Your file is ready, or at least you know exactly what part you need. And yet the form has been sitting in a browser tab for three days. What stops most people is rarely the price: it is not knowing what happens after you click. Here is the whole journey, step by step.
A quote is not an order
Let's clear the real hurdle first. Requesting a quote from us is free and commits you to nothing: you get a price, and you do what you like with it.
The other question that comes up constantly: there is no minimum order. We produce from a single unit. One bracket for your shelf is as valid a project as a batch, and discounts apply on identical copies.
Step 1: gather what you need before writing
This is the step that decides the rest. A precise quote takes ten minutes to prepare.
The file
We accept three formats: STL, the most common one, which describes only the surface of your object; OBJ, which can also carry colours and textures; and 3MF, the most recent, which additionally embeds units and scale. Attach the file directly or send us a link to the model.
A word on rights: you remain responsible for what you send us, whether it is your own modelling work or a model sourced elsewhere. On our side, your files are never shared or reused without your agreement.
No file at all? That is not a blocker, but the route is different: we covered it in our article on ordering a 3D print without a file, starting from photos, dimensions and a sketch.
What the file doesn't say
A 3D model carries neither your intended use nor your constraints. These four details are often worth more than the file itself:
- What the part is actually for. Decorative, handled daily, left outdoors, under mechanical load: this is what drives the choice of plastic.
- The quantity. One, ten, a hundred. The unit price is not the same.
- The date you need it by. A birthday, a trade show, an urgent repair. Say so, even roughly.
- The finish you expect. A bare functional part, or a finished object meant to be seen.
Finishing, if you want any
Four options exist at the workshop: sanding followed by primer, the undercoat that evens out the surface before painting; hand painting; varnish, in matt, satin or gloss; and simple assembly, if your model is designed for magnets, screws or inserts. Our article on what finishing really changes goes through them.
Step 2: send the request
Two ways in. The on-demand 3D printing page if your file is ready. The workshop form if your need has to be described before it can be priced.
Either way, a slightly long message beats one more round trip: every question we have to ask adds your own reply time to the total.
Step 3: the answer within 24 hours
We come back with a free quote within 24 hours. It is not a figure pulled out of the air: pricing rests on two concrete items, material charged by the kilo depending on the plastic chosen, and machine time at 7 €/h, meaning the hours your part occupies one of our machines.
On materials, PLA starts at 22 €/kg and suits decorative pieces and figurines; PETG is 26 €/kg for anything under mechanical load; TPU, the flexible one, is 35 €/kg; Nylon is 65 €/kg for the most demanding technical needs. As orders of magnitude, a small part starts around 15 €, a medium one sits between 40 and 50 €, a large or technical part goes beyond 120 €.
If the detail of that calculation interests you, our dedicated article breaks down the price levers and explains how to act on them.
The answer isn't always a plain number, either. A wall that is too thin, an acrobatic overhang, a material poorly matched to the stated use: we flag it rather than print a part that will disappoint you.
Step 4: accept, adjust, or leave it there
Three possible outcomes, all normal. You accept and pay. You come back to adjust something: a different material, a different quantity, one finishing step fewer to fit a budget. Or you don't follow up, and the quote costs you nothing.
Step 5: production
Once accepted and paid, your part goes into production within 12 hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm. Production itself then takes 3 to 5 working days depending on the complexity of the part and the workshop's workload.
What happens during that time, from file to parcel, we described in inside the workshop.
Step 6: getting your part
Two options. Tracked delivery within mainland France, from 6,90 €. Or free pickup at the workshop in Vatimont, in the Moselle: if you are nearby it is the most direct route, and the coffee is on us.
Three mistakes that cost you a day
Sending a file without saying what the part is for. We then have to guess the material, or ask you. One sentence is enough.
Forgetting the scale. A model downloaded online is not always at the right size. If a dimension is critical, give it in millimetres in your message.
Waiting until the day before your deadline. Quote within 24 hours, production launched within 12 hours, then 3 to 5 working days: do that arithmetic upfront.
Frequently asked questions
Is the quote really free and non binding?
Yes. You get a price within 24 hours and you decide afterwards. Nothing happens automatically.
Can I request a quote for a single part?
Yes, there is no minimum order. Discounts apply to identical copies, but they are not a condition for ordering.
How long between acceptance and delivery?
Production starts within 12 hours of acceptance and payment, then 3 to 5 working days depending on complexity and workshop load. Add shipping time if you are having it delivered.
What if my part is really a resin or laser job?
The route is the same. For a high-definition part, a prototype or a micro-mechanism, look at resin printing. For an object to personalise in wood, acrylic, leather or coated metal, that is laser cutting and engraving.
Send your request
The hard part is done: you know what to expect. Describe your project on the workshop form, with your file if you have one, your intended use and your deadline. You get a priced answer within 24 hours, and someone in the Moselle to talk it through. Still weighing a workshop against an online platform? We compare the two here.