The Point of the Scene
As South Africa’s economic hub, Cape Town is a city of bustling activity. Covering a large area from beach to mountains, Cape Town is home to almost 4 million people.
In recent years, 3D printing industries have popped up and grown all over the city. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best 3D printing services, fab labs, and shops around.
If there’s something you’d like to get 3D printed, but don’t have the equipment, time, or know-how, consider using a reliable and comprehensive 3D printing service like Craftcloud. You’ll be able to choose from a large variety of materials and finishes.
And now, let’s get to 3D printing in Cape Town!
Maker Station (Fab Lab)
Maker Station is a fab lab that calls itself a “gym for makers”, offering numerous types of tools and machines. Choose from 3D printers, a laser engraver, woodworking tools, and more.
On top of equipment, they also have a cafe where you can meet fellow makers or grab some coffee that’ll keep you going while you finish your latest project.
Location: 9 Plein St, Woodstock, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm; Saturday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Equipment: 3D printers, a laser engraver, woodworking tools, coffee, and more!
Pricing: Information about joining is available on their website.
3D Forms (Service & Shop)
3D Forms, both a 3D printing service and shop, is located in the center of Cape Town.
For their services offered, customers can print, buy, or scan 3D models. If you don’t have a 3D model prepared, but an idea, part, sketch, or design, 3D forms can help you create it into a printable 3D model. Additionally, they’ll advise you on the best and cheapest method to make what you want.
The company provides a variety of print material and technology options to choose from, including FDM, SLA, and SLS.
On the shop side of things, they sell printers, filaments, scanners, and 3D pens.
Location: Roodehek St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
Services: On-demand 3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D model designing
Brands for sale: Ultimaker, Formlabs, EliScan, Lix, and more. You can see the full list of brands sold on their website.
Pricing: Get a quote and check printer prices on their website.
Next Dimension Electronics (Service & Shop)
Next Dimension Electronics is one of the several hybrid shops and services found in Cape Town.
They sell 3D printers, parts, and filament, as well as CNC and laser machines.
For services, Next Dimension offers 3D printing, CAD design, laser cutting, and electronic development. Customers can access quotes by simply emailing info@nextd.co.za.
Next Dimension Electronics also provides customers free shipping for orders over 1,500 ZAR, daily online support from 8 am to 5 pm, and 30-day money-back guarantees.
Location: Shop 3, Builders Warehouse Building, Nobel St, Firgrove Rural, Cape Town, 7110, South Africa
Hours: Daily, 8 am – 5 pm
Services: On-demand 3D printing, laser cutting, designing, electronic development
Brands for sale: Makerbot, TronXY, CCTree, Anet, and more. You can see the full list of brands on their website.
Pricing: Quotes and prices for equipment can be found on their website.
Uglymonkey 3D Printers (Service & Shop)
Uglymonkey 3D Printers is a company primarily dedicated to selling printers, filament, and printer parts. In addition to manufacturing and selling its own brand of 3D printer and filaments, other brands are available as well.
There is also a variety of filaments on offer, including PLA, ABS, and nylon. All filaments sold are 1.75 mm in diameter, though PLA can be bought in both 1.75 and 2.85 mm diameters. Customers can also find printer parts, like heaters and hot ends, on their website.
Along with their shop, Uglymoneky 3D Printers is a 3D printing service, offering FFF and DLP technologies. Customers can easily request quotes and place orders online.
Location: 36 Belgrave Rd, Parklands North, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 2 pm
Services: On-demand 3D printing
Brands for sale: Uglymonkey, Anycubic, XYZ Printing, and more. Check out the full list of brands sold.
Pricing: Quotes and prices can be found by checking their website.
Cape Craft and Design Institute (Fab Lab)
Cape Craft and Design Institute is a non-profit fab lab equipped with several tools and processes for its members, including 3D printing, 3D scanning, thermoforming, welding, and more. Specifically, the machines available are 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC engravers, 3D milling machines, vinyl cutters, plus hand tools like pliers.
This fab lab has a specific mission to help small companies that sell creative products and services, though individuals are welcome as well.
Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, 8000, South Africa
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Equipment: Laser engravers, 3D printers, 3D scanners, electrical tools and machines, molding tools and machines, woodworking tools and machines, and more. Check the complete list of what’s available on their website.
Pricing: Information about joining is available on their website.
Redline-3D (Service)
Redline-3D is a 3D scanning service headquartered in Cape Town. The company converts real-world objects into accurate 3D CAD models for its customers. They scan a variety of items ranging from furniture to plants and even vehicle parts.
Redline-3D can accurately scan items as small as 50 centimeters or as large at 10 meters. Files are scanned in 3D with colors and textures. The company offers a 3D printing service that can manufacture these scanned items.
Additionally, Redline-3D has repair services where they create new pieces for missing parts. Using reverse engineering, existing machine parts can be scanned, converted into CAD models, and manufactured.
Location: ASA House, 7 Timour Hall Rd, Plumstead, Cape Town, 7801, South Africa
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
Services: On-demand 3D scanning, designing, reverse engineering
Pricing: You can get a free quote from their website.
ChiliPepper 3D (Service & Shop)
ChilliPepper 3D sells a range of 3D printers, 3D scanners, and filament to its buyers. Customers can find several brands at the shop including Creality, M3D, and Ultimaker. Their website is easy to navigate and you can order online without any difficulty.
In addition to their store, the company offers printing and scanning services. All you need to do is upload a file of what you want to be printed or scanned and the company will get back to you as soon as possible. Their fast and reliable service has yielded customers amazing results.
Location: 16 Cecil Cres, Brackenfell South, Cape Town, 7560, South Africa
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 am – 8 pm
Services: On-demand 3D printing, 3D scanning
Brands for sale: Creality, XYZ Printing, Formlabs, Ultimaker, Einscan, Craftbot, and more. Check the full list out on their website.
Pricing: Printer and scanner prices can be found on their website.
Lead image source: 3D Printed Debris
License: The text of "3D Printing in Cape Town: Best Services, Shops & Fab Labs" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.