Questions and answers

Create a request: pick a service, describe the job or upload a model (STL, 3MF, OBJ or STEP), and add the quantity, material, colour and the deadline you would like. Makers nearby reply with an estimated price and lead time, you compare the offers and choose one maker.

Once you choose, the order chat opens, where you settle the details, hand-over and payment. You do not need an address — a city and radius are enough.

No. nozzlo is an intermediary and does not take payments, prepayments or "safe deals". You agree the price and payment method directly with the maker in the chat.

• Do not send an advance payment to strangers without a good reason.
• Keep your agreements in writing in the order chat.
• If something looks suspicious, press "Report".

Compare more than the price. Look at the rating and reviews, distance, lead time, the technologies and materials in the profile (does the maker have the right printer and plastic), examples of work, and how carefully they answered your request.

The cheapest offer is not always the best: a maker who asks clarifying questions about your model is usually more careful about the result.

The more complete the request, the faster and more accurate the answer. Include:

• the model as a file (not just a screenshot), or the dimensions and purpose of the part;
• the quantity and the deadline you would like;
• the material and colour — or the conditions of use (outdoors, heat, load, contact with water);
• whether you need finishing: sanding, painting, assembly;
• whether the fit is critical, and where.

First describe the problem calmly in the order chat and add photos: most issues are solved by rework or a reprint. Agree beforehand on the acceptable dimensional deviation and on who is responsible for a failed print.

If one side does not respond for 7 days, the order is closed automatically. In case of fraud or a breach of the rules, use the "Report" button or write to support.

3D printing builds an object layer by layer from a digital model. The printer deposits or cures material one layer at a time, so shapes that are hard to make any other way come out easily.

People most often print spare parts and brackets, electronics enclosures, prototypes, organisers, jigs and fixtures, presentation models, figurines and souvenirs. It works best for one-off items and small batches.

Three are the most common among makers on nozzlo:

• FDM — melted plastic from a filament is laid down in layers. The most affordable technology, with many materials and strong functional parts; layer lines are visible.
• SLA/mSLA/DLP (resin) — liquid resin hardens under light. A very smooth surface and fine detail, but the part is more brittle and dislikes long exposure to sun.
• SLS (powder) — a laser sinters nylon powder (PA12). Strong parts of complex shape with no supports; the surface is matte and slightly grainy.

• A functional part, enclosure, bracket or large item — FDM.
• A miniature, a jewellery pattern, a dental model, a very smooth surface and thin details — resin (SLA/mSLA).
• A strong part with complex geometry, hinges and assemblies without supports, a small batch — SLS.

If you are not sure, say in the request what the part is for and what load it will carry: the maker will suggest the best option.

Accuracy depends on the technology, the printer, the material and the shape. As a guide: FDM is usually about ±0.2–0.5 mm, resin is more precise, often within ±0.05–0.15 mm on small parts, and SLS is roughly ±0.3 mm at small sizes.

FDM layer height is typically 0.1–0.3 mm: thinner layers give a smoother surface but a longer print. If the fit is critical, tell the maker where accuracy matters and build a clearance into the model in advance.

• PLA — the easiest to print, many colours, good detail. For decor, prototypes and models. It softens at about 55–60 °C and is more brittle.
• PETG — tougher and more ductile than PLA, resistant to moisture and chemicals. A versatile choice for functional parts.
• ABS — strong and heat-resistant (up to ~95–100 °C), easy to finish, but fussy to print.
• ASA — like ABS but resistant to sun and weather. For outdoors and cars.
• TPU — flexible, rubber-like. Nylon (PA) — wear-resistant, for gears and hinges. PC — very strong and heat-resistant.
• Resins — for fine parts; standard and tough grades exist.

PLA is stiffer and gives cleaner fine detail, but it is more brittle and softens already near 55–60 °C: in a car in the sun or next to a radiator it will warp. PETG is more ductile, takes impacts better and resists heat (roughly up to 70–80 °C), moisture and chemicals better.

PLA is usually enough for decor, mock-ups and prototypes; choose PETG for brackets, covers and parts in damp conditions.

For outdoors and sun the best choice is ASA: it resists UV and weather. PETG is a good compromise when temperatures are moderate. For temperatures around 100 °C use ABS, ASA, PC or nylon; do not use PLA in the heat.

Photopolymer resin parts gradually fade and turn brittle in sunlight. Tell the maker where the part will work — that matters more than the name of the plastic.

Yes, with TPU/TPE: gaskets, bumpers, cases, seals, protective covers. They print more slowly, so they cost more. Hardness varies (Shore scale) — say how soft the part should be.

Flexible resins exist too, but they are less wear-resistant.

nozzlo accepts STL, 3MF, OBJ and STEP.

• STL — the most common and works almost everywhere; it stores only the shape, with no colour or units.
• 3MF — a modern format: units, colours, several parts in one scene. Convenient if your software supports it.
• OBJ — suitable when you need colour or textures.
• STEP — a CAD "drawing"; the best choice if the maker may need to modify the model.

If in doubt, send STL and, if you have it, the STEP source as well.

• Model in millimetres and check the scale: the most common mistake is a part 25 times too large or too small.
• The mesh must be watertight (no holes or self-intersections), otherwise a slicer may refuse it. nozzlo warns about non-watertight models after upload.
• Remove stray and hidden bodies and avoid zero-thickness faces.
• Leave a clearance of about 0.3–0.5 mm for moving joints.
• Save each part separately if it is an assembly.

nozzlo is not only printing: you can order 3D modelling from a sketch, photo or drawing, and 3D scanning of an existing object. Create a request with the service you need, and add photos from several sides, dimensions (especially mating ones) and the purpose.

For simple things you can use ready-made models from open libraries, but check the licence and make sure the model does not infringe anyone's rights.

For FDM with a 0.4 mm nozzle:

• Walls: at least 0.8 mm for decor, 1.2–1.6 mm recommended, 2 mm or more for loaded parts.
• Overhangs steeper than ~45° from vertical need supports, and bridges longer than ~5 mm may sag.
• Make fine text and relief at least 0.5–1 mm thick.
• Holes for screws usually come out a little smaller, so allow for tolerance.

Resin and SLS allow thinner and finer features.

Yes. FDM parts are strong along the layers and weaker between them: strength in the Z direction can be 30–50% lower. So a part that is pulled or bent should be printed so that the layers are not perpendicular to the load.

Strength also depends on the number of perimeters and the infill (usually 15–30%, more for strong parts). Tell the maker how the part will be loaded — they will choose the orientation and settings.

• Material use — the weight of the part including supports (the most expensive materials are nylon, PC and composites).
• Print time — depends on size, layer height and infill; this is the time the printer is busy.
• Preparation — fixing the model, setup, removing supports.
• Finishing — sanding, painting, assembly.
• Quantity — the price per piece is usually lower for batches.

Each maker sets their own price, which is why offers differ.

A small part prints in anywhere from a few dozen minutes to a few hours; a large or highly detailed one takes a day or more. The lead time you get is the print time plus the maker's queue, preparation, finishing and hand-over.

The model library on nozzlo shows an approximate mass and print time, and in the reply the maker gives their actual lead time.

• Choose a cheaper material (PLA/PETG instead of nylon).
• Use a larger layer height or lower infill if you have no high demands for strength and looks.
• Change the orientation and shape to need fewer supports.
• Use a hollow body instead of a solid one (for resin, with drain holes).
• Combine several parts into one order.
• Do not ask for sanding and painting if you do not need them.

Yes, both. 3D printing needs no moulds, so a single part is inexpensive, and a small batch of dozens is often cheaper than other methods. For large runs (thousands) injection moulding is usually more sensible.

State the quantity in the request: the maker may offer a batch discount and print on several printers at once.

Yes. FDM layer lines are removed by sanding (from P120–200 up to P400–1000), priming and filling, and painting. ABS parts can be smoothed with acetone vapour — only with ventilation and care, because acetone is flammable.

Resin parts are smooth from the start; they are sanded and varnished. SLS parts are usually matte and grainy; they can be dyed or bead-blasted. Tell the maker what surface you need.

The easiest way is to print in plastic of the right colour: makers have plenty. You can also paint the part (spray, airbrush) after priming, and resin parts can be tinted or painted.

Multicolour printing (several plastics on one printer) is not available from every maker. State the colour in the request and, if needed, a RAL number or a photo sample.

Ordinary desktop FDM printers have a build area of roughly 200–250 mm per axis, though some makers have larger ones. A big item is split into parts with pegs or grooves and glued (cyanoacrylate, epoxy, solvent welding), then the seams are sanded and painted.

State the dimensions in the request, so it is clear at once whether the maker fits. Splitting into parts can be ordered as modelling.

For food, 3D printing is generally not recommended: bacteria collect in the micro-gaps between layers, and ordinary filaments have no food-contact certification. If contact is unavoidable, it should be brief and dry, and the item for single use.

For children's items choose PLA or PETG and avoid small parts that can break off. ABS/ASA items are not suitable as tableware, and resin parts must be fully cured, because uncured resin can irritate skin.

The Content rules prohibit models of weapons and their parts and other dangerous or prohibited items, as well as files that infringe copyright, trademarks and other people's rights. Such requests are blocked, and violators lose access to the platform.

Send only your own models or ones you have the right to use. More details are in the "Content rules".

Email verified means the person followed the link in our message. Identity verified and Address verified mean a nozzlo staff member compared the maker's document with their profile details. It is voluntary: a maker can apply in the cabinet (“Maker profile” → “Trust in your profile”) or work without the marks.

The documents and the address are never shown on the maker's page — only the mark.

Documents are used only for the check: an authorised staff member sees them and every view is logged. We do not pass them to customers, other makers, advertisers or third parties and do not use them for anything else; the only exception is a legal requirement that binds us.

Once a decision is made (or if you withdraw the request) the scans are deleted from storage — only the result of the check remains. Cover anything not needed on the scan: the document number, personal identification and tax numbers, the signature. You can withdraw your consent by writing to support.

When an order is completed, each side can rate the other from 1 to 5 and write a review. A maker's rating and a customer's rating are the average of the reviews, which everyone can see. You can reply once to a review about you; an inappropriate review can be reported to a moderator.