Engineering-grade 3D printing
Parts that hold up.
PLA, PETG and carbon-fibre PETG. Every file is checked by a real person before it prints.
Independent business. R+T Fabrication is run by Rob and Tom. We study at the University of Plymouth, but this is not a university service or project and it receives no university funding. Supported by the Cube.
Business and makers
Business and maker orders are coming soon.
Right now we're printing for students. Business and maker ordering, with business pricing and postage, opens soon.
Got a job you'd like us to look at in the meantime? Email us at [email protected] and we'll tell you if we can help.
Payment received
Thanks, your order is in.
We've emailed you a receipt and your expected ready date. A real person will check your file before it prints. If we can't print it, you'll get a full refund.
Student 3D printing in Plymouth
Printed in Plymouth by real humans.
Send us your file. One of us checks it by hand and prints it. Order before 9 pm and it's usually ready the next day. The order page shows your exact date. University of Plymouth students collect on campus. No postage and no waiting for delivery.
Next-day available.
Four easy steps
New to 3D printing? That's fine. We explain every choice as you go.
- 1
Upload your file
STL, 3MF or OBJ. You'll see a 3D preview of your part straight away.
- 2
See your price
An instant price for our printer. Change the material or settings and it updates. Every option is explained in plain English.
- 3
We check it by hand
A real person checks every file before it prints. If we can't print it, you get a full refund.
- 4
Collect on campus
Order before 9 pm and it's usually ready the next day. University of Plymouth students collect on campus for free.
Fun Friday
Fun Friday
Order received.
We'll let you know when it's ready. University of Plymouth students collect on campus with student ID.
Preview only: nothing was sent or charged. On the live website, instant orders go to secure card checkout and every form sends for real.
Fixed price. Minus Monday and other discounts don't apply. A new Fun Friday print goes up every Friday.
Checked by hand
A real person looks at every file before it prints.
No upload-and-hope. One of us opens your model and checks the things that make or break a print, then tells you if anything needs changing. The first 10 minutes of checking are free on every order.
- OrientationWhich way up it prints, for strength and a clean finish.
- Wall thicknessThin walls snap, or don't print at all.
- TolerancesSo holes, slots and snap fits actually fit.
- SupportsWhere they go and what marks they leave behind.
Who we print for
Anyone with something to make. You don't need to be an engineer or know anything about 3D printing.
Projects
Your own projects
Coursework, personal builds, prototypes, replacement parts and gifts. If you can design it, or describe it, we can print it.
Societies
Societies and clubs
Kit, trophies and parts for any society, with bundle deals priced for what you need. See society deals below.
Everyone
Deadlines and design help
Short on time, or not sure where to start? Ask us, and we'll help turn the idea into something printable.
Societies and group projects
Printing for more than one person? Ask us for a deal.
Societies
Society bundle deals
Societies get bundle deals priced for what you need. Tell us what you're planning and we'll send you a quote.
Pre-paid print credit packs for societies are coming soon.
Group projects
Group project deals
Working on a group project? We do team deals: one price for the whole project's printing, priority slots in deadline weeks, and a free design check for the team. Ask us for a quote.
One person pays for the whole team.
What a print costs
You pay for the plastic, a small flat charge for print time and handling. Print time is £1 for a part that takes up to 5 hours, and goes up in steps for longer prints. Minimum order £3. Upload your file and you'll see your own price straight away.
Example price
Carbon-fibre PETG bracket
Three materials, explained properly
Not sure which one you need? Pick "Not sure" when you order and we'll recommend one.
3D printing, Plymouth
Functional printed parts, made locally.
PLA, PETG and carbon-fibre PETG. Every file is checked by an engineer before it prints. Instant estimates for standard prints, fixed quotes for design work. Order before 9 pm and it's usually printed the next day.
Services
From your file
Printing
Upload your STL, 3MF or OBJ file and get an instant price based on our printer's settings. That's the price you pay.
Included
File check
Orientation, wall thickness, tolerances and supports reviewed on every order. The first 10 minutes are free.
From a sketch
Bespoke design
From a sketch and measurements to a printable CAD model. A free 30-minute consultation, then £30 to £40 per hour for design time, with a fixed quote before we start.
Materials
Need a material that isn't listed? Tell us in your request and we'll see if it's possible.
| Material | Properties | Typical use | Heat |
|---|
Have a file ready?
Upload it and see an estimate straight away.
Order a print
Upload your file, see your price
Drop in your file for an instant price. Not sure about the settings? Leave the recommended ones. Every option is explained further down. Order before 9 pm and it's usually ready the next day. You'll see your exact date as you order.
Settings explained
Tap a card to choose it. It updates your price at the top straight away. If you're not sure, leave the recommended options; we'll suggest changes when we check your file.
Compare materials
How the three materials stack up. Temperatures are roughly where each one starts to soften.
| Property | PLA | PETG | PETG-CF |
|---|
The hook test
The same hook printed in each material and loaded until it gives way.
Design checks before you upload
The most common reasons a print doesn't come out as expected. Tap any of them for the detail.
0.3 to 0.5 mmHoles and fits come out tight
Filament printers print holes slightly small and pegs slightly big. A 2 mm hole can come out at 1.5 to 1.7 mm. Make holes 0.3 to 0.5 mm bigger than whatever goes through them, and leave the same gap between parts that slot or snap together. Check your dimensions are right before you upload.
0.8 mmWalls need to be thick enough
Our nozzle is 0.4 mm wide, so the thinnest wall that prints properly is two lines side by side, 0.8 mm. Anything thinner may not print at all. For parts that take a load, aim for 1.2 mm or more.
45°Overhangs need supports
Anything that sticks out more than 45 degrees from vertical needs support underneath while it prints. We use tree supports, which use less plastic and snap off cleanly, but they can leave small marks where they touched. The 3D preview shows these areas in orange.
LayersParts are weakest between layers
A printed part is strongest along its layers and weakest across them, a bit like the grain in wood. Tell us where the force comes from and where you think it might snap, and we'll print it the strongest way up.
0.4 mmTiny details get lost
Details finer than the 0.4 mm nozzle won't show. Make raised or engraved text at least 0.5 mm deep, with strokes about 1 mm wide.
mmCheck your units
We work in millimetres. If your part looks tiny or huge in the preview, it was probably drawn in centimetres or inches, and the preview can fix that for you.
250 mmMaximum size
We print on a Creality K2 Combo. The biggest part we can print in one piece is 250 × 250 × 250 mm. Bigger than that? Ask us about splitting it into pieces that join together.
BaseThe bottom edge spreads slightly
The first layer is squashed onto the bed so it sticks, which can make the bottom edge about 0.2 mm wider. If the bottom has to fit tightly, add a small 0.4 mm chamfer to it.
What happens next
Check
A real person checks your file
Orientation, walls, tolerances and supports. If something needs changing, we'll tell you before anything prints. The first 10 minutes are free.
Pay
Pay when you order
The price you see is the price you pay, by card at checkout or by bank transfer. If we can't print your file, you get a full refund.
Collect
Pick it up on campus
Free for University of Plymouth students, often the same day. Bring your student ID when you collect. Studying somewhere else? Delivery is coming soon. If a print fails because of us, we reprint it free.
Request a print
Upload a file, get an instant estimate
We check every file by hand before it prints. Anything beyond a standard print gets a quote.
Pricing
Clear prices, worked out from what your part uses
These are student prices.Business prices. You pay for the material, the time on the printer and handling. Nothing hidden.
Worked example
80 g carbon-fibre PETG bracket, 3 hour print
Print time
A flat charge for each part, based on how long that part takes to print. Your price on the order page shows which band each part falls in.
| Print time per part | Charge |
|---|
Over 12 hours, part hours are rounded up to the next whole hour. Parts over 12 hours are booked by hand, so send them through "Request a quote".
How your price is worked out
Upload your file and the calculator works out the weight and print time for our printer. That's the price you pay. We still check every file by hand before it prints.
File check
First 10 minutes free
Every order gets a free 10-minute check. If a file needs more work, extra time is charged at our design rate in 15-minute blocks ( per block). We always ask first.
Bespoke design
Free 30-minute consultation
After that, design time is , the current UK minimum wage for over-21s. You only pay for time spent designing, and we quote a fixed price before any design work begins.
Discounts
Order more, pay less
- Copies: 5% off 5+, 10% off 10+, 15% off 25+, 20% off 50+
- Societies and group projects: bundle and team deals, priced by quote
- Pre-paid print credit packs for societies, coming soon
Payment
Pay when you order
The price on the calculator is the price you pay. Pay by card at checkout, or by bank transfer using your order number as the reference. We don't take cash. If we can't print your file, or it's something we won't print, you get a full refund. Bespoke work and quotes are agreed by email first.
Collection
Postage
Free on campus
Posted to you
For University of Plymouth students only. Bring your student ID when you collect. Studying somewhere else? Delivery is coming soon.
We post your parts to you. Postage is worked out from the size of your part and added after checking. Full postage prices are coming soon.
Failed prints
Our fault, free reprint
If a print fails because of us, we reprint it free. If we flagged a risk with your file and you asked us to go ahead anyway, the reprint is charged.
Societies and group projects
Printing for more than one person? Ask us for a deal.
Societies
Society bundle deals
Societies get bundle deals priced for what you need. Tell us what you're planning and we'll send you a quote.
Pre-paid print credit packs for societies are coming soon.
Group projects
Group project deals
Working on a group project? We do team deals: one price for the whole project's printing, priority slots in deadline weeks, and a free design check for the team. Ask us for a quote.
One person pays for the whole team.
Questions people ask
How long will my print take?
Orders sent before 9 pm usually print the next day. The order page shows a small calendar with your exact ready date, based on how much printing is already booked. Parts that take over 12 hours to print are quoted by hand, and the quote includes the date. In a rush? Use "Need it sooner? Message us" on the order page.
What files can I send?
One STL, 3MF or OBJ file per order, up to 25 MB, and you get an instant price. Got a STEP file, or lots of things to print in one go? Use "Request a quote" and we'll send you a bundle price.
I've never 3D printed anything. Is that a problem?
Not at all. Leave the recommended settings and we'll check your file by hand before anything prints. If something needs changing, we'll tell you.
How do I pay?
You pay the price shown when you order: by card at secure checkout, or by bank transfer using your order number as the reference. We don't take cash. Your part goes on the printer once it's paid.
What if you can't print my file?
We check every file by hand before it prints. If we can't print it, or it's something we won't print, we cancel the order and refund you in full. If we spot a risk, like very thin walls, we email you before printing. You can go ahead at your own risk, send a fixed file, or cancel for a full refund.
What if my print fails?
If it fails because of us, we reprint it free. If we flagged a risk with your file and you asked us to go ahead anyway, the reprint is charged.
Where and when do I collect?
On campus, free, for University of Plymouth students. We'll agree a time and place by email. Bring your student ID. Studying somewhere else? Delivery is coming soon.
How do I get my parts?
We post them to you. Postage is based on the size of your part and added after checking.
Do you do deals for societies or group projects?
Yes. Societies get bundle deals priced for what you need. Group projects get team deals: one price for the whole project's printing, priority slots in deadline weeks, and a free design check for the team. One person pays for the whole team. Use "Get a society quote" or "Get a group project quote" and we'll send you a price.
Can you print in a material that isn't listed?
Maybe. Use "Request a quote" on the order page and we'll check what's possible.
Is there anything you won't print?
Replicas of branded products, trademarked logos, and weapons or weapon parts. We can decline any job.
Bespoke design
From sketch to printed part
No CAD file? Bring us the idea and we'll design it with you, then print it. It starts with a free 30-minute consultation.
Design rate
Your first 30-minute consultation is free. After that you only pay for design time, charged at the current UK minimum wage for over-21s. You get a fixed quote before we start.
Bring these along
The more you bring, the better the design
- Sketches, even rough ones on paper
- Measurements in millimetres, including anything it has to fit around
- Photos of where the part will go
- Any existing part it replaces or connects to
Without sketches and measurements we won't have much to work from, so please bring them.
How it works
- Tell us the ideaUse the form below. A rough description is fine.
- A free 30-minute consultationOn Zoom, or in person in the campus libraryin Plymouth. We go through your sketches and measurements.
- A fixed-price quoteYou know the full cost before any design work starts.
- We design it in CADYou get images of the design to approve or change.
- We print it and hand it overPrinted, checked and handed over in person.
Thanks, we'll be in touch to book your consultation.
Remember to bring your sketches and measurements.
Preview only: nothing was sent or charged. On the live website, instant orders go to secure card checkout and every form sends for real.
About us
Who we are
R+T Fabrication is run by Rob and Tom. We both graduated from the University of Plymouth with a 2:1 in Robotics (BEng Hons) and are now studying the MSc Robotics.
Rob
- BEng (Hons) Robotics, 2:1
- MSc Robotics, studying
Tom
- BEng (Hons) Robotics, 2:1
- MSc Robotics, studying
Why we check every file
We design and build robots on our course and in our own time, so we know what a printed part has to survive. That's what we look for when we check your file.
R+T Fabrication is our own business. It isn't part of the university and receives no university funding. We're supported by the Cube.
Things we've printed
Real prints from our own printer, photographed close up.
We didn't design the dinosaur skull or the test cube. They're printed as examples of the detail our printers can achieve. R.E.A.C.T, the drone and the bipedal robot are our own designs.
Terms and conditions
The ground rules
The terms for ordering prints and design work from R+T Fabrication. Plain English, no small print tricks.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
1. Who we are
R+T Fabrication is an independent 3D printing business run by Rob and Tom in Plymouth, UK. We're students at the University of Plymouth, but R+T Fabrication is not part of, run by, or funded by the university. You can contact us at [email protected].
2. How an order works
- Instant orders (files priced by our calculator): you upload your file and choose your settings. When you order, our server works out the price from your file and settings. That is the price you pay, and it's shown before you pay.
- You pay for an instant order when you place it: by card at checkout, or by bank transfer. The contract between us starts when we receive your payment.
- Quote requests and bespoke design don't take payment when you send them. We check what you need, then email you a price with a card payment link or our bank details. The contract starts when you pay, and nothing is printed or designed before then.
- A real person then checks your file before it prints.
- If we can't print your file, or it's something we won't print (see section 6), we cancel the order and refund you in full.
- If we spot a risk, for example very thin walls or a weak print direction, we email you before printing. You choose: go ahead at your own risk (see section 11), send a fixed file, or cancel for a full refund.
3. Prices and payment
- Prices are in pounds sterling. We are not VAT registered, so no VAT is added.
- You can pay by card at secure checkout (handled by Stripe) or by bank transfer. For bank transfers, use your order number as the payment reference. We don't take cash.
- If you pay by bank transfer, please pay within 7 days of ordering. After that we may cancel the order and release the printer time. We start printing once your payment arrives.
- If the price on your screen is ever different from the price our server works out, the server price applies. It's the one shown at checkout, before you pay.
- Parts that take over 12 hours to print, society bundles, group project deals and bespoke design are priced by quote. We email you the agreed price with a card payment link or our bank details. For group project deals, one person pays for the whole team.
- Student prices are only for students. We check student ID when you collect.
4. Ready dates
The ready date on our website is an estimate based on how much printing is already booked. We'll email you if it changes, but we can't guarantee a date unless we've agreed it in writing.
5. Your files
- You keep all rights to your files and designs.
- When you send us a file, you confirm that you own it or have permission to print it, and you let us use it only to check, price and print your order.
- We don't share your files with anyone else or reuse them, and we delete them after your order is finished (see our privacy policy).
6. What we won't print
Replicas of branded products, trademarked logos or characters, anything that infringes someone else's rights, weapons or weapon parts, and anything we think is unsafe or unlawful. We can decline any job. If we refuse a file you've already paid for, you get a full refund.
7. File checks
The first 10 minutes of checking are free on every order. If a file needs more work, we tell you the cost before we start, charged in 15-minute blocks at our design rate.
8. What to expect from a 3D print
- FDM 3D prints have visible layer lines, and supports can leave small marks where they are removed.
- Printed sizes are typically accurate to within a few tenths of a millimetre. Holes and tight fits may need allowance in your design. We'll point out anything we spot during the check.
- Colours can vary slightly between batches of filament.
- These are normal for 3D printing and aren't faults.
9. Bespoke design
The first 30-minute consultation is free. After that, design time is charged by the hour at the rate on our pricing page, and we give you a fixed quote before any design work starts. Who owns the CAD files for a bespoke design is agreed in writing before work starts.
10. Safety-critical use
Our parts are not certified for safety-critical use. If a part is safety-critical, for example on a vehicle, a robot or anything that carries a load near people, it must be tested and signed off by whoever is responsible for that system.
11. Faulty prints and reprints
- If a print is faulty or not what we agreed because of our mistake, tell us within 14 days of collection or delivery and we'll reprint it free or refund you.
- If we flagged a risk with your file and you asked us to go ahead anyway, a reprint is charged.
- Nothing in these terms affects your legal rights as a consumer.
12. Cancelling
- You can cancel any order for a full refund at any time before we start printing it.
- Prints made from your file or design are made to your specification, so once we've started printing, you can't cancel for a refund unless the print is faulty.
- Ready-made items, like Fun Friday prints, come with a 14-day right to cancel. You can change your mind within 14 days of collecting or receiving the item, without giving a reason.
- To cancel, email us at [email protected] with your order number. Then return the item within 14 days of telling us: hand it back on campus, or post it back at your own cost.
- We refund you within 14 days of getting the item back (or proof you've posted it), using the same payment method. This includes any standard postage you paid us.
- Please return it in the condition you received it. If it's been handled more than you'd need to check it, or damaged, we may reduce the refund to cover that.
13. Collection and postage
- Collection on campus is free and only for University of Plymouth students. Bring your student ID.
- We'll email you when your order is ready. Please collect within 14 days. If an order isn't collected within 30 days and we can't reach you, we may recycle it without a refund.
- Other orders are posted, with postage based on the size of the part.
14. Minus Monday
Minus Monday pricing applies to student instant orders (files uploaded to our price calculator, up to 25 MB) received on a Monday (UK time). It does not apply to quote requests, including prints over 12 hours. Whether an order gets Minus Monday is worked out by our server, in UK time, when the order reaches us. It can't be combined with other discounts and may be changed or withdrawn at any time.
15. Fun Friday
Fun Friday items are sold at the fixed price shown, for the week they are listed. Other discounts, including Minus Monday, don't apply. We may limit how many you can order. You have 14 days to cancel a Fun Friday order after you get it (see section 12).
16. Breaks
We sometimes pause new orders, for example during exams or holidays. Orders already paid for will be finished, and we'll tell you if a ready date moves.
17. Our liability
- If we break these terms, we're responsible for losses that were a foreseeable result. Our total liability for an order is limited to the price you paid for it.
- We're not responsible for losses caused by using a part for something it wasn't designed or agreed for, or by a design we printed exactly as supplied.
- Nothing here limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else the law doesn't allow us to limit.
18. Your information
How we use your details is explained in our privacy policy.
19. Changes and law
We may update these terms. The version on our website when you pay is the one that applies to your order. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.
Privacy policy
What we do with your details
We only collect what we need to print your order, and we never sell your details.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Who we are
R+T Fabrication is an independent 3D printing business run by Rob and Tom in Plymouth, UK. We are responsible for your personal information (the "controller" under UK data protection law). Contact us about anything in this policy at [email protected].
What we collect
- Contact details: your name and email address.
- Your order: the files you upload, your print settings, notes, the price and ready date, and your order number.
- Request details: for quotes, design consultations, society or group project deals, what you tell us, such as a society name, module name, team size or deadline.
- Payment: whether and how you paid. Card payments are handled by Stripe, so we never see your full card details. Bank transfers show us the name and reference on the payment.
- Collection: we look at your student ID when you collect. We don't copy or keep it.
- Technical information: our hosting provider handles your IP address and browser details to deliver the site and stop spam and attacks.
Why we use it, and our legal basis
- To quote, print, deliver and support your order: needed for our contract with you.
- To keep financial records: a legal obligation (tax law).
- To keep the site secure and stop spam: our legitimate interests.
- We only send you emails about your orders and requests. We won't send marketing emails unless you ask to hear from us.
Who we share it with
We don't sell your information. We use these services to run the business, and they only use your information to provide their service to us:
- Cloudflare: website hosting, file storage, spam protection.
- Resend: sends order emails.
- Google (Gmail): our email inbox.
- Stripe: card payments.
- Our bank: receives bank transfer payments.
- Royal Mail or a courier: only if we post your order.
Some of these companies store data outside the UK, for example in the USA. When they do, they use the safeguards UK law requires.
How long we keep it
- Your uploaded files: deleted within 90 days after your order is finished, unless you ask us to keep them for a reorder.
- Quote requests that don't go ahead: deleted after 12 months.
- Order and payment records: kept for 6 years, because tax law requires it.
Cookies and storage
We don't use advertising or tracking cookies, and we don't use analytics that follow you around the web. The site saves a few small settings in your browser, such as whether you chose the student or business path. If spam protection is switched on, Cloudflare's Turnstile check may store information it needs to tell people from bots.
Your rights
You can ask us to:
- give you a copy of your information
- correct it
- delete it
- limit how we use it
- stop using it
- send it to you or someone else in a usable format
Email us and we'll reply within one month. Some records we have to keep by law. If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Age
Our services are for people aged 18 and over.
Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top.