FDM 3D Printing · Open capacity

FDM 3D printing in Canada.
PLA, PETG, ASA.

Canadian-owned print floor with open capacity for hardware founders. Same-day quotes on most files. Prototypes that ship in 3 to 5 business days. Short runs up to a few hundred parts.

Drop an STL, STEP, or 3MF in the form below. Most quotes go back same business day.

Canadian-owned, Canadian-printed
Same-day quotes on most files
MNDA before drawings
FDM 3D-printed plastic enclosure with visible layer lines
FDM enclosure · PETG · Charlottetown HQ
What we print

PLA, PETG, ASA. In stock.

Three workhorse materials covering most prototype and short-run needs. Specialty filaments (TPU, PA-CF, PC) available with a 3 to 5 business day lead time.

PLA

Prototypes and visual models

Easy to print, dimensionally stable indoors, great surface finish. The right call for fit checks, design reviews, mock-ups, and parts that won't see heat or sun.

Indoor use · up to ~50°C
PETG

Functional parts and enclosures

Tougher than PLA, water-resistant, food-safe-grade options. Good for jigs, fixtures, brackets, enclosures, and parts that take real-world handling.

Indoor / mild outdoor · up to ~70°C
ASA

Outdoor and UV-exposed parts

UV-stable, weather-resistant, holds dimensional accuracy in heat. The pick when a part lives outside, on a vehicle, or in a hot enclosure. Printed in an enclosed chamber for warp control.

Outdoor / UV · up to ~95°C

Need TPU, PA-CF, or polycarbonate? Tell us in the form. Specialty filaments come in within 3 to 5 business days.

What we make

Built for hardware founders.

Prototypes

First articles, sample iteration, design-for-manufacturing checks. 1 to 10 units, 3 to 5 day turn.

Short-run production

25 to a few hundred units. Locked spec, repeatable batches. Volume discounts kick in at 10, 50, and 100.

Jigs & fixtures

Assembly aids, alignment fixtures, soft-jaw inserts. Usually PETG; ASA when they live near heat.

Pre-production samples

Demo units for trade shows, pitch decks, and Kickstarter videos. Cleaned, lightly post-processed, ready to film.

How it works

Three steps from STL to ship.

01

Drop your file

STL, STEP, or 3MF. Tell us material (PLA, PETG, ASA), quantity, and any tolerance notes. MNDA on request before you upload.

02

Get a quote, same business day

We slice, price, and reply with unit cost, batch cost, and lead time. No reverse auctions. Min order $50 (excluding shipping).

03

Ship Canada-wide

Most prototypes ship within 3 to 5 business days of approval. Short runs in 5 to 10. Tracking on every shipment.

In-house capabilities

The Assembly print floor, Charlottetown PEI.

Workhorse-class FDM running 24/7. Parts that won't fit our in-house specs get routed to a vetted Canadian partner in our network of industrial FDM shops.

Build volume
256 × 256 × 256 mm
~10" cube
Layer height
0.1 – 0.3 mm
0.2 mm standard
Tolerance
±0.5 mm
or ±0.5% (greater)
Nozzle
0.4 / 0.6 mm
Hardened steel
Lead time
3 – 5 days
Prototypes
Min order
$50 CAD
Excl. shipping

What we run in-house

  • • PLA, PETG, ASA in stock and dialed in
  • • TPU, PA-CF, polycarbonate within 3 to 5 days
  • • Enclosed chamber for ASA & high-temp filaments
  • • Light post-processing (support removal, sanding) included
  • • MNDA before drawings on any job

What we route to the network

  • • Industrial FDM in ULTEM 9085 / 1010, PEEK
  • • Soluble-support builds with complex internal geometry
  • • Builds larger than ~10" cube (Stratasys F900 class)
  • • AS9100 / ISO 13485 certified production work
  • • Vapor smoothing, dyeing, painting, full assembly
Case studies

Hardware founders building in Canada.

Real customers, real parts, shipped. More case studies are landing every month as our network expands.

Case study 01 Consumer electronics · Hardware founder

ZeroWriter: distraction-free writing device, prototyped and printed in Canada.

Adam Wilk was building ZeroWriter, an e-ink writing device with a mechanical keyboard, and needed a Canadian partner who could iterate on the enclosure while protecting his IP. He came to The Assembly with STEP files and a tight feedback loop in mind.

Process
FDM, PETG & PLA
Quantity
Iterative samples
Turnaround
Days, not weeks
"Building in Canada isn't easy, but it's important to me and the direction of my company. Nichelle at The Assembly quickly learned what my priorities were, connected me with manufacturers, and got me rolling with samples and quotes within days."
Adam Wilk
Founder, ZeroWriter
Visit ZeroWriter
Open spot · Case study 02

Be our next case study.

Building a Canadian hardware product and want help getting it made? We're documenting the next few customer stories. If your project fits, we'll cover photography and write-up at no cost.

Pitch your project

Note on confidentiality. A number of our larger jobs are under NDA and won't appear here. If you'd like a private reference call with a customer in your industry, ask during your quote and we'll arrange one.

When FDM isn't right

Other 3D printing processes we route to.

FDM is fast, cheap, and tough, but it's not always the right tool. Here's when to use what else, all available through our Canadian network.

SLA

Resin printing

When you need glass-smooth surface finish, fine feature detail, or dental / jewelry / optical clarity.

See SLA →
SLS

Powder nylon

When you need isotropic strength, no support structures, or complex interlocking geometry in PA12.

See SLS →
MJF

Multi Jet Fusion

When you need SLS-class parts in higher volume, or production runs in the dozens to thousands.

See MJF →
DMLS

Metal printing

When the part has to be metal: titanium, Inconel, aluminum, stainless. Aerospace, medical, defence.

See DMLS →

Looking for industrial FDM in ULTEM, PEEK, or large-format builds? See the full FDM network capability page for AS9100-certified shops, build envelopes up to 36" cube, and high-temp engineering thermoplastics.

FDM questions, answered

What is your minimum order?

$50 (excluding shipping). That covers a one-off prototype. Below that the math doesn't work for either of us; we'll suggest combining your part with a future order.

How fast can you ship?

Most prototypes ship 3 to 5 business days after approval. Short runs of 25 to a few hundred typically take 5 to 10. Rush options available with a quoted surcharge.

What file formats do you accept?

STL, STEP, or 3MF. STEP is preferred for production parts because it preserves geometry exactly; STL is fine for prototypes. We'll flag any mesh issues before quoting.

Will you sign an NDA before I send drawings?

Yes. We have a mutual NDA template ready to go, or we'll sign yours. Send the form below and we'll come back with the agreement before you upload geometry.

Can you do post-processing or finishing?

Light post-processing (support removal, light sanding) is included. For paint, vapor smoothing, dyeing, or assembly, we route to a partner shop in our network and quote the combined job.

What if I need a process you don't offer?

We'll route the RFQ to a vetted Canadian shop in our network. CNC, sheet metal, injection molding, SLS, MJF, and more are all covered through partners. See /waitlist for the full process list.

Tell us about your part.

We'll come back with a same-business-day quote, an NDA if you need one, and a way to upload your file securely.

We reply same business day. If we can't run your job, we'll route you to a Canadian shop in our network that can.