Note 0063D Printing1 min read
How long does 3D printing take?
Why one print takes hours and another days, what happens between the printer and the finished piece, and how a timeline is set before work starts.
It is a question we hear on almost every call. The honest answer is that the printer is only one part of it: the time a piece takes is the design, the print and the finish, and each of those depends on the piece.
Design before the print
If the design is ready, printing can start as soon as it is agreed. If it starts from a sketch or an idea, drawing and agreeing the model comes first. It is time well spent: a change made on screen is quick, while a change made after printing means printing again.
The print itself
A small, simple piece can print in a few hours. A detailed figure, or a large model printed in sections, can keep printers busy for days. The size of the piece, the layer height and how much of it has to be supported while it prints all add up.
Finishing after the print
Supports have to be removed, and a display piece is then filled, sanded, primed and painted by hand. Primer and paint need time to dry between coats, and that time cannot be rushed without it showing.
How the timeline is set
When you ask for a quote, the answer says how long it runs, not only what it costs. A small printed piece can take days; a large or highly finished one, longer. If you have a date, an event, a launch or a gift, say so at the start, and the plan is made around it.
Making it faster
- Send a finished 3D file if one exists
- Agree the design quickly, and change it on screen rather than after printing
- Choose a finish that suits the use: not every piece needs paint
- Tell us the date first, so the work is planned backwards from it
Follow the studio
The work in these notes, as it is made: pieces off the printers, systems going live.
