Fast. Precise. Reliable.
Upload an STL or OBJ file, choose the technology and material, and see an estimated price in seconds. An engineer reviews your part, and you receive the final quote within 24 hours.
Need a part printed and want to know the cost quickly? With our 3D printing service in Stuttgart, simply upload your file to get an instant, no-obligation price estimate for your plastic parts. Many parts can be delivered in under 3 days. You can also calculate 3D-printed continuous carbon-fiber parts directly in the calculator, with continuous carbon fiber embedded during printing rather than made from laminated sheets. SLA parts and metal parts (SLM) are available on request. If the estimate works for you, you will receive the final quote within 24 hours.
No model at hand? One click loads the sample and its settings directly into the calculator.
A clear, engineering-reviewed process without unnecessary steps.
An engineer reviews your project personally and can help even if you do not yet have a print-ready model.
or click to select files
This is not a standard infill setting and it does not simply mean 100% infill. It includes FEM-assisted optimization, an engineering review of the part, and a short PDF report outlining potential improvements in weight, stiffness, or material distribution.
3D Printing in Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg
Our online calculator gives you an instant, non-binding price estimate for many FDM parts. Upload your model, choose the material, layer height, infill and quantity, and see immediately how each setting affects the price. Before production begins, an engineer reviews the file and we confirm the final quote.
Cortez Engineering is more than a 3D printing supplier. We combine additive manufacturing with CAD design, reverse engineering, FEA and lightweight engineering. This is especially valuable when a part needs to do more than look right — it also has to perform reliably in service.
Important: The instant price calculator is designed for FDM/FFF printing. SLA, continuous-fiber carbon and metal 3D printing using SLM/LPBF are quoted individually after an engineering review.
We do not use the same manufacturing process for every project. Geometry, loading, temperature, surface requirements, tolerances and quantity all determine which technology makes the most sense.
FDM builds parts layer by layer from controlled, melted thermoplastic filament. It is well suited to functional prototypes, housings, jigs, fixtures, brackets, replacement parts and low-volume production. You can select the material, quality, infill and quantity directly in the calculator.
Stereolithography cures liquid photopolymer resin using light. SLA is ideal for fine details, small radii, smooth cosmetic surfaces, presentation models and precise geometries. Because resin type, part orientation, support strategy and post-curing have a major impact on the result, we review SLA enquiries individually.
Here, a thermoplastic matrix is selectively reinforced with continuous carbon fibers. Unlike short-fiber PA-CF, the reinforcement is not distributed uniformly throughout the material: fiber routing, part orientation and load path must work together. That is why the design and mechanical requirements need to be assessed before a quote can be prepared.
In laser powder bed fusion, metal powder is selectively melted by a laser. This makes it possible to produce complex parts in materials such as aluminium, stainless steel and titanium. Support strategy, thermal distortion, machining allowance, surface finish and any subsequent machining must be considered before production.
The calculator is deliberately focused on FDM printing. For this process, the main cost drivers can be derived reliably from the uploaded model and your selected settings:
The amount shown is an indicative price. Before confirming the order, we review printability, wall thicknesses, build orientation, support requirements and critical functional surfaces.
For more demanding manufacturing processes, model volume alone is not enough to produce a reliable quote. A seemingly minor detail can significantly change the manufacturing effort.
For these technologies, we therefore provide an engineering-based quote tailored to your actual requirements rather than an arbitrary instant price.
There are also several established additive manufacturing technologies beyond the processes we offer directly. They are not selectable in the FDM calculator, but they can still be relevant when assessing a project. If another process is objectively better suited to the application, that decision should be made before an order is placed.
| Process | How it works | Key advantage | Typical applications | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM / FFF | Thermoplastic filament is deposited layer by layer. | Cost-effective, wide material selection, functional parts | Prototypes, jigs, housings, replacement parts, low-volume production | Instant price in the calculator |
| SLA | Liquid photopolymer is selectively cured using light. | High detail and smooth surfaces | Presentation models, small precision parts, master patterns, housings | On request |
| Continuous-fiber printing | Continuous reinforcement fibers are embedded in a polymer matrix. | High specific stiffness along the fiber direction | Lightweight brackets, structural parts, jigs, load-bearing components | On request |
| SLM / LPBF | Metal powder is selectively melted by a laser in a powder bed. | Complex, load-bearing metal parts | Motorsport, aerospace, mechanical engineering, cooling, lightweight design | On request |
| SLS | Polymer powder, commonly PA12, is selectively sintered by a laser. | No separate support structures, efficient build-volume utilisation | Functional parts and cost-effective low-volume production | Not available in the instant price calculator |
| MJF | Fusing and detailing agents are applied to a powder bed and thermally activated. | Productive batch manufacturing and consistent part properties | PA12 housings, brackets, snap-fit parts, low-volume production | Not available in the instant price calculator |
| DLP / MSLA | An entire resin layer is exposed using a projector or display. | Very fine detail and short exposure times per layer | Dental models, jewellery, miniatures and small precision parts | Not available in the instant price calculator |
| Material Jetting / PolyJet | Fine droplets of material are deposited and cured immediately. | Very smooth surfaces, multiple materials or colours | Design models, realistic prototypes and multi-material parts | Not available in the instant price calculator |
| Binder Jetting | A binder joins powder particles, followed by debinding and sintering. | High productivity and complex geometries without melting material inside the printer | Metal production parts, sand moulds and ceramic components | Not available in the instant price calculator |
| EBM | Metal powder is melted by an electron beam in a vacuum. | Suitable for reactive metals and highly loaded parts | Titanium parts for aerospace and medical applications | Not available in the instant price calculator |
| DED / WAAM | Metal powder or wire is melted during deposition using a laser, arc or electron beam. | Large parts, repair and material deposition | Tool repair, large structures and near-net-shape manufacturing | Not available in the instant price calculator |
Note: “Not available in the instant price calculator” does not mean that a process is unsuitable. It simply means that our automated pricing is currently designed around FDM. Where necessary, we can assess whether one of our manufacturing routes is appropriate or whether another process would make more technical sense.
Process selection should be driven by the load case, material, accuracy, surface requirements, quantity and post-processing — not simply by how well known a technology is.
The calculator includes an optimised infill option. The aim is not simply to print every part as solid as possible. We first assess how the geometry is loaded and which regions are important for stiffness and load transfer.
Depending on the application, wall structure, local reinforcement, infill, build orientation or geometry can be adjusted. For technically demanding projects, the assessment can be supported by FEA. The goal is a defensible material distribution — not a marketing claim that every part will automatically become both lighter and stronger.
If simulation or design optimisation is appropriate, we agree the scope and deliverables with you in advance.
The material must suit the real operating environment. Temperature, UV exposure, moisture, chemicals, wear and sustained loading are often more important than any single strength value.
The calculator shows the material, colour and quality combinations currently available. For specialist materials or specific technical requirements, send us an enquiry with the operating conditions and required quantity.
These two material systems are often confused. In PA-CF, short carbon fibers are distributed throughout the filament. They can improve stiffness, dimensional stability and print behaviour, but they do not act as continuous load-bearing reinforcement.
With continuous-fiber printing, continuous fibers are placed selectively within the part. The performance potential is higher, but it is also much more dependent on the design. Continuous fiber only adds value where it is routed correctly, properly anchored and loaded in the right direction. This is therefore not simply a material change in the calculator; it is a lightweight engineering task in its own right.
A smaller layer height improves visible detail, but also increases print time and cost. For most engineering FDM parts, a medium setting offers the best overall balance.
FDM is a layer-based manufacturing process and is not a substitute for precision machining. Functional dimensions, fits, holes and sealing surfaces should therefore be clearly identified. Where tighter tolerances are required, we can allow machining stock and plan suitable post-processing.
We review the file before manufacturing. If a wall is too thin, a tolerance is unrealistic or a different build orientation would be more appropriate, we clarify this before production starts.
FDM works well for both one-off components and repeat low-volume production. With several identical parts, setup, machine utilisation and quality control can be planned more efficiently. Unit cost, however, depends not only on quantity but also on build-volume utilisation, print time, scrap risk and post-processing.
For repeat orders, we can document materials, print parameters and inspection criteria. This improves repeatability and reduces coordination effort on subsequent orders.
FDM parts naturally show visible layer lines. Depending on the material and application, additional finishing operations can include:
Let us know early which surfaces are cosmetic, dimensionally critical or mechanically loaded. This allows the build orientation to be selected with the required final result in mind.
Additive manufacturing is particularly valuable for low quantities, complex geometries, short development cycles, customised parts and features that are difficult to manufacture conventionally. For very high volumes or simple standard geometries, injection moulding, machining, sheet-metal fabrication or other conventional processes may be more economical.
Our job is not to force every part into 3D printing. We assess whether the geometry, material and quantity suit the process, and we will tell you clearly if another manufacturing route makes more sense.
A sketch, a damaged original part or even a technical concept can be enough to get started. Cortez Engineering supports CAD design, redesign and reverse engineering. For load-bearing components, FEA, topology optimisation or design-for-manufacturing adjustments may also be appropriate.
Describe the function, available installation space and operating conditions as clearly as possible. This allows us to assess whether FDM, SLA, continuous-fiber carbon, SLM or another manufacturing route is the best fit.
Calculate your FDM price →We offer FDM/FFF printing, SLA resin printing, continuous-fiber carbon 3D printing and metal 3D printing using SLM/LPBF. FDM can be priced directly in the online calculator; the other technologies are quoted on request after an engineering review.
The instant price calculator is designed for FDM/FFF parts. You can select the material, quality, infill and quantity directly in the calculator. The final quote is confirmed after the file has been reviewed by an engineer.
For these processes, manufacturing effort and part quality depend much more heavily on orientation, support strategy, post-processing, material system and design. An automatic price based on volume alone would therefore often be unreliable.
SLS and MJF are not part of the FDM instant price calculator. We can assess your part from an engineering perspective and advise whether one of our available processes is suitable or whether SLS, MJF or another manufacturing technology would make more sense for the application.
PA-CF contains short carbon fibers within the filament and is processed like an engineering FDM material. Continuous-fiber printing places continuous reinforcement fibers selectively along relevant load paths. The design, fiber direction and loading therefore need to be considered together.
The calculator provides a non-binding FDM price estimate. After upload, we review the model technically and then confirm the final price, manufacturing approach and lead time.
STL and OBJ are suitable for automatic pricing. STEP and 3MF are useful for a more detailed engineering review. Functional dimensions and tolerances should also be clearly identified.
No. We are based in the Stuttgart/Ludwigsburg area, but we manufacture for customers outside the region and ship throughout Germany.
Yes. Depending on the starting point, we can support CAD design, redesign or reverse engineering and create a production-ready 3D model.