Your choices for quality 3D printing services in the United Kingdom are expanding, driven by technological advancements, increased adoption across various industries, and supportive government initiatives.
These homegrown 3D printing services, which produce and deliver desired parts with a wide range of options and professional quality, can produce single prototypes or mass production volumes domestically, enabling you to avoid the time and expense of shipping, importing, and customs. UK companies are turning to 3D printing services for everything from tooling and molds to prototypes and end-use auto parts.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to our picks of the top 3D printing services in the UK, covering their techniques, prices, materials, and other useful details to help you make the best service choice.
If you want to support Made in Britain, the services presented here are all actually based in the UK.
How We Picked the Best in the UK
There are many factors to consider when selecting a 3D printing service. To make our top picks list, we looked at each company’s breadth of technology options, materials options and other services and features, specifically:
- Affordability: Price is perhaps the first item we consider when selecting a service. For the sake of comparison, we got quotations for printing a single 60 x 31 x 48-mm Benchy in the least expensive material, as well as the cost of a batch order of 50 units of the same model. All prices listed below are quoted without value-added tax (VAT).
- Fast processing time: We looked at the time frame between when an order is processed and when the finished prints are shipped to customers.
- Various printing capabilities: In order to have a variety of printing options, we assessed the different types of printing technology as well as the types of materials offered by the printing services. Along with that, we note when extra services can be added on, such as marking or finishing.
- Wide reach: Although the featured services are UK-based, many of them ship beyond the British Isles.
Craftcloud
Craftcloud is a 3D printing service that helps you find the best manufacturer to 3D print your parts and also handles the complete order for you. It seeks out the best services and partners with more than 150 3D printing providers across the globe and five in the UK, including:
In fact, when you upload your digital model to Craftcloud, you can use the filter options to select only these companies above to receive quotes from. This way, you know that you’re getting the best price and options in the UK. There’s also the new Local Option, which takes into account your address to find the best service near you or near where ever you need your parts produced.
An instant comparison of the manufacturer’s offers makes it easy to get the best price. With a Trustpilot rating of “excellent” from over 1,500 users, most customers are very satisfied.
Once you have uploaded your 3D files, you can choose from over 140 materials materials, finishes, and colors. Unlike most other providers, you receive an instant quote without having to register first.
Unlike some other manufacturing networks, Craftcloud discloses the prices of each partner, and you choose the one that best fits your criteria. Still, Craftcloud takes care of the entire process from order to delivery to ensure your parts are printed and shipped to your satisfaction, all with no additional fees and no minimum order value.
New materials are added regularly, and Craftcloud recently expanded its services to CNC milling, sheet metal fabrication, and casting & molding services.
Disclosure: Craftcloud and All3DP.com are different divisions of the same parent company.
- Printing technologies: SLS, FDM, SLA, SLM, Binder Jetting, PolyJet, DLP, DMLS, MJF
- Materials: ABS, ASA, PC, PEEK, Ultem (PEI), PETG, and PLA; various resins including clear, Rigid 10K, Rigid 4000, Tough 2000, Flex 80A, and Flame Retardant; nylon PA12; metals; ceramics; silicone
- Processing time: 2 to 7 working days for standard
- Shipping: UK, Worldwide
- Order minimum: £0
- Price:
- Single: ~£3 (FDM with PLA)
- Batch: ~£65 (FDM with PLA)
3D People
Established in 2015 and based in London, 3D People offers 3D CAD design alongside its 3D printing services. They work primarily with SLS and MJF technologies, and a range of post-processing options are offered as well, including vibro polishing, black dye, and threaded inserts.
For the best print results, you can consult the design guide published on their website. Design considerations for each of the printing technologies are covered.
On their online quoting tool, you can access their progressive discount quantities for bulk orders. 3D People could be the ideal solution for a company looking for a large-order manufacturing solution. If you’re looking for a constant production rather than a single big delivery, 3D People will manufacture it in small batches and ship them as they are produced.
- Printing Technologies: SLS, MJF
- Materials: Nylon PA12, UltraSint TPU 01
- Processing time: 6 to 8 working days for standard, 2 to 4 working days for express (60% surcharge)
- Shipping: UK and Europe
- Order minimum: £50
- Prices:
- Single: ~£7 (MJF with PA12)
- Batch: ~£310 (MJF with PA12)
3DPrintUK
3DPrintUK is based in London and has been around for over 10 years. Focused on batch manufacturing and prototyping, they worked only with MJF and SLS 3D printing technologies until recently. They have added SAF printing to their services, a technology that not many online printing services can brag about. This kind of process offers exceptional accuracy and repeatability, and you can even test it for yourself thanks to the free sample part that 3DPrintUK provides.
The available materials are nylon PA12, PA11, and TPU, and customers have the choice between a few different finishing options, including dyeing and vibro polishing. If you want to know more about a particular 3D printing or post-processing technique, you can find plenty of material on their website.
Additionally, they’re quite transparent about their pricing structure, offering customers the ability to plan production for the best possible cost efficiency. With their “Price Beat Promise”, 3DPrintUK says they’ll work to beat cheaper quotes from their competitors. Furthermore, students can take advantage of a 20% discount for their projects!
- Printing technologies: MJF, SLS
- Materials: Nylon PA12, PA11, TPU
- Processing time: 7 to 12 working days for economy, 2 to 4 working days for express
- Shipping: UK
- Order minimum: £40
- Price:
- Single: ~£7 (MJF Nylon PA12, polished)
- Batch: ~£284 (MJF Nylon PA12, polished)
SGD 3D
The Nottingham-based SGD 3D offers on-demand 3D printing services to hobbyists and professionals alike. Like other services featured on this list, they also offer CAD design services, reverse engineering, and scanning.
SGD 3D specializes in FDM, SLA, and SLS technologies, and they’re able to print in a variety of materials, with FDM offering the largest selection. They also offer post-processing services such as painting, polishing, and assembly. You can schedule a free 15-minute appointment with an engineer to discuss your project.
If you’re unsure if your model is ready to be printed, you can consult their online guide or schedule a free 15-minute appointment with an engineer to discuss your project.
- Printing technologies: SLS, FDM, SLA
- Materials: ABS, ASA, PC, PEEK, ULTEM (PEI), PETG, and PLA; various resins including clear, Rigid 10K, Rigid 4000, Tough 2000, Flex 80A, and Flame Retardant; nylon PA12
- Processing time: 7 working days for standard
- Shipping: UK, Europe, and North America
- Order minimum: £15
- Price:
- Single: ~£3 (FDM with PLA)
- Batch: ~£120 (FDM with PLA)
Midlands 3D
As one of the largest 3D printing services in the UK, Midlands 3D is more than capable of turning customer projects into 3D printed realities, whether it’s a functional prototype or batch production.
They offer FDM and MJF, as well as high-resolution 3D scanning services. They’re able to print in a wide range of materials, including standard PLA for low-cost prototypes and sustainable materials like recycled PLA, ABS, and PETG. They also have specialist engineering materials available, such as carbon fiber-filled and castable filament, which is designed to produce patterns for investment metal casting.
Furthermore, they offer three large-format FDM printing options: 1,000 x 1,000 x 1,000 mm, 600 x 600 x 1,200 mm, and 600 x 1,200 x 600 mm. Even if you own a 3D printer yourself, you may be interested in this service for large projects.
One of the best parts about ordering from Midlands is that there’s no minimum order charge, and there are standard discounts based on quantities ordered. Also, they’re dedicated to sustainability and invest in sustainable projects around the globe. You can learn more by checking out the company’s Ecologi page.
- Printing technologies: FDM, MJF, SLS
- Materials: PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, and various types of PLA; carbon fiber-filled, castable, and recycled filaments; nylon PA12
- Processing time: Next working day for FDM, 4 to 6 working days for MJF
- Shipping: Worldwide
- Order minimum: No minimum charge
- Price:
- Single: ~£2 (FDM with PLA), ~£7 (MJF with PA12)
- Batch: ~£78 (FDM with PLA), ~£283 (MJF with PA12)
3D Print Bureau
3D Print Bureau was founded in 2015, and the headquarters are located in Stoke-on-Trent. The company offers a great variety of 3D printing services, namely FDM, SLA, DLP, PBF, and Polyjet. This latter technology allows you to obtain an excellent surface finish for multicolor and even multi-material pieces!
This long list of technologies and printers in their setup allows them to offer an incredibly varied amount of materials, such as Diran 410-MF07, PPSF/PPSU, PC-ISO, Agilus 30, and many more. This gives 3DPrintBureau a competitive edge over other 3D printing services that may be more limited in their material offerings.
You can take a look at some of their past projects in their portfolio, which is divided based on the application industry. They also provide some studies for different sectors. By clicking on any of them, you can access a detailed explanation about how 3D printing could be the perfect choice for a determined application.
- Printing technologies: FDM, SLA, DLP, PBF, Polyjet
- Materials: PLA, TPU, different types of ABS, ASA, PA12CF, PC-ISO, ULTEM, PA6, PA12, PA11, DIRAN, Antero, PPSF/PPSU, PC-ISO, Agilus 30, PC ABS, dental materials, Rigur, Durus, PolyJet Vero, many more
- Processing time: 2 working days for FDM parts
- Shipping: UK
- Order minimum: £100
- Price:
- Single: ~£35 (FDM with ASA)
- Batch: ~£550 (FDM with ASA)
License: The text of "Best 3D Printing Services in the UK: Our Top 6 Picks" by All3DP Pro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.