Additive manufacturing: making parts by adding material
Additive manufacturing is the technical name for 3D printing. A part is made by adding material layer by layer from a 3D model, rather than removing it from a block.
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Contents
What additive means
The word additive comes from adding. Traditional machining is the opposite: material is removed from a block until only the part is left, which is why it is called subtractive. In casting and injection moulding, material is poured into a mould. Additive manufacturing, by contrast, needs only a digital model and a machine. Several processes come under additive manufacturing, and there is an overview in the Wikipedia article on 3D printing. In everyday speech the term used is 3D printing.
The main technologies
- Plastic extrusion (FDM): a nozzle lays down molten filament. The most common and cheapest.
- Resin curing (SLA, DLP, MSLA): light hardens liquid resin.
- Powder sintering (SLS, MJF): a laser or heat fuses plastic powder.
- Jetting (PolyJet, binder jetting): material or binder is applied through nozzles.
- Metal printing (SLM, DMLS): a laser melts metal powder.
When it makes sense
Additive manufacturing pays off for one-offs and small batches, for complex shapes that would be hard to make otherwise, and where you do not want to pay for a mould. For large runs of identical parts, injection moulding pays off better. It is also a good fit for prototypes and spare parts.
We do additive manufacturing with FDM in PLA and PETG. You upload a model, see the price per part and the delivery date, pay by proforma invoice with a QR code, and we start printing once it is paid. Quantities run from 1 to 5,000 parts, and the minimum order is €15 excluding VAT.
Designing parts for additive manufacturing
A good part for additive manufacturing is not necessarily the same one you would design for machining. Internal cavities, lightening and complex shapes cost nothing extra, but sharp overhangs, thin walls and large flat faces put demands on supports, orientation and wall thickness. It is therefore worth checking the model before ordering and adding small fillets to corners for FDM.
Common questions
Is additive manufacturing the same as 3D printing?
In practice, yes. Additive manufacturing is the technical term from standards, and 3D printing is the everyday expression.
Why is additive manufacturing more expensive per part than injection moulding?
With 3D printing you do not pay for a mould, but every part takes the same time. Injection moulding only becomes cheaper per part once the cost of the mould is spread over many parts.
Which additive manufacturing technologies do you offer?
Only FDM in PLA and PETG. We cannot arrange the other processes for you, but we can advise what to look for.
Related terms
FDM
FDM is a 3D printing technology where the printer melts plastic filament and lays it down through a nozzle layer by layer. It is the most widespread and cheapest way to 3D print.
Rapid prototyping
Rapid prototyping is a way of quickly making a physical sample part from a digital design. Today 3D printing is what is most often used for it.
3D printer
A 3D printer is a machine that makes a physical part from a digital model by adding material layer by layer. The most common are printers that use plastic filament (FDM).
Injection moulding vs 3D printing
Injection moulding vs 3D printing compares two ways of making plastic parts: molten plastic is injected under pressure into a metal mould, or the part is built layer by layer with no mould. Injection moulding wins on large batches, 3D printing on small ones.
CNC milling vs 3D printing
CNC milling vs 3D printing compares cutting material away from a solid block with a milling cutter and building a part up layer by layer. CNC is more accurate and stronger, while 3D printing handles more complex shapes and small batches more cheaply.
Small batch production
Small batch production is making a smaller number of identical pieces, from tens to thousands. 3D printing needs no mould for it, so it pays off where injection moulding would not.
SourcesSources checked 1 November 2026, 1
- 3D printing, Wikipedia, checked 2026-11-01
We will print it for you
Upload a model and see the price per piece, the total with shipping and the date at once. We print in Košice, Slovakia, from PLA and PETG.
No model? No problem, pick a ready one
These sites have thousands of free models. Download an STL or 3MF and upload it here. If you sell it or use it for business, check the model licence. How to pick a model and licence