3D Printing Glick Group Global

Companies and individuals are often looking to make quick iterations of their ideas to test concept feasibility, test market feedback and much more. When making your rapid prototype it is important to understand what its purpose is along with what will be the most effective and cost-effective process to achieve your targets.

There are really a few main ways to go about rapid prototyping including: 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing, CNC machining, molding/casting.

3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing

3D printing / Additive Manufacturing is a process by which material is effectively laid on top of each other and fused together by layer. The main processes to achieve a 3D printed parts are Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) which is for plastic components, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) which is used for metal components and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) for plastic parts.

When looking at 3D printing, it is important to note the material properties won’t be exactly the same as a molded component in many cases. Often times 3D printed plastic parts are best used for functional fit and function checks. Under the correct printing techniques and materials, they can be used for more integral components of a production assembly. Additionally, every day more and more better materials are becoming widely available.

3D printing is advantages due to its relatively low cost and ability to print complex and trapped geometry which otherwise would not be feasible to make in a single part.

At Glick Group Global we are able to offer FDM & SLS processes in house and have trusted partners in the DMLS space to give you the parts you need. We are also able to help make material recommendations to ensure you are getting the parts you are looking for. Reach out to use for a quote on your next print!

CNC Machining

CNC machining also known as subtractive manufacturing is effectively the opposite to additive manufacturing. Typically, a block of material is what is started with a and everything which is not your finished part is removed until you are left with just the part you want.

This process does have its limitations as it isn’t able to readily machine a single part with trapped geometry. If you have trapped geometry you will need to often make several parts and assemble them together by hardware, welding or adhesives.

Additionally, CNC machining is typically considerably more expensive than 3D printing especially when it comes to plastics. That being said, CNC machining is advantageous over 3D printing due to the ability to machine materials which are more representative of the final product. Depending on the part type and volume CNC machining may end up being the final production method as well.

Injection Molding

This is a traditional process suitable for prototypes, medium and high-volume production. This is a process where first a mold is made of the part and then the material is pushed into the mold to form the final part. The cost to do this is often times considerably more expensive than 3D printing or CNC machining due to the need to make a mold and then run parts.

Choosing the Right Rapid Prototyping Path

Determine the Criteria of your prototype part:

  • What level of quality is required? Is it just to get an idea of a concept will work or is this going to be shown to an end customer?
  • How complex is the part? Depending on the project complexity it is important to choose the process which will fit with it.
  • What material properties are most important? Should it be flexible, strong, surface finish importance?
  • What budget is available? Each process has different costs associated with it and therefore it is important to use budget as a constraint.

When to use each process:

3D Printing

This is the fastest and cheapest prototyping method. This is good for low volume parts with complex geometries.

CNC machining

Use CNC machining for the best surface finish and the highest precision. This process is more expensive than 3D Printing but less expensive than injection molding. This is also not suitable for parts with very complex geometry.

Injection Molding

Use Injection molding for when parts of medium and high-volume prototypes are required. It is also not the fastest techniques compared to CNC or 3D printing but by using aluminum molds lead times can be brought down to just a few short weeks.

Glick Group Global Rapid Prototyping Abilities:

GGG has the ability to in-house make many 3D printed prototypes of various materials. Additionally, we partner with local and global rapid manufacturers to provide for you the best prototype for your job. We can use offshore partners if you have a slightly longer lead time for lower prices or local partners for ultra-fast prototypes.


Additionally, we are able to review designs (DFM) and make material recommendations based upon the part need.

Let us know how we can help!