Knowing the types and sizes of business can be very useful to ascertain not only the quality and reliability of a company, but also what you can expect in terms of service and interactions. As in most industries, 3D printing companies can be classified into the following categories:

• The “big names”: These are well-established companies or businesses that have become extremely popular. Their services can extend across the globe, and they have a wide spectrum of services. Sometimes this results in premium prices, but in turn, you’ll be receiving premium services and products.
• Rising stars: These are medium companies in terms of size, coverage, and services, but they tend to be very innovative and thus have attracted a lot of attention. They can be located just about anywhere and are usually eager to please.
• Local services: Typically serving a limited geographical area or very specific niches, these usually offer mostly jest a few basic services, which can include printing, designing, scanning, or training, with some offering equipment maintenance services, as well. These companies are numerous and can be found in most big cities. They might also operate as fab labs or makerspaces.

Every customer has different 3D printing needs. Perhaps you need a new prototype part to test a particular use case. Or maybe you’re a manufacturer wanting to evaluate the properties of a different material.

Regardless of the task, you’ll want the path that’s as effective and affordable as possible. To help you find that path, try Craftcloud.

With partners all around the world, Craftcloud presents you with the best services in terms of price and lead time, and there are no additional fees added. Quotes are generated in real-time based on your models and location.

Using the platform is as simple as any other 3D printing service, but with many more options available. You can choose from materials as common as PETG or transparent resin and as niche as sterling silver or 316L steel. And depending on the material you select, you can also request a particular finish.

Other helpful features of Crafcloud are its professional network and support staff. If your part isn’t suitable for printing, or you simply don’t have a design, experts and professional partners will help you get your design off the ground. And if you’re having trouble with the order or delivery processes, the Craftcloud team ready to assist.

Despite Craftcloud’s global partner network and wide variety of materials, your project may require an even more special touch. Here are a few alternative ways to find 3D printing services.

Search Engines

Using the correct keywords, one can find a number of 3D printing services. For example, terms like “3D printing services+Nashville” and “3D printers in Nashville” may not produce the same results.

This method assumes that the company or individuals offering the type of services you’re looking for are established online. If not, you may need to keep digging. (Keep reading!)

Social Media

There are a large number of smaller 3D printing services that decide to do business through social media, namely Facebook. Searching on the media platform itself is the best way to find these services, after which you can establish contact to work out the fine details.

Although this method can certainly work, it has the drawback of being time-consuming. Also, all of the comparisons between different services has to be done manually.

Word of Mouth

There isn’t much to say about this method. When a business has a good reputation, it can easily spread from one satisfied customer to another.

This can be a very effective method in smaller communities, however, it has two major drawbacks. First, it can be prone to personal opinion or experience. Second, it’s difficult to do any comparison with other services.

i.Materialise is a Belgium-based online 3D printing service with a large selection of 3D printing technologies on offer. Their reach is truly global.

Their model of production is rather straightforward:

1. A customer uploads his or her 3D model.
2. The website or support team guides them through the desired material, quantity, and finishing details
3. The price is provided and, if it’s agreeable, the order is placed

Their selection of materials is huge! They even offer prints in metals like aluminum, titanium, or steel as well as precious metals, including brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver.

Other interesting features of i.Materialise include design services, training in several aspects of 3D printing, a marketplace of 3D printed objects created by their in-house designers, a community blog and forum, and tons of information regarding their materials, methods, and other relevant details.

Sculpteo originated in France, but they have production facilities both there and in San Francisco. Apart from these plants, they have offices located throughout major European countries. Recently, they were acquired by the German giant BASF.

They offer an online 3D printing and laser engraving service and their own software platform, called Fabpilot. Their interface for uploading models is one of the best, and they provide some nice extra features during the analysis stage of uploading a model. Chief among its features is the live preview function.

Their technologies span a large range of materials. Each is accompanied by loads of information, including design tips tailormade to the specific material and application, 3D printed samples, and various available finishes. They also offer many training services, in case one needs to dive a bit deeper into a specific area of additive manufacturing.

Shapeways is a US-based company that offers 3D printing services worldwide. Originating in the Netherlands, this company started as a spin-off from Philips, later setting up a production site in the US and moving its HQ there.

Apart from the classic services of 3D design and 3D printing, they also offer an online marketplace for aspiring designers to sell their models, all of which can be directly sent to directly to the printing service. They have a partnership with ZVerse, which offers 3D design as a service, through which even clients without particular 3D design experience can start realizing their own designs.

They currently offer around 50 materials with a variety of printing technologies. The presentation and analysis of the materials are excellent, and this greatly helps the less-experienced customer to choose.

Throughout the ordering process, they offer plenty of links to helpful knowledge articles, or their sales team if the information provided is insufficient.

Xometry is another US company with an impressive portfolio of services addressed to both business and retail clients. They provide instant quotes and boast a large number of production facilities in various locations throughout the US, though they also serve international clients worldwide.

For services, they offer CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal processing, urethane casting, and injection molding. They also provide training, a marketplace of tools and supplies, and various materials for manufacturing. As with the other services, there’s plenty of helpful information provided for each of their materials and offered services.

Besides their huge repertoire of manufacturing techniques, what really stands out is their quoting engine, which is efficient, robust, and includes some nice features, especially during the analysis stage.

3D Systems is the creator and the inventor of SLA technology, the original 3D printing technology. Their headquarters are in the US, but they do cover all of the major global markets.

They offer a large spectrum of services, including hardware and software support. In this, they mainly focus on the concepts of digital factories and on-demand manufacturing, which are best-suited for business clients, but the non-business client is certainly not excluded.

Their ordering system is a bit of a mixture. It requires a login (thus prior registration) before one can request a quote. They also offer the possibility of hiring a professional designer to help you design your projects optimized for 3D printing.

Their selection of materials is very large, including various metals and castable waxes, plastics, and even some materials for dental work.

(Lead image source: Pick 3D Printer)