including clear + coloured resins, and engineering materials
Smoothest surface finish - can print down to 0.025mm layer height
Able to print tight tollerance parts due to high resolution of printer
Great for small, intricate parts
Cons
Printing method requires support material
Smaller print volume than other printers
Resin is relatively expensive compared to other technologies
Print Material
Resin
Build Area
145 W x 145 D x 185 H (mm)
Supports Needed
Yes
Resolution
High level of detail and accuracy
Surface Finish
Smooth
Colour
Black, White or Clear*
Strength
Durable
Cost
$ ($0.30 x Print Volume (cm3))
Outcome Example FDM vs Resin
Pros & Cons
Title
​Title
Pros
Fastest option
Cheapest option
Many colours to choose from
Cons
Low resolution
Layers evident
Supports can be difficult to remove
Print Material
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
Build Area
Replicator+ : 295 W x 195 D x 165 H (mm)
Replicator Z18 : 300 W x 305mm D x 457mm H (mm)
Supports Needed
Yes
Resolution
Low level of detail
Surface Finish
Textured, layers evident
Colour
Full Colour or White (off-white after curing)
Strength
Durable
Cost
$ ($0.15 per gram)
Download 3D Printing Template file here:
2023_3Dprint_template_R5.3dm
247KB
Binary
3D Printing Template
Once you have chosen the right printer for your job, you can use the Quick Start Guide to prepare and submit your file:
HP Jet Fusion Guide
Resin Guide
Broken link

3D Printing - Previous

3D Printing Explained

HP Jet Fusion Guide

Last modified 16d ago

Title	Title
Pros	Strong & flexible, great for end use and delicate parts Full colour printing for vibrant models Great value for printing many parts as cost based on overall print height
Cons	Cost by height can mean small prints can be expensive Thin and flat parts may warp Base material is blue-ish white Surface finish rough Small parts may get lost during post-processing
Print Material	HP 3D High Reusability CB PA 12 (Thermoplastic)
Build Area	332 W x 190 D x 248 H (mm)
Supports Needed	No
Resolution	Fine detail and high dimensional accuracy
Surface Finish	Textured
Colour	Full colour, Black or White
Strength	Engineering grade parts
Cost	$$$ Use the price estimation tool on our job submission platform to get an idea of the cost of your job