Parts made in South Africa. Delivered in days, not weeks-at-sea.
Upload your CAD file — STL, OBJ or STEP straight from SOLIDWORKS — and get a quote from our floor in Paarden Eiland. No file? Photograph the broken part and send it on WhatsApp. A person who makes parts for a living will answer.
Organisations we've worked with include DSI, FNB, Inseta, Jack Lemkus, the City of Cape Town and TIA.
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Organisations we've worked with
Making in Cape Town since 2014 — cups first, parts today.
“Software does the maths. People sign off on the parts.”
— Luvuyo Ndiki, Founder & CEO
Our software reads your CAD file, drafts the quote and plans the print run — and our engineers review every quote before you pay. We built it on our own floor first.
How it works
Send it. Price it. Check it & make it. Get it.
Send it
STL · OBJ · STEP
Upload your CAD file. No file? Send photos of the broken part and we model it for you.
Price it
AI-assisted (beta)
Our costing engine works it out from material, machine time and finish. The price you see is the price on your invoice.
Check it & make it
Engineer-checked
An engineer signs off before a single layer prints. Then it's made on our floor in Paarden Eiland — and we'll tell you the name of the person who ran it.
Get it
Your part
Shipped to your door anywhere in South Africa, or collect free from the workshop. Delivery details and exact timing are on your quote.
One platform. Your way.
Get a quote, track your order, and keep your parts library ready to re-order — from your desk or your phone.
Track your orders, quotes, and manufacturing history.
Our AI Agents
How our software quotes and plans — reviewed by our engineers before you pay.
Quote Drafting
- Reads STL, OBJ and STEP geometry
- Drafts pricing in Rands from your file
File Checks
- Flags thin walls and steep overhangs
- Problems surfaced before you pay
Print Planning
- Plans jobs across our own printers
- Engineer signs off before production
Job Tracking
- Follows each job on our floor
- Status visible from your dashboard
Gallery
Why 3D Printing Village?
Made in Paarden Eiland
Your part is printed on our own floor at 6-8 Perfecta Road, Cape Town — not imported. No customs delays, no forex surprises, and you can come see it made.
Engineer-Checked Quality
An engineer reviews every quote and print plan before you pay. If something about your part won't print well, we tell you first — not after a failed print.
Software drafts, engineers check
Upload your CAD file and our software drafts a price in Rands from the actual geometry. AI-assisted quoting is in beta — an engineer reviews every quote before you pay.
Manufacturing Technologies, Explained
A guide to the common processes. On our own floor in Paarden Eiland we print FDM and SLA resin — for anything else, ask us and we'll tell you honestly what we can take on.
Fused Deposition Modeling
From functional prototypes to end-use production parts. Materials include engineering-grade plastics, flexible TPU, and high-temperature resins.
Made on our own floor in Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Priced in Rands from your actual file
One partner from prototyping to production
DFM feedback as soon as you upload your part
Join 3PV FastTrack — Early Access to AI-Assisted Quoting
Our software drafts quotes from your CAD file and an engineer checks every one before you pay. It's in beta, and we're letting people in as we go. FastTrack members get:
The price you see is the price you pay.
Upload your file. Software drafts the price. An engineer checks it.
Upload your file and see your exact price in the quote flow — no email tennis, no “we'll get back to you.”
Step 1: Email your file
Step 2: "We'll get back to you"
Step 3: "Can you clarify the specs?"
Step 4: A vague estimate arrives
Step 5: More emails to pin the price down
Upload your STL, OBJ or STEP file.
Our software reads the geometry, works out material use and print time, and drafts a price in Rands.
An engineer checks the quote before you pay.
Upload 3D file or photo of your part
Max 100MB • STL, OBJ, STEP or photo
STL • OBJ • STEP • IGES Or upload a photo
or try a sample:
No sign-up • No credit card • Engineer-checked before you pay
We don't write our own reviews. Read what real customers say about us, in their own words, on Google.
See how it works
From sketch to finished part
No CAD file? No problem.
Phones were made for this.
Send us a detailed STEP file from SOLIDWORKS, or a photo of the broken part on your kitchen table — we work with both. Our engineers help pick the right material and flag anything that won't print well before you pay.
Engineering materials, straight answers.
Five production polymers, plainly explained. From-prices are indicative — your binding quote is computed from your actual file.
| Material | Indicative Price | Process | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
PLA RECOMMENDED | From R180 | FDM | Prototypes, low-stress parts |
PETG | From R240 | FDM | Water-resistant parts, shower-door tracks |
ABS | Ask us | FDM | Functional parts, enclosures |
TPU Flexible | From R420 | FDM | Seals, cushioning |
SLA Resin | Ask us | SLA | Fine detail, smooth surfaces |
Delivery rates and timing are on your quote. Collection from our floor in Paarden Eiland is always free. Ordering the same part again and again? Talk to us about repeat pricing.
App plans gate quote volume and app features. Your parts are always priced per part, from your file.
How the Options Compare
The honest trade-offs between us, a traditional bureau, and importing
| Feature | 3D Printing Village | Traditional Services | Import from China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote | Drafted from your file, engineer-checked | Email back-and-forth | Forex and customs on top |
| Pricing | In Rands, computed from geometry | Estimate after clarifications | Exchange-rate dependent |
| File checks | Thin walls and overhangs flagged upfront | If requested | Rarely shared |
| Where it is made | Our floor, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town | Varies | Overseas, shipped by sea |
| If something is wrong | Phone the floor, we fix it | Support queue | Time zones and email |
What Customers Say
We only publish reviews customers actually wrote. Their words live on our Google profile — read them there, unedited.
Read our Google reviews →From one floor in Paarden Eiland to a network of print floors.
The Platform is Opening.
Today: we print on our own machines in Cape Town.
Tomorrow: partner print floors on the same platform — quotes drafted by software, checked by engineers.
More Machines = Better Service
- Parts made locally, not shipped across oceans
- Pay in Rands — no forex, no customs
- More capacity and materials as the network grows
- Every quote computed from your file and engineer-checked
Monetize Your Printer Capacity
- Put idle printer capacity to work
- Jobs quoted and planned by our software
- You choose the work you take on
- Engineer-checked quality standards
Built for Your Industry
From rail replacement parts to automotive trim clips — here is the kind of work our floor in Paarden Eiland takes on, and where our limits are.
Rail & Transport
When the original manufacturer stopped making a part decades ago, importing is not an option. We measure what is left of yours, model it in CAD, and print a replacement on our floor in Paarden Eiland.
A lot of transport work starts with a part nobody sells anymore. Bring us what is left of it — measuring the real thing is how we get the fit right.
Don't see your industry?
We take on work from most sectors. Tell us what broke or what you want to make, and we'll tell you honestly whether our floor can do it.
Questions Our Customers Actually Ask
Pricing, lead times, materials, guarantees — and how Red Cup Village became 3PV.