3D Printing Services

With over 50 years of expertise in prototyping we are incredibly proud of our reputation and heritage as a UK based 3D printing company, our 3D printing services can deliver your parts in a matter of days

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On-demand 3D Printing Service

Are you looking for an on-demand 3D printing service? We are the UK’s leading 3D printing company, home to a suite of 3D printing machines and prototyping technologies.

Malcolm Nicholls Ltd are specialists in low-volume production using state-of-the-art SLA 3d Printing technology, SLS and Vacuum Casting

We will manufacture the best 3D-printed plastic parts using state of the art 3d printing systems. We have over 50 years of experience we can turn your 3D printing project around in days

Malcolm Nicholls can produce one-off rapid prototypes or production runs of tens of thousands of parts, on demand.

Transparent 3D Printing

Experts in transparent 3D printing; with the ability to produce virtually optically clear 3D printing from our SLA machines. We can help you see inside your assembly, and this process is utilised by many of our clients for flow testing and analysis, as well as replicating glass for many designs. Glass-like SLAs can be achieved with MNL not just for lenses and lighting-based components. As a 3D printing company, we can support you with any project get in touch.

 

Transparent 3D Printing – The Possibilities 

Imagine building a transparent full-size 3d printed automotive engine with the ability to see what’s going on internally for things such as clashing, interference fit and flow analysis reducing your development process … impressive! 

Range Rover light cluster. A combination of polished Clear SLAs and chrome metalised SLS
3D Printing Services

Looking for Large Frame 3D Printing?

As a 3D printing service, we invest in the very best 3D printing technology and are home to two of the UK’s largest 3D printers with impressive build platforms of 800 x 800 x 600mm

With the larger 3d printing build capacity we are able to produce large format 3d parts quickly and cost-effectively, you won’t need the extra cuts and fabrication needed when using smaller 3d printers.

Large volume of SLA parts?

With our low volume production methods we can get your 3D parts in a matter of hours or days. Renowned for our delivery times and prototype finishing, Malcolm Nicholls are the perfect 3D printing service partner for your large-volume 3D printing better still we don’t have a minimum order quantity so you can order a one off or thousands of parts and have them finished to your desired specification.

BAC Mono R 3d printed parts with Malcolm Nicholls Ltd
Low Volume Production or The 3D Printed Falcon Trophy

Do You Need Multiple 3D Printed Parts?

We can produce anything from 1 – 1000’s of parts, with our large capacity of 3D printing technologies, FDM, SLS, SLA and Vaccum Casting methods to name a few – let us be your 3D printing company

Looking for 3D print finishing?

As a 3D printing company, traditional Model Making is at the heart of Malcolm Nicholls Ltd, our team have a reputation for being the very best 3D printing and prototype finishers. We finish every 3D print or prototype to the very best standard – the Malcolm Nicholls standard. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 3D Printing?
3D printing is a service in which we produce three dimensional solid objects from 3D CAD data.
An additive technology, this contrasts with traditional manufacturing techniques, such as milling, which involve removing materials to create a part.
How does 3D Printing Work
In general, 3D printing works by cutting a 3D CAD model model of the part to be printed into many slices. The 3D printing machine will take a layer of data at a time and manufacture that slice or layer. Different technologies exist, however they all produce one layer at a time, simultaneously bonding it to the preceding layer.

The process continues right through the extents of the part until all digital slices have been “printed” into the physical form.

What are the advantages of using 3D Printing?
With 3D Printing on professional machines taking only a few hours, here are just some of the advantages these processes have to offer:

  • Reduce time to market: By using a 3d printing service, Models and prototypes of components can be produced in hours. Concepts can be tangible objects around a table instead of images on screen. Product development cycles can be vastly reduced due to the speed of 3D printing, compared to other traditional methods.
  • Save money and reduce risk: 3D printing prototypes before costly injection mould tooling can lead to eradicating design errors which can lead to expensive tool mods or delays to product release. Many studies have shown that it pays to use a 3d printing service.
  • Get valuable Market Research: 3D printing market research models yield valuable market perceptions about your product often months before production batches are ready. The market research that is gathered by using a professional 3d printing service, either gives you added confidence about your product or enables feedback to influence design changes before production tooling is finalised.
  • Excellent communication tool: 3D Printed parts provide a perfect tangible product that offers no alternative to the design intent. it simply is-what-it-is, something that drawings, images or video cannot beat.
  • Assembly trials: 3D print multiple components from an assembly and test the assembly procedure. Production lines can be streamlined and design improvements made from feedback from assembly line trials.
  • Improve your packaging: with 3D printed parts available at the packaging design stage, greater design flare and/or improvements lead to better design presence in retails situations.
  • Greater design freedom: with 3D printing services used as a low-volume manufacturing method, design constraints traditionally associated with mass production can be eradicated.
  • Customise your parts: with 3D printing services used as a low-volume manufacturing method, niche markets utilise 3D printing for bespoke components including jewellery, dental, medical, art etc.
  • Engage your imagination: 3D printing can make virtually any geometry you can imagine, the possibilities are endless …
What are the advantages of using a UK 3D PrintingService Provider?
As we are based in the UK, we can provide you with fast turnaround times, clear communication and the ability to quickly answer any questions you may have with no need to wait. We also offer a quality finished product and the ability to easily understand your requirements. We have been a 3d printing service provider since 1996.
How fast can I have a 3D Print?
As we are a 3D printing service based in the UK, we pride ourself on fast turnaround times. Depending on the size of the “print” or build, it take from as little as a few hours. As you will appreciate, our large 3D printing service can take several days.

We also offer a three tier costing system with turnaround times to suit different budgets and timeframes.

Are all 3D printers the same?
The simple answer is no.

New 3D printers hit the news frequently. There are many different types especially at the lower, hobbyist end of the market. They are all layer based technologies but that is where the similarity ends.

Resin based systems are often the most accurate, with good surface finish. Plastic extrusion or filament based systems offer great material choice but can be limited with surface finish. Powder based systems offer a compromise of surface finish and accuracy.

Apart from the technology differences, 3D printers vary greatly in the size of the build envelopes available. Some are limited to very small areas (many less than 100mm cube) others offer systems above 500mm in all axes, whilst other bespoke systems venture into several metres in available size.

Build speeds are another crucial factor in 3D printers, and are often one of the major deciding factors when buying professional systems.

Other factors that also influence the “points to note” about 3D printers are: Accuracy, surface finish and material choice.

With such a variety of 3D printers available, it is for this reason that we have have technology consultants on hand to help you in getting the best out of 3D printing, whether you require a one-off product or a large 3D printing service.

Which 3D printing technologies do MNL provide?
We provide all major 3D printing technologies. As each available 3D printing technology has various pros and cons; Our in-house technology consultants will draw upon 40 plus years’ experience in the 3D printing and engineering world to select the most appropriate technology for your application.

Our technology consultants will give an unbiased opinion on the best process to use to match your application, as a long-standing 3d printing service provider we offer advice dependent upon the following:

  • Function
  • Material
  • Speed of process
  • Budget
  • Size of part
  • Quantity
What do I need to supply to get a quote/3D Print?
Ideally we need 3D CAD for each part that you need to be quoted. We can supply estimates based upon sketches or photos of existing parts. If you are supplying photos we would also need overall dimensions.

For the ideal CAD format see here.

If CAD data does not exist, don’t worry we can cost to create it from your sketches, or we can arrange partners to laser scan existing parts.

How Much Will it Cost?
MNL have a minimum charge – £100 this will give you a part approx. 70mm cubed, MNL will try to maximise this volume with as many components as possible to give you the maximum for the minimum cost.

All projects are quoted in advance from CAD data supplied by customers.

MNL operate a three-tier costing system. The philosophy of the tiered costing system is thus:

Premium route, builds are organised by MNL so that customers can utilise an entire machine solely for their project. This means that parts are built in the shortest amount of time possible. In some cases multiple machines may be used to spread the load, reducing build time once again.

Standard route, builds are organised so that several jobs are built at once with a good balance of efficiency and speed.

Budget route, builds are organised by MNL so that machines are stacked out for maximum efficiency, these are longer builds however  30% off standard pricing in exchange for a few extra days is often strongly utilised.

What is CAD?
CAD or Computer Aided Design, is essentially digital design data, usually of solid objects.

CAD is referred to as either the system that creates the data or the data itself, confusing I know!

For 3D Printing you need 3D CAD data. For the formats that MNL can take see here.

Can MNL do the 3D CAD?

The CAD department at MNL offer the following:

2D to 3D data conversion:

Our CAD department can convert “fag-packet” sketches or any 2D data into suitable data for 3D printing.

Design work:

We can offer a basic design assistance service. We also have links with many designers and agencies for larger projects.

 
Can I have a print from a photo copier?
Believe it or not we have been asked this question many times. At the moment there are no UK 3D printing service providers that offer this magical offering.

No

Looking for an instant quote?

Get in touch

Address

Waterloo Industrial Estate, Waterloo Cres, Bidford-on-Avon, B50 4JH

Call Us

01789 490382

Email Us

quotes@mnl.co.uk

    Subscribe me to the mailing list; we won't bombard you with tons of spam, honest. Just the odd news, or general marketing email :-)

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      Our prefered file format is compressed stl files [.mgx]. For the StlZip utility to produce mgx files click here.

      For a full list of acceptable formats click here. Only ONE file at a time; for multiple parts please zip into one file.

      Subscribe me to the mailing list; we won't bombard you with tons of spam, honest. Just the odd news, or general marketing email :-)

      Upon Successful upload of your data, you will be emailed a tailored enquiry form to complete and return. You will be able to confirm/append your requirements in full including the desired process, materials, colours, finish, quantities etc.