Business6 min read13 October 2026 Bryan Kor

What ZeroCore Prints Best: Functional FDM Parts

Jigs, fixtures, brackets, housings, snap fits and replacement parts: what we're built for, materials by job, achievable tolerances and what we don't do.

We print plenty of gifts, keychains and display models, but the jobs our setup is really built for are functional parts: things that bolt on, clip in, hold something in place or replace a part that broke. This article sets out what we print best, which material suits which job, what accuracy to expect, and what we don't do.

If you're an engineer, a workshop or a buyer deciding whether FDM printing is right for a part, this is the short version of what we can and can't do.

What we're built for

We print on Bambu Lab's H2 series, with a 350 °C hotend and a heated chamber. That combination is what lets us print engineering materials such as Nylon, PC and carbon-fibre nylons properly in-house, at normal lead times. Running one printer family also keeps tolerances and finish consistent from one order to the next: the settings we quote with are the settings we print with.

The parts that suit this setup best:

Jigs and fixtures: assembly jigs, alignment fixtures, soft jaws, drill guides and workshop organisers.
Brackets and mounts: camera, sensor and signage brackets, structural supports and device mounts.
Housings and enclosures: electronics and IoT enclosures with ventilation slots, mounting points and cable routing.
Snap fits, clips and hinges: latches, clips and living hinges, usually in PETG or Nylon.
RC and drone parts: frames, arms and mounts, where PA-CF's stiffness and low weight help.
Replacement parts: discontinued knobs, clips, feet, gears and fittings, printed from your model.
Prototypes: product housings for fit testing and stakeholder review before committing to tooling.

One real job: a light radar mount for a road bike, printed in ASA because it lives outdoors in the Singapore sun.

Materials by use case

Material is usually the biggest decision in a functional job. It decides cost, strength and how long the part survives. Heat figures are approximate upper limits, not continuous working temperatures.

Job	Material	Why	Heat (approx.)
Fit checks, concept models, indoor low-load parts	PLA	Cheapest, accurate, crisp detail; brittle under impact	~55–60 °C
Everyday brackets, housings, snap fits	PETG	Tough, slight flex, moisture and chemical resistant	~80 °C
Outdoor mounts, enclosures, signage	ASA	UV-stable and weather resistant	~100 °C
Gaskets, grips, bumpers, dampers	TPU	Rubber-like, absorbs shock	~80 °C
Gears, hinges, wear parts, repeated flexing	Nylon	Tough, fatigue resistant, self-lubricating	~90 °C
High-impact parts, clear covers	PC	Outstanding impact strength, optical clarity possible	~120 °C
Structural brackets, drone frames, jigs	PA-CF	Stiff and light, minimal warping	~150 °C
Engine bays, motor housings, damp or hot spots	PAHT-CF	PA-CF stiffness, absorbs less moisture	~180 °C
Metal-replacement candidates near heat, oils and fuels	PPA-CF	Our stiffest material, low creep	past 200 °C
Chemical exposure, electrical, flame-sensitive static parts	PPS-CF	Highest heat and chemical resistance, flame retardant; brittle	~260 °C

The four carbon-fibre materials come in matte black only. Each one is dried before printing and run through a hardened nozzle, billed as a flat handling fee shown separately on your quote. The materials guide has the full pros and cons for each.

Achievable tolerances and limits

These are the numbers we work to. They're typical for well-tuned FDM, and they're what you should design around.

Spec	Typical value	What to do
Dimensional tolerance	±0.2–0.5 mm	Tell us the critical dimensions so we can dial them in
Holes	Come out 0.1–0.2 mm undersize	Design holes slightly oversize, or ream after printing
Minimum wall	0.8 mm (fragile)	Use 1.2 mm for most parts, 1.6–2.0 mm for strong ones
Printed threads	Work best at M6 and larger	Use heat-set brass inserts or self-tapping screws below that
Build volume	About 325 × 320 × 325 mm	Larger parts are split into sections that bolt or glue together

For clearances, press fits and snap fits in more detail, see our FDM design reference.

Who we print for

Our setup suits functional work for a mix of people and organisations:

Engineers and product teams iterating housings, brackets and mechanisms before tooling.
Workshops and production lines needing jigs, fixtures and tooling aids.
Schools and training providers ordering class sets, teaching models and lab components.
Government agencies and companies buying through Vendors@Gov or SAP Ariba, with purchase orders and itemised invoices.
Hobbyists and riders: RC, drone, cycling and automotive accessories.
Anyone with a broken part that's no longer sold.

For healthcare and med-tech teams, FDM suits device enclosures, mounts, training rigs, fixtures and demonstration models. We don't make implants, patient-contact parts or other regulated medical parts. Organisations can read more on our business page.

What you get alongside the print

A free file check. Every model is reviewed by hand before it prints. We flag thin walls, tight clearances, risky orientations and wrong-material choices, and suggest fixes before it goes on a printer.
Material advice. Tell us the load, heat and environment and we'll recommend a material.
A sample print first. For a batch, you can order one piece at the normal price, test it, then order the rest.
Photos and dimension checks on request before pickup or shipping.
An NDA on request for confidential designs.
A free reprint if a print is wrong or defective, reported from your order page within 30 days.

What we don't do

Knowing the limits saves you time. We'll tell you if a job falls outside them.

No design or CAD modelling. You bring the model. We check it and suggest fixes, but we don't model parts from scratch.
FDM only. We don't run resin, SLA, SLS, MJF or metal printing. When FDM is the wrong process for a part, we tell you which process fits and what to ask a provider for.
No implants, patient-contact or regulated medical parts.
Not for long-term food contact. Printed surfaces have grooves that can trap bacteria. For long-term or commercial food-contact items, injection moulding with certified materials is the safer route.
No painting or sanding. Parts arrive with the printed surface.
Fine detail below FDM's limits. Features under about 0.4 mm won't print, and threads below M6 are better served by inserts.

Quick FAQ

Can you print end-use parts, not just prototypes?

Yes. Many of our prints are end-use brackets, enclosures, jigs and mechanical parts, printed in a material matched to their real loads.

Which material should I start with?

PETG for most functional parts. ASA if it lives outdoors, Nylon if it flexes or wears, and a carbon-fibre material if it runs hot or must be very stiff.

Can you replace a machined metal part?

Sometimes. PPA-CF is a candidate for brackets and fixtures near heat and oils. Tell us the loads and temperatures and we'll say honestly whether a print will hold up.