01
The model is not watertight
Open edges and flipped normals confuse the slicer. It either refuses to slice or fills the part with a shell that leaks powder. We repair the mesh, but a model built as a solid from the start saves a day.
Additive Manufacturing
3D Printing Service for Functional Parts
Upload a model and we print it in resin, nylon or metal. Our engineers read the file before printing and tell you where the part will fail, so the first article is worth testing.
SLA, SLS and metalTolerances to ±0.005 mmNo minimum orderNDA on requestFree DFM in 12 hours
2011Building parts since
127High-precision CNC machines
±0.005 mmAchievable tolerance
12 hQuote and DFM feedback
Common Problems
Where 3D Printed Parts Go Wrong
Most failures show up before the printer runs. These four come up in almost every file we review.
02
Wall thickness below the process floor
An SLA wall under 0.5 mm curls during post-cure. An SLS wall under 0.8 mm warps in the build chamber. The feature looks fine in CAD and arrives bent. We flag thin walls in the DFM check before anything is built.
03
Layer lines where a seal must sit
As-built surfaces carry layer steps and residual powder. A face that has to seal against an O-ring or a gasket will weep unless it is machined or polished after printing. Decide the sealing face early, not at assembly.
04
Tolerances quoted tighter than the process holds
SLS holds around ±0.3 mm on a 100 mm span, and that is before moisture and cooling move the part. If a drawing calls for ±0.05 mm everywhere, the print will not pass inspection. Machine only the critical features.
How We Work
From Model Check to Finished Part
One file, one review, one route to the printer that fits the geometry.
Design Review
Every file gets read before it gets printed
A print starts with a manufacturability review, not a queue. We open your STL or STEP, check wall thickness, draft, minimum feature size and build orientation, then send a DFM note with the quote. You get the note within 12 hours of upload.
The review is where cost comes out. Rotating a part in the build chamber can cut support volume, and splitting a large housing into two printed halves can remove a support structure that would otherwise need hand work. Small changes to the model usually beat changes to the process.
- 1Mesh repairNon-manifold edges and holes closed before slicing.
- 2Orientation adviceBuild direction chosen for strength and surface finish.
- 3Tolerance mapWhich features hold as printed, which need machining.
Process Selection
Resin, nylon or metal: pick by function, not by habit
SLA gives the sharpest detail and the smoothest surface, which suits form-and-fit models, jigs and clear parts. SLS needs no support, so it handles interlocking geometry and living hinges that resin cannot. Metal printing suits small, stiff parts where a machined billet would waste material.
We run all three. That matters when a part changes stage: a housing might be SLA for the first review, SLS for the twenty units used in testing, then machined from aluminium once the design freezes. Same CAD file, different route.
- 1SLA resinFine detail, smooth skin, thin walls to 0.5 mm.
- 2SLS nylonNo supports, tough parts, good for small batches.
- 3MetalStiff, heat-resistant parts in titanium and stainless.
Selection Guide
Which Process for Which Part
Match the geometry and the load case to the process.
| Process | Use it when | Avoid it when |
|---|---|---|
| SLA resin | Smooth skins, fine detail, fit checks | The part sees heat above 60 °C |
| SLS nylon | Interlocking shapes, no support allowed | You need a glass-like surface |
| Metal printing | Stiff small parts, complex internal channels | The part is large and simple |
| CNC after printing | Critical faces need tight tolerance | The whole part is already in spec |
Services
What We Make
One shop for printed parts and the machining that finishes them.
01
SLA 3D Printing
Resin parts with fine feature detail and a smooth surface. Used for fit models, clear covers, jigs and small enclosures.
02
SLS 3D Printing
Nylon parts built without supports. Handles snap fits, living hinges and small production batches for test rigs.
03
Metal 3D Printing
Titanium and stainless parts where stiffness and heat resistance matter more than surface finish.
04
Rapid Prototyping
Printed prototypes paired with machined or sheet metal parts to build a working assembly faster.
05
CNC Machining
Critical faces, bores and threads cut after printing so the mating dimensions hold to ±0.005 mm.
06
Surface Finishing
Bead blasting, polishing, painting and laser marking to match the look of the production part.
Scope
Printing Scope and What Is Included
Numbers you can put in a request for quote.
| Item | Range | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Part size | Up to 4,000 mm on the machining side | Build orientation review |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm on machined features | Inspection report on request |
| Batch size | One prototype to 10,000+ parts | No minimum order quantity |
| Lead time | Quote in 12 hours, parts ship in 3–5 days | 100% inspection before shipment |
Why GreatLight
Printing Backed by a Machine Shop
The reason most printed parts stop being prototypes is that nobody can finish them.
15Y
Manufacturing since 2011
Fifteen years of prototypes and low-volume runs across aerospace, automotive, medical and robotics work.
127
CNC machines on site
Printed parts move to a mill or lathe in the same building when a face needs to be flat or a bore needs to be round.
±0.005
Millimeters on machined faces
Printed geometry stays as printed. Critical features are cut to ±0.005 mm with surfaces from Ra 0.2 to 0.8 μm.
12 h
Quote and DFM feedback
Files get read within twelve hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval.
4
Quality systems in place
ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 13485 and ISO 27001. Reports issued on request.
0
Minimum order quantity
One prototype or ten thousand parts. Uploads stay confidential, with an NDA available on request.
7,600 m²Manufacturing space
150Technicians
3Wholly-owned plants
99.99%Qualification rate
Applications
Where Printed Parts Earn Their Place
Automotive and EV
Underhood parts need heat resistance and a consistent fit. Printed brackets are used for test builds, then machined once the design freezes.
- Underhood heat
- Test-build brackets
- IATF 16949
Robotics and Automation
End effectors and gripper jaws change shape every week. SLS nylon keeps a light arm light while the geometry is still moving.
- End effectors
- Lightweight arms
- Fast iteration
Medical Devices
Housings and fixtures need clean surfaces and traceable records. We keep material certificates with the batch.
- Clean surfaces
- ISO 13485
- Batch records
Questions Engineers Ask Before Printing
When should a part be printed instead of machined?
Print when the geometry is complex, the quantity is low, or the design is not frozen. Internal channels, hollow ribs and organic shapes cost nothing extra to print.
Machine when the load path is heavy, the tolerance is tight, or the material has to be a specific alloy. Printing in metal is slower and rougher than cutting from a billet.
Can printed parts hold ±0.005 mm?
Not as printed. SLS holds roughly ±0.3 mm on a 100 mm span, and resin parts shrink during cure.
We reach ±0.005 mm by machining the critical features after printing. That works when the part has enough wall to take a cut and a face that can be held in a vise or fixture.
What file do you need?
STL or STEP. STEP is better when you want us to check exact dimensions rather than a triangulated mesh.
If the mesh has holes or flipped normals, we repair it before slicing. Sending the native CAD file helps us rebuild a feature that is too thin to print.
How strong is an SLS nylon part?
Strong enough for brackets, housings, snap fits and gripper jaws in low-load use. The part is not solid: layer adhesion makes it weaker across the build direction than along it.
Set the build orientation so the load runs along the layers, not across them. Tell us how the part is loaded and we will orient it that way.
Do printed parts need support removal or post-processing?
SLA parts are printed on supports, which we cut and sand. SLS parts come out of a powder bed and need bead blasting.
If the part has to look like a production part, we can polish, paint or bead blast it. Tapped holes and sealing faces are cut after printing.
What is the smallest feature you can print?
For SLA, walls down to about 0.5 mm and features around 0.2 mm. For SLS, walls down to about 0.8 mm.
Below those numbers the feature prints, but it distorts during cooling or post-cure. We flag it in the DFM note instead of printing something that will not measure.
How fast can you ship?
Quotation and DFM feedback come back within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval, and parts ship in 3–5 days.
That timing depends on the process and the post-processing. Machined features and finishing add a step, which we state in the quote.
Will you sign an NDA?
Yes. Uploads are kept secure and confidential, and we can sign your NDA or provide ours before you send files.
For parts under development, we can restrict the file to the engineers who quote and produce it.
Send a Model, Get a Quote and a DFM Note
Tell us how the part is used and we will name the process, the tolerance it holds and the cost.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum orderNDA on request
