What FDM printing is good for
FDM is the workhorse. Molten filament laid down layer by layer, which makes it the cheapest way to get a real, usable part in your hands. It suits functional components, jigs, housings, brackets, replacement parts and prototypes you intend to test rather than photograph.
It is less suited to very fine detail. If your part has sub millimetre features, sharp text or miniature faces, resin will serve you better and we will say so when we quote.
What you get
Every FDM order is sliced and inspected before it is priced. We look for thin walls that will not survive, overhangs that need support in awkward places, and holes that will print undersized because of the way plastic behaves as it cools. If the model needs adjusting we tell you what and why, rather than printing something we already know will disappoint you.
Fitted parts get a tolerance coupon first. That is a small test piece carrying the same dowel or socket at 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30 mm clearance, printed on the exact settings your production run will use. We find the fit that works, lock it in, then print the real thing. It costs an hour up front and saves a whole failed batch.
Materials we run
PLA is stiff, cheap and dimensionally accurate, and it is the right answer for display pieces and prototypes that live indoors. PETG handles UV, moisture and impact, so anything going outside or taking load goes in PETG by default. ABS holds up to heat. TPU flexes without tearing. Tell us what the part does and the material choice usually answers itself.