Quotations and Ordering Process
1. Instant Quotes, Download Quotes and Direct Orders
Instructions for execution of an order or downloading an offer.
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Navigate to our online configurator (button “Instant quote”), click there on Instant quote. Upload your 3D data in STEP/STP or STL format. You can select the files or add them using “drag & drop.”
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Chose for each part:
- Material (you can find an overview here)
- Production time in working days
- Material color
- Optional: Finishing processes (you can find an overview here)
- Decision, if hollowing is allowed (more info)
- For chemical smoothing: Decide on the bearing surface (more info)
After finishing the configuration, you can put the part into the shopping cart.
Note: Optionally you can upload technical drawings and your order documents in the last step “Complete order”.
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You can optionally download your quote as PDF.
- Log in in or register (top right in the window “Log in”, there you will also find a link for registration).
- Put the components in the desired configuration into the Shopping cart.
- Click in the shopping cart on the small printer icon and download your offer. You will also receive the offer automatically by e-mail.
- The quote will be saved under “Quotes”, you can trigger it at a later time.
Note: With a screenshot of the shopping cart it is not possible to place an order later. Please download the offer as described above to place an order if necessary.
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When you have finished your configuration, click on the shopping cart and check your order. After checking, you can confirm the shopping cart by clicking the “Checkout” button.
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Fill in the fields shown and then click the “use this address and continue” button.
Note for companies: For cross-border deliveries within the EU, please indicate your VAT-ID. The VAT will be calculated based on your billing and shipping address.
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Please enter the shipping address here. Either use the billing address with the button “Use billing address” or enter a new address using the button “new delivery address”. Then press the button “Deliver to this address & next”.
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Please choose one of the given delivery options delivery options. Afterwards you determine your payment method.
Optionally you can add your order document, technical drawings, additional e-mail addresses for status emails or or add your internal project ID.
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You can optionally add an internal PO no. Please check your details carefully, confirm the terms and conditions and complete the order by clicking on the button “Complete order and pay”. You will then receive an order confirmation to the e-mail address(es) you provided.
2. Important Technical Information
Minimum requirements for the design can be found on the respective material pages (to the material overview). Listed below you will find important technical notes for ordering.
Option: Allow Hollowing
Background
For parts with a material volume of approx. 40 cm³ or more, an excessively high process temperature occurs during the printing process for wall thicknesses of approx. 10 mm or more. This can lead to undesirable effects, e.g.
- Increased inaccuracy caused by uneven shrinkage behavior.
- Warpage, caused by high temperature differences in the structure and resulting material stresses.
- Surface damage, in the form of an “elephant skin” (grooves) or a yellowish component color due to strongly oxidized powder.
- Reduced mechanical load capacity, due to too high process temperature and thus strongly oxidized raw material.
Suggested option
With selection allow hollowing we remove the solid material inside and replace it with a lattice structure surrounded by a 3 mm thick wall. As a result, the lattics remains inside with unmelted but compacted residual powder. The above-mentioned effects can thus be avoided.
Printing in solid material is possible, for this select Do not allow hollowing . With this option, you accept the occurrence of the above effects.
In the quotation and ordering process under “Configure parts” you will find the selection options.
Example of surface damage: Elephant skin
Example inaccuracy: warpage
Option: Support Surface for Vapor Smoothing (Chemical Smoothing)
Background
In chemical smoothing (“vapor smoothing”), the surface (a few µm) is briefly liquefied by a vaporized solvent. This process produces a largely pore-free and smooth surface. Liquefaction howeverr, causes contact points to leave visible traces on the part.
General background information, guidelines and notes on the technology can be found on our page: Vapor Smoothing (Chemical Smoothing).
Your options
There are two options for how to handle the component in the process:
- Place part on grid: The part is placed on a “bed of nails” or grid. This creates point or line impressions. The contact side (bottom) is not processed as much, and the smoothing takes place mainly on the opposite side of the component (top). This option is more cost-effective and recommended for components where there is a clear visible side and a “non-visible” side. This is the case for most housing parts, for example. You can optionally upload a drawing (PDF format) specifying the visible side.
- Option “Hang”: The part is hung up on a hook. This creates only one imprint at the point of hanging. As a result, the part is machined more uniformly from all sides. Since this is time-consuming in the process and the relative space requirement per component increases significantly, this option is more price-intensive. When using the “Suspend or Hang” option, please note that there must be a structure in the part from which the part can be suspended. This can be, for example, blind holes, openings or loops.
In the quotation and ordering process under “configure parts” you will find the selection options. Optionally, you can upload a technical drawing that specifies the support or suspension surface.
Example of imprint when placing on grid
Example of impression when hanging
Inner Channels and Undercuts
Background
During printing, the powder is compacted (“pressed”) under high temperature. In the case of internal channels and undercuts, increased process temperatures occur during printing, because the heat is “trapped” locally. As a result, the previously loose powder is slightly sintered and is very solid in the corresponding areas.
Your options
The residues are removed by glass bead blasting. Access to the areas is necessary for this. If this is not given, powder residues can remain at the points and, for example, clog channels.
This can only be avoided by making design changes to the component. Suggestions for design optimization for additive manufacturing can be found here.
Example of internal channels. Additional structures are integrated in this component, which simplify cleaning of the channels. More about this in our design notes for channels.