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3D Printing Insights

Tips, guides, and industry news from the Roc 3D Printing team.

A row of freshly-printed spherical sea-urchin-style fidget toys in gold-and-red gradient PLA Multi-Color Silk filament, still on the print bed at Roc 3D Printing in Spencerport, NY.
May 6, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

Custom 3D-Printed Fidgets for a Webster Classroom

A Webster, NY elementary teacher needed a varied, durable, quiet fidget set for her classroom — without the catalog markup. Here's what we printed, what it cost, and what other teachers should know.

Hand holding a detailed 3D-printed model — the kind of custom piece a local Rochester 3D printing shop delivers with face-to-face handoff
April 22, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

Local vs Online 3D Printing — When Each One Wins

Online 3D printing services advertise instant quotes and global shipping. A Rochester shop offers something different. Here are the five times each one wins.

Row of silver trophies — the kind of custom award Roc 3D Printing produces for Rochester businesses
April 21, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

Custom 3D-Printed Corporate Awards in Rochester, NY

Why Rochester companies are trading generic crystal trophies for custom 3D-printed awards — how they're designed, what they cost, and how fast they ship.

3D printer fabricating small plastic production parts in a workshop — one of three manufacturing options for short-run work
April 18, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

3D Printing vs CNC vs Injection Molding for Small Batches

Need 3 to 100 parts? A Rochester comparison of 3D printing, CNC, and injection molding on cost, timeline, and quality for small production runs.

3D design model rendered in modeling software
April 15, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

5 Tips for Designing Better 3D-Printable Parts

Five practical design choices that improve print quality, cut cost, and speed turnaround — from build orientation to hole sizing.

Close-up of a 3D printer nozzle extruding filament
March 28, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

FDM vs SLA: Which 3D Printing Technology Should You Choose?

How FDM and SLA 3D printing differ in strength, detail, speed, and cost — and a simple decision tree for picking the right one.

Rochester-area workshop bench where 3D-printed replacement parts bring older equipment back to life
March 10, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

How Rochester Businesses Use 3D Printing to Save Money

Five ways Rochester companies are replacing traditional tooling and stocked parts with on-demand 3D printing to cut costs and lead times.

Precision measuring tool being used on a workpiece
February 22, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

3D Printing Tolerances: What ±0.2mm Really Means

What ±0.2 mm actually guarantees in FDM, SLA, and SLS prints — and how to design holes, shafts, and critical fits that hit spec every time.

Engineers reviewing a physical prototype on a workbench
January 18, 2026|The Roc 3D Team

Reverse Engineering Discontinued Parts in Rochester

How Rochester shops use measurement, 3D scanning, and CAD to recreate parts the OEM no longer makes — what works, what doesn't, and what to bring us.

A workbench with design sketches, tools, and small finished pieces
December 12, 2025|The Roc 3D Team

Custom 3D-Printed Holiday Gifts — Rochester Maker's Guide

How Rochester businesses use local 3D printing for thoughtful, personalized holiday gifts — without the shipping anxiety of online services.

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