3D printing, also known as desktop fabrication or additive manufacturing, is the process of converting a digital representation of an object to an actual, tangible item. Even though Charles Hull first developed the technology back in 1984, only recently has 3D printing become widely popular and available to a wider audience. 3D printers are much like the familiar desktop printer you already use at work or in your home to create copies of documents transmitted electronically or created on your computer, except that a 3D printer creates a solid three-dimensional object out of a variety of materials, not just a simple paper document.

In order to print anything, you need a 3D printer, raw material and a digital model of the item you want to physically create. 3D printing works by bringing the design of the object — its shape — into the computer model, then dividing that model into separate layers that can stack atop another to form the final object. It reimagines a three-dimensional object as a series of stackable layers that, when added together, form the finished object. Whether this object is as small as a tea cup or as big as a car, the process starts with the base layer and then builds up each additional layer, one layer at a time, until the full object has been completed.

As our motto suggest, you can print pretty much anything you can think of! Feel free to browse our portfolio to have a quick look at some 3D printed ideas. Keep in mind that size is a factor, since most desktop 3D printers have limited capabilities as far as their build volume capacity is concerned, but of course you can assemble multiple parts to create an even bigger one. The first 3d printed cars and houses are already a reality, so technically size is not the limit... your imagination is!

Of course! We can materialize whatever idea you have in mind and transform it into a 3D digital model, ready to be printed. In case you already have a model in hand (either one you created yourself or something you have downloaded from the internet), we can print that one directly or customize it first to suit your needs and style. The possibilities are limitless!

As someone might guess, 3D printing is usually a time-consuming process. It all, of course, depends on the size of the printed item, the desired quality and of course the capabilities and specifications of the 3D printer itself. With that in mind, a 3D printing process can take from half an hour (for an item a couple of cubic meters big) to more than a day (for a large and complex vase, for example). The timelapse below, for instance, shows a 7,5-hour 3D printing process sped up in 30 seconds.

With dozens of manufacturers of filament (the 3D printer's raw material) around the world now, there are literally countless options for printing your model in the colour of your choice. Besides the traditional ones, like red, yellow or blue, we can print in a variety of more "exotic" colours like Bling Gold, True Lagoon, Mercury Red or even Translucent:

3D scanning is a non-contact, non-destructive technology that digitally captures the shape of physical objects using a line of laser light. In other words, 3D laser scanning is a way to capture a physical object’s exact size and shape into the computer world as a digital 3-dimensional representation. 3D scanners measure fine details and capture free-form shapes to quickly generate highly accurate point clouds. This method is ideally suited to the measurement and inspection of curved surfaces and complex geometries, which require massive amounts of data for their accurate description and where doing this would be impractical with the use of traditional measurement methods.

One word: customization. With 3D printing, you can create a design exactly how you visualize it in your head or, easier yet, customize an existing one according to your specific details and needs. The result is always faster and much cheaper than traditional manufacturing or prototyping, avoiding expenses like mold creation or the need to order a minimum quantity. And did we mention our amazing variety of textures and colours?

To order a 3D print from us, just use the Contact form below (or contact us directly at info@3dx.gr) describing your idea / request and we'll immediately get back to you to offer the best solution, customized for you.