Low volume production.
1 to 50 units, no tooling cost.

When injection moulding doesn't make sense

Injection moulding is economical at high volumes — thousands or tens of thousands of units. Below that threshold, the tooling cost dominates and the economics collapse. For quantities of 1 to around 50 units, additive manufacturing is typically the right answer.

With 3D printing there's no tooling cost, no minimum order quantity, and no setup fee beyond the standard per-order handling charge. You can order 5 units, test them, refine the design if needed, and order 10 more — without the financial commitment that injection moulding requires.

Read our comparison: Low volume 3D printing vs injection moulding.

What low volume production looks like at 3D Guru

When you order a batch, every unit is printed to the same specification. We don't batch print multiple parts simultaneously in a way that compromises quality — our Bambu Lab machines maintain consistent settings across the run, and we inspect parts before packing.

• Batch sizes — 1 to approximately 50 units per order
• Material — PETG throughout (no mixing of materials within a batch)
• Colour — Consistent colour across the batch (black standard, white and others available)
• Quality — Same layer height setting for all units in the batch
• Inspection — Each unit checked before packing

Use cases for low volume production

• Pre-production validation batches — Print 5–10 of final-geometry parts to test assembly, function and finish before committing to production tooling
• Spare parts programmes — Maintain a stock of critical components for machinery, vehicles or equipment
• Small-scale product runs — Limited edition products, test market runs, or products where injection moulding volumes are never justified
• End-of-life components — When OEM parts are discontinued and you need an ongoing supply
• Custom kit contents — Matching parts for kits, gift sets or product bundles

Pricing for batches

Batch pricing is calculated per unit — upload your STL, set the quantity using the + control in the quote tool, and the total is calculated automatically. Larger quantities of the same part don't currently receive a per-unit discount in the instant quote tool, but for larger batches (20+ units) it's worth contacting us directly as we may be able to offer a better rate.

Delivery for batches

Larger batches ship as a single parcel — postage pricing in the quote tool reflects this. For batches that are large or heavy, select the medium parcel option or get in touch and we'll confirm the best shipping method.

Parts like this that we've already printed

Real parts from our own product range — designed, printed and shipped from our Mildenhall workshop.

VW ID. Buzz rear seat cup holder and snack tray

Automotive fitting · Black PETG

Skoda Enyaq / Elroq dual cup holder

Automotive fitting · Black PETG

★ 5.0 Amazon rating

VW Transporter T6 twin cup holder

Automotive fitting · Black PETG

See the full portfolio →