Question 1

How do I get started with a project?

Accepted Answer

Send us a description of what you need, a photo, a sketch, a damaged part, or a written explanation. We'll respond with questions or a quote. No formal specification or technical drawing is required to start the conversation. Most projects begin with a simple message.

Question 2

Do I need to provide drawings or technical specifications?

Accepted Answer

No. We work from photos, sketches, rough dimensions, physical samples, or verbal descriptions. If you have drawings, we'll use them, but they're not required. Many of our clients come to us specifically because they don't have documentation for the part they need.

Question 3

What information is most useful to send?

Accepted Answer

The most useful things to include: a clear photo of the part or application, overall dimensions if you know them, what the part needs to do (load, temperature, chemical exposure), and whether you need one part or a small batch. If you have the worn original or a broken sample, that's even better, you can bring or send it to us directly.

Question 4

How quickly do you respond to enquiries?

Accepted Answer

We respond to all enquiries within one business day. For urgent situations, a machine down, a production-critical part needed, contact us directly and we'll assess what we can do as a priority.

Question 5

Can you reverse engineer a part with no drawings?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work from physical samples regularly. We measure, observe, and apply engineering judgement to reconstruct accurate CAD geometry. Where tolerances are critical, bearing fits, shaft interfaces, mating surfaces, we discuss the assembly requirements and design accordingly rather than simply copying the worn dimensions.

Question 6

What if I only have a broken or heavily worn part?

Accepted Answer

That's a standard starting point. Bring us the part, photos, or what dimensions you can measure, and describe what the part should do. We'll assess what geometry is recoverable and what needs to be inferred or reconstructed from engineering context. It helps if you can describe how the part fits into its assembly and what forces or movements it handles.

Question 7

Do I get the CAD files after the project?

Accepted Answer

For reverse-engineering and 3D-printing Orders, no - the manufactured part is what you receive, and the CAD models stay with PartForm. You can re-order or request revisions of any part directly through us at any time. The exception is injection-moulding and vacuum-forming tooling Orders: the tooling design files are part of what you receive there, because the tooling itself is made through our associated manufacturing company and is yours to keep.

Question 8

What engineering plastics do you print in?

Accepted Answer

PETG, ASA, ABS, Nylon (PA12), and PA-CF (carbon fibre reinforced nylon) are our primary materials. Material selection depends on the mechanical load, operating temperature, chemical exposure, and assembly method for your specific application. We advise on material choice as part of every project, we don't default to one material for everything.

Question 9

Do your printed parts go into real use, or only for testing?

Accepted Answer

Both. Many of our printed parts go directly into production use, on conveyor lines, in machinery, as replacement components, as structural fixtures. We design parts for their intended function, not just appearance. We'll tell you honestly where printed parts are appropriate and where another process would serve better.

Question 10

Do you have minimum order quantities?

Accepted Answer

Single parts and small batches are welcome - there's no quantity minimum. Every order has a flat €30 minimum to cover engineering and setup time, whatever the part.

Question 11

What are your tolerances and dimensional accuracy?

Accepted Answer

±0.2-0.3 mm on standard features - or ±0.2-0.5 % of length on large spans, whichever is greater. Accuracy depends on geometry, material, and orientation; on larger parts the percentage term dominates, so a fixed ±0.3 mm is not holdable across the full length. For critical fits (bearing seats, press fits, sliding interfaces) we design in allowances and may recommend post-processing or machine finishing. We discuss fit requirements before printing, not after.

Question 12

What is your typical turnaround time?

Accepted Answer

Simple replacement parts often turn around in 2-5 days from approval; complex CAD work and multi-part assemblies take longer. Lead time depends on complexity, print time, and current workload - we give an honest estimate with every quote and tell you if your timeline isn't achievable rather than overpromise.

Question 13

What does the project process look like from start to finish?

Accepted Answer

Typically: you contact us with a description or sample → we assess and quote → you approve → we design the CAD (or skip this if you provide files) → we send you a preview of the design for review → you approve → we manufacture → we deliver the physical part. For more complex projects with multiple iterations, we'll agree on a review stage before committing to final manufacture. CAD files for printed and reverse-engineered parts remain with PartForm; tooling design files for injection-moulding and vacuum-forming Orders are delivered with the tooling.

Question 14

Can you help me move from a prototype to production volumes?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Through our associated manufacturing company, we support transition to injection moulding and vacuum forming. The same CAD files used for your prototype feed directly into production tooling, minimising redesign cost and avoiding the loss of design intent that comes from finding and handing off to a new supplier yourself.

Question 15

At what volume does injection moulding make more sense than printing?

Accepted Answer

As a rough guide, injection moulding becomes cost-competitive from several hundred parts upward - once tooling cost is amortised across the run; below that, FDM printing is usually more economical. Note the difference between MOQ (the minimum a moulder will accept) and the MEA (minimum economic amount, where the unit cost is actually competitive) - they are often far apart. We give an honest comparison when you reach that decision point.

Question 16

What exactly is the vacuum forming tooling service?

Accepted Answer

We produce prototype vacuum-forming tooling for thermoforming - significantly cheaper and faster than machined aluminium tooling. Suitable for validation samples and small production runs, where committing to hard aluminium tooling is hard to justify.

Question 17

How many cycles can a PU vacuum forming tool handle?

Accepted Answer

Cycle life depends on the forming material, temperature, and part geometry, but prototype tooling is typically suited to tens to low hundreds of cycles before wear becomes visible on formed parts. For higher volumes, the right answer is aluminium tooling, which we can support through our associated manufacturing company when you're ready to make that investment.

Question 18

Is 3D printing cheaper than injection moulding?

Accepted Answer

For low volumes, yes - FDM has no tooling cost, so it usually wins up to several hundred parts. Injection moulding only pays off once tooling is amortised across a large run. The exact crossover is a range, not a single number - it depends on part size, material, and tooling type.

Question 19

How much does an injection mould cost?

Accepted Answer

It depends entirely on tool material and complexity: simple test or aluminium tools are far cheaper and faster than hardened-steel production tools, which cost many times more. We give you an honest comparison for your specific part rather than a misleading headline figure.

Question 20

How long does injection-mould tooling take?

Accepted Answer

Typically weeks, not days - roughly 2-4 weeks for simple test or aluminium tooling and longer for complex hardened-steel tools. FDM prints, by contrast, turn around in days, which is why we often bridge production while tooling is being cut.

Question 21

Can 3D-printed parts replace injection-moulded parts?

Accepted Answer

Often yes for functional, low-to-mid-volume parts in engineering polymers (PETG, ASA, PA12, PA-CF). The main trade-off is anisotropy - a printed part is somewhat weaker across layer lines - which we manage through orientation, infill, and material choice. For very high volumes or near-isotropic strength, moulding still wins.

Question 22

What is test tooling?

Accepted Answer

Test tooling is low-cost, fast tooling that fills the gap between prototyping and full production. For vacuum forming, that means a cast-polyurethane tool that is durable enough for repeat short-run batches, not a throwaway prototype. We design and make the cast-PU forming tooling; your parts are then formed by our associated manufacturing company, which runs the machines. It lets you make short-run parts and validate a design before committing to machined-aluminium or hardened-steel tooling.

Question 23

How do I get a spare part for a discontinued machine?

Accepted Answer

Send us the broken part, a photo, or a sketch - we 3D-scan or measure it, rebuild it in CAD, and reprint it, usually in days rather than the weeks an overseas re-source would take. For ongoing volumes we can scale the same files to moulding through our associated manufacturing company.

Question 24

How accurate is FDM?

Accepted Answer

We hold ±0.2-0.3 mm on standard features (or ±0.5 % of length on large spans, whichever is greater). Functional prints are strong but slightly anisotropic across layers; for critical fits we design in allowances and finish-machine where needed.

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