Manufacturing from Singapore to the World.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can we better assist you in your Additive Manufacturing journey? 

Refer to the list of FAQs below. Contact us by filling in the direct form below for further assistance.

Ordering Support

It’s now very easy and convenient to order your 3D printing part(s) or products online anytime of the day by visiting our website and getting an instant quotation at https://quote.additive3Dasia.com

If you need further assistance, you can either fill in the direct form below or email us at: [email protected] and we will revert back to you in 1 working day.

Ordering via Purchase Order (PO) is acceptable and get in touch to discuss directly.

We offer very competitive and affordable prices for our 3D printing services. As we operate a large range of industrial 3D printers, the prices is determine by technology, material and quantity. We offer an attractive discount when you order more quantity of your part(s) or product.

Check the price online from our Instant Quotation platform at: https://quote.additive3dasia.com/

Refer to our blog on How much does 3D Printing cost?

We have upgraded your in-house capacity to print from small to large size part in one piece or cater to batch production volume with our full range of industrial 3D printers.

Our team are also able to print and assemble parts of odd shapes, sizes and custom finishing with post processing. Get in touch with us for further discussion on your project.

Yes, you can do self pickup from our office and please contact us to make an appointment before dropping by. 

We only accept appointment made 1 day in advance and following COVID-19 SMM procedures.

Delivery within Singapore is a flat rate of S$20.00

For delivery outside of Singapore, we use DHL and FEDEX who offers Additive3D Asia the best corporate rates compared to standard rates from their respective websites. We than share the lower rates directly to our customers from our online Instant Quotation platform.

For peace of mind, all delivery with DHL and FEDEX with Additive3D Asia will be given a tracking number for traceability.

Depending on the 3D printing technology selected, size of the part and quantity, our normal turn around time is between 3 to 7 working days.

To manage the right expectation and delivery schedule, contact us for a discussion on your order. 

We will do our best to rush your parts to you without compromising on quality.

For Online purchase, we only accept PayPal and most major credit cards (processed by stripe).

For Offline purchases, we accept bank transfer, cheque, cash, credit card, PayPal, PayNow.

Contact us at [email protected] if you have concerns or questions over the payment procedures.

We only accept full payment in advance before starting any production of customer order(s).

Payment Terms is available and subjected to further approval. 

The payment terms is only applicable for businesses, government agency and institution with a sizable order or contract value. Contact us for more information on our Payment Terms application.

We have made this process easy and fast with our Instant Quotation platform available anytime of the day.

Following the 5 steps in this article: https://additive3dasia.com/news/how-to-3d-print-with-us/

You can simply drag and drop single or multiple (up to 30 at one time) 3D models into the box of the Instant Quotation.

Check the price online from our Instant Quotation platform at: https://quote.additive3dasia.com/

We currently support .stl, .obj, .wrl, .step (.stp), .iges (.igs), .3mf, .dxf and .zip (with models and textures) up to 200 MB per file.

Customer Support

Since 2014, Additive3D Asia has been a renowned leader in Additive Manufacturing based in Singapore serving the Asia Pacific region. As an ISO 9001: 2015 certified organisation in the provision of 3D Printing Services, we are committed to Quality Excellence in the services and solution we provide to our customers.

We are easily found on Google by searching “3D Printing Singapore” and situated at the top of Page 1 results.

We are also connected via Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. 

Follow or Connect with us for the latest updates.

Additive3D Asia is located at the Central of Singapore with address: 7, Kallang Place, #02-05, 339153, Singapore

We serve customer locally in Singapore as well as across the Asia Pacific region with a fast turnaround and delivery without compromising on quality.

As an ISO 9001: 2015 certified organisation in the provision of 3D Printing Services, we are committed to Quality Excellence in the services and solution we provide to our customers.

We service across the Asia Pacific region and Southeast Asia including:

  • Malaysia
  • Thailand
  • Indonesia
  • Philippines
  • Vietnam
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Myanmar
  • Cambodia
  • India
  • Australia
  • New Zealand

Contact us for further assistance or discussion on your 3D printing requirements.

 

Reach us easily by filling in one of the direct form below and we will reply back to you within 1 to 3 working days.

Alternatively, you can email to us at [email protected] or call us during office hours from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday at +65-6635 2265.

Yes, we can assist you with our 3D modelling services for your project. Please share more details on your project by filling in the Contact Sales form and attaching any documents as supporting information.

A member from our team of experts, will revert back to you for a further discussion.

Note: 3D Modelling Service is only applicable for customer with 3D Printing requirements. 

 

Sources like YouTube provide in depth guides for exporting your CAD files to STL format. Listed below are some major 3D modeling software examples:

  • Autodesk inventor or Fusion 360: Save copy as > select STL format from drop-down.
  • Standard Google SketchUp: Download STL exporter from google warehouse
  • Solidworks: Select File > Save as, then export as STL format.
  • Pro/Engineer: Select File > Save a copy > Type > Select STL format.
  • AutoCad: (Only works for 3D model) Select File > Export > Select STL format under options.
  • Rhino: File > Export selected as STL format > Select Binary > Under mesh options more details, Set max angle = 20, max aspect ratio = 6, minimum edge length = 0.0001 > Done
The Best 3D Printing Software

Here we focus on the features and give you the exact information you need to find the best 3D modeling software on the market for 3D printing.

  1. Autodesk Fusion 360 – Is a cloud-based 3D modeling, CAD, CAM, and PCB software platform for product design and manufacturing.
  2. Autodesk Inventor – Is a computer-aided design application for 3D mechanical design, simulation, visualization, and documentation.
  3. TinkerCAD – Is a free-of-charge, online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser for beginners and students.
  4. FreeCAD – Is a general-purpose parametric 3D computer-aided design modeler and a building information modeling software with finite element method support.
  5. SolidWorks – Is a popular and leading solid modeling computer-aided design and computer-aided engineering (CAD) computer program. This 3D modeling CAD software is used heavily in the mechanical engineering and design industries. It is the industry standard for product development.
  6. Sculptris – Is a virtual sculpting software program, with a primary focus on the concept of modeling clay.
  7. Blender – Is a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software toolset used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications, virtual reality, and computer games.
  8. SketchUp – is a 3D modeling computer program for a broad range of drawing and design applications — including architectural, interior design, industrial and product design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, theater, film and video game development.
  9. 3D Slash – Is a free and easy to use 3D modeling software that lets you create models using a simple building-block concept. It seems to have been inspired by Minecraft, a video game that’s all about placing and breaking blocks.
  10. Siemens NX – Is a flexible and powerful integrated solution that helps you deliver better products faster and more efficiently. NX delivers the next generation of design, simulation, and manufacturing solutions that enable companies to realize the value of the digital twin.
  11. CATIA – Is a multi-platform software suite for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and 3D. Popularly use in the automotive and transportation industry.
  12. SolidEdge – is a 3D CAD, parametric feature and synchronous technology solid modeling software. It runs on Microsoft Windows and provides solid modeling, assembly modelling and 2D orthographic view functionality for mechanical designers.
  13. PTC Creo – is a family of Computer-aided design apps (3D App) supporting product design for discrete manufacturers. The suite consists of apps, each delivering a distinct set of capabilities for a user role within product development. Apps include 3D CAD parametric feature solid modeling, 3D direct modeling, 2D orthographic views, Finite Element Analysis and simulation, schematic design, technical illustrations, and viewing and visualization.

Refer to Additive3D Asia blog on CAD software.

The Best tools for STL file fixing / repairing

Here we focus on the features and give you the exact information you need to find the best tools for file fixing / repairing software on the market for 3D printing.

  1. Meshmixer – Is a fantastic free software for creating and manipulating 3D files for 3D printing. Whether you need to clean up a 3D scan, do some 3D printing or design an object, meshmixer can help.
  2. Netfabb – Works by running an analysis on the model, and then performing steps to repair any problems it finds. Netfabb will fill holes, correct triangle orientation, merge close borders, delete redundant and degenerate faces, and remove self intersections.
  3. Magics – Is a professional 3D print data preparation tool that allows extensive manual control over meshes, including wall thickness analysis, hollowing, remeshing, smoothing, Boolean, and cutting operations, as well as fixing holes, bad edges, and the most complicated triangle errors.
  4. Blender – Is another great free program to either create models for printing, games, or video clips. It contains many useful tools, for example various algorithms for smoothening or interpreting a surface. It is also very easy to import and prepare STL files for modeling.
  5. Meshlab – Is a open source system for processing and editing 3D triangular meshes. It provides a set of tools for editing, cleaning, healing, inspecting, rendering, texturing and converting meshes. Suitable for use with 3D scanning files and thereafter for 3D printing.

About 3D Printing

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross-section of the object.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine.

3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

Additive manufacturing (AM) or additive layer manufacturing (ALM) is the Industrial Production Name for 3DPrinting, a computer controlled process that creates three dimensional objects by depositing materials, usually in layers.

The term 3D printing encompasses an umbrella of several manufacturing technologies that build parts layer-by-layer. Each vary in the way they form plastic and metal parts and can differ in material selection, surface finish, durability, and manufacturing speed and cost.

There are several types of 3D printing, which include:

Click on the name of the individual 3D printing technology offered by Additive3D Asia.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is one of the most common 3D printing processes today.

The technology builds 3D printed objects by moving an extrusion nozzle over a build platform. The process involves the use of thermoplastic material that reaches the melting point. Subsequently, the filament is then extruded to create a 3D object layer by layer along a specifically determined path. These layers then fuse together to form a finished product.

To find out more about Additive3D Asia’s FDM offering, visit: https://additive3dasia.com/3d-printing/fdm/

Stereolithography, or SLA 3D printing technology, is a popular additive manufacturing technique and sought-after service in Singapore and across the globe. It works by making use of light-reactive thermoset materials called “resin.” The technology uses a light source (a laser or projector) to cure and harden the photosensitive liquid resin into the desired 3D shape. 

Patented in the 1980s, the technology is the first 3D printing technology ever developed. Until today, the veteran 3D printing technique remains to be one of the three most common 3D printing technologies along with FDM and SLS

SLA 3D prints each layer from top to bottom, and the build platform lifts the model upwards, out of the resin bath. 

To find out more about Additive3D Asia’s SLA offering, visit: https://additive3dasia.com/3d-printing/sla/

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a powder-based 3D printing technology. It makes use of a high powered laser that selectively scans a thin layer of powder and sinters the small powdered plastic particles together to form 3D object, layer by layer.

To find out more about Additive3D Asia’s SLS offering, visit: https://additive3dasia.com/3d-printing/sls/

Multi Jet Fusion is a relatively new 3D printing technique unveiled by HP in 2016.

Similar to Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology, MJF is a powder-based 3D printing technique. The main difference between the two techniques lies in the heat source, as the latter requires less heat in the process. While SLS utilises a laser to scan and sinter the material, MJF, on the other hand, does so through a new and innovative process that accelerates build time. This enables a finer feature resolution and a more consistent isotropic mechanical property.

To find out more about Additive3D Asia’s MJF offering, visit: https://additive3dasia.com/3d-printing/mjf/

High Speed Sintering (HSS) is a transformational inkjet-based 3D printing technology which is being further developed at Xaar by the original inventor, Prof. Neil Hopkinson. This 3D printing (also called Additive Manufacturing) technology involves depositing a fine layer of polymeric powder, after which inkjet printheads deposit a single IR (infrared) absorbing fluid directly onto the powder surface in the required cross-sectional pattern where sintering is desired. The entire build area is then irradiated with an infrared lamp, causing the printed f luid to absorb this energy and then melt and sinter (consolidate) the underlying powder. This process is then repeated layer by layer until the build is complete.

SAF Selective Absorption Fusion is the 3D printing technology behind the H Series production platform by Stratasys. SAF is one category of powder bed fusion 3D printing processes as defined by the ASTM. SAF technology uses an infrared-absorbing fluid to help fuse the polymer powder.

This fluid is selectively placed where it’s needed to create the shape of the part in any given layer. When the infrared-sensitive fluid is exposed to the printer’s fusing lamps, it heats up to a higher temperature than the surrounding material.

This “selectively” fuses the powdered particles together but leaves the adjacent material unfused. Using highly reliable print heads, tight thermal control and an innovative powder management system, SAF technology offers a new alternative to other forms of PBF printing.

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is a 3D printing method that joins powdered material point by point using an energy source, typically a laser beam or an electron beam. It is one of the most common 3D printing techniques used for industrial additive manufacturing (AM). PBF is possible with both metals and polymers, although not all materials are compatible.

The types of PBF are:

  1. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
  2. Multijet Fusion (MJF)
  3. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) – is a process similar to SLS but used for metals. A recoater blade or roller spreads powdered metal across a substrate and a laser beam is used to melt the powder needed for each layer.
  4. Electron beam melting (EBM) – An EBM printer functions like a small-scale particle accelerator, firing electrons at the powder bed under vacuum to melt the metal material rather than use a laser. These electrons can charge the powder bed and cause the particles to disperse, so each layer of material is typically “pre-sintered” before the 3D printing process begins and the entire print bed is kept hot throughout the build. Parts are 3D printed inside the semi-sintered cake of powder, which provides support during the build and often negates the need for additional support structures.

Find out more about Additive3D Asia’s view on Metal PBF from this blog.

DLP stands for digital light processing, and is a type of vat polymerization. Vat polymerization 3D printing technologies make use of a (liquid) photopolymer resin which is able to cure (solidify) under a light source.

PolyJet is a powerful 3D printing technology that produces smooth, accurate parts, prototypes and tooling. With microscopic layer resolution and accuracy down to 0.014 mm, it can produce thin walls and complex geometries using the widest range of multi-materials available with any technology.

Metal 3D Printing holds a unique position in modern-day product development. It allows for the direct manufacturing of complex end-use parts and facilitates tooling for conventional manufacturing technologies, reducing costs and lead times. This technology is also known as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM).

Find out more about Additive3D Asia Metal 3D Printing offer

3D Printing is a disruptive technology and a new manufacturing process in the Digital Manufacturing era and plays a important role in Industry 4.0 implementation.

Today, 3D printing is used across varies industries from aerospace, automotive, medical, dental, defense and security, general manufacturing, marine and offshore, oil & gas, electronics, semiconductor, consumer products, robotics, UAV & Drones, construction and the list goes on.

With the fast advancements, in 3D printing technologies, materials and application, 3D printing is now moving from rapid prototyping application to rapid production.

Contact us for a discussion as we help you to chart a clear roadmap of your journey with 3D printing. Refer to our blog on Choosing the right 3D printing process for your application.

3D Printing technology is a superior technology compared to other older technology like CNC, Injection molding, welding, forging and others by being able to provide the freedom of design, customization and personalization.

As objects are build layer-by-layer in an additive method, 3D printing helps to reduce cost and wastages of materials. Without a large upfront investment in financial or capital (hardware & software) requirement, 3D printing is helping shape the new Digital Manufacturing industry and helping businesses be more innovative and competitive in the market.

With the advancement in material developments, industrial grade 3D printing plastic materials are now ready for metal replacement.

Find our more about Additive3D Asia’s offering in strong plastic part via this blog.

3D modeling is the process of creating a 3D representation of any surface or object by manipulating polygons, edges, and vertices in simulated 3D space. You can see the results of 3D modeling in movies, animations, and video games filled with fantastical and imaginative creatures and structures.

3D modeling software is a class of 3D computer graphics software and is use in the process to create a mathematical representation of a 3-dimensional object or shape. The created object is called a 3D model and these 3-dimensional models are used in a variety of industries.

About materials in 3D Printing

There are 3 main form of materials in 3D Printing such as:

  1. Filament form mainly use in FDM/FFF technology. The filament comes in roll of either 1.75mm or 3mm size. Materials are mainly thermoplastic.
  2. Powder form mainly use in SLS, MJF, DMLS technology for polymers or metal.
  3. Resin form are mainly use in SLA, DLP or Polyjet technology. The materials are photopolymer materials are light sensitive when activated by an energy or light source.

Find our more about the popular 3D printing materials from this blog.

3D printing filament is the thermoplastic feedstock for fused deposition modeling (FDM/FFF) 3D printers.

There are many types of filament available with different properties, requiring different temperatures to print.

Binder jet 3D printing, known variously as “Powder bed and inkjet” and “drop-on-powder” printing, is a rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing technology for making objects described by digital data such as a CAD file.

Resin is a photopolymer fluid material engineered to cure under a light source via vat polymerization technology (resin 3D printers).

3D Printer resins are available for SLA Laser 3D printing, LCD/MSLA 3D printing, Polyjet and DLP 3D printing.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS): Known for its strong heat and wear resistance, ABS is an extremely popular thermoplastic in 3D printing. Due to its popularity, material manufacturers have released different variations of ABS materials which has capability to be heat- and chemical-resistant – catering to both the desktop and industrial type 3D printers. For example, ABS-ESD7 material prevents a build-up of static electricity for end-use components, electronic products, industrial equipment, and jigs and fixtures for assembly of electronic components.

ABS is commonly used by product designers, engineers and researchers when making their prototypes and Lego, the world largest toy manufacturer uses ABS.

Polylactic acid (PLA): Another popular thermoplastic material, PLA is affordable and environmentally-friendly, making it biodegradable. PLA is stronger and stiffer than ABS, but poor heat-resistance properties mean PLA is mostly a hobbyist material. It is safe and easy to use at homes and schools as it does not release any harmful toxic fumes when heated and during the 3D printing process.

However, PLA is not an engineering grade material like ABS and will not be able to withstand high heat. Additionally, it may not be suitable for outdoor use. Due to its low melting point, PLA is commonly used as decorative parts, simple prototypes as well as for cosplay props or in school projects.  

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a polyester-based material that combines excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties with strong chemical resistance and dimensional stability. PET also has low moisture absorption features and good flow properties, making it a great material to use for waterproof containers such as food and beverage food safe storage. It is usually adopted to create lightweight products such as potted planters, insulated bottles, or tupperware.

Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG): An upgraded version of PET, PETG is a synthetic thermoplastic polyester that provides significant chemical resistance, durability, and excellent formability for manufacturing. PETG is an all-around filament with good light diffusion and layer adhesion that makes it suitable for lamp shades, car cup holders or more functional product design prototypes. It is an affordable filament that has balanced mechanical properties, ease of printing, and can also be recycled.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): TPU is known for its durability, strength, flexibility, as well as its resistance to water, abrasions and chemicals. 3D printed parts with TPU can withstand ambient temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius. Due to these properties, it’s popularly used by the footwear and sporting goods industry as well as aerospace and automotive industry for a variety of custom-made parts. 

Carbon Fibre (CF): Carbon fibre use tiny fibres that are infused into a base material to improve the properties of that material. Boasting a high strength-to-weight ratio, this material can be split into two methods. Chopped Fibres are printed via FDM, while Continuous Fibres are via a process called Continuous Fibre Fabrication (CFF). These fibres are extremely strong and cause the filament to increase in strength and stiffness. This also means that the 3D printed parts will be much lighter and more dimensionally stable, as the fibres will help prevent shrinking of the part as it cools.

Carbon Fibre applications include jigs and fixtures, tooling, metal part replacement and is used across different industries from manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, robotics and etc.

Nylon: An extremely dependable material, nylon is commonly used in 3D printing – notably glass-filled (GF) nylon, polyamide nylon from PA-12 and PA2200. It’s strong, flexible, durable, and is usually made via Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) or MultiJet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing technology. Take a look at how you can stand to benefit from utilising nylon in your 3D printing process. Parts or products made from Nylon can be used as a high-quality prototype or for end-use application.

ABS like Resin: As the name suggests, this material acts similarly to ABS and is made using Stereolithography (SLA) technology, with properties such as good strength, fluidity and a very smooth finish. The ABS resin produces parts that are extremely accurate, have excellent humidity resistance, and commendable durability. Application can include high detailed models, prototypes and even end-use parts for products requiring an injection-like surface finishing. Take a look at our data sheet for the full breakdown.

Stainless Steel 316L: This type of material boasts many positive traits such as high durability, heat resistance and efficient production time. As such, metal 3D printing is used in many industries ranging from dental, aerospace, automotive, marine, oil & gas and even to high-end jewellery via Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and other metal 3D printing technology. 

Titanium (Ti6Al4V): Titanium is known for being both the lightest 3D-printed metal and also the strongest. Due to this (and its non-corrosive properties), its usage is common amongst heavy duty industries such as aerospace for airframe and wing structures. Titanium can also be used to create smaller parts like compressor blades, rotors and other turbine engine components and medicine for orthopaedic devices like spine, hip and knee implants.

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