Fast turnaround 3D printing: lead times and shipping

Pick the 3D printing turnaround your project needs. Every order is quoted with its lead time up front, so you know the ship date before you pay.

LEAD TIMES

Three production speeds

3 business days*
Rush
5 business days
Standard
10 business days
Economy

Conditions apply to Rush orders. Check FAQs ↗

IN THE SHOP

When the clock starts

Your lead time starts once the order is paid and the files are confirmed, not when the quote is issued. If a file needs a fix or a question has to be answered first, the clock starts when that’s resolved, or you can choose to print the file as it is.

All lead times are counted in business days, Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays in British Columbia. Orders placed and confirmed after 12:00 PM PT start counting the next business day.

The lead time ends when your parts are ready to ship. Transit is separate: courier time depends on the service and destination, and is added on top. If you’re nearby, you can also pick up your order at our North Vancouver facility at no charge.

IN TRANSIT

Transit times across Canada

Pick your city to see the typical courier transit time from our North Vancouver facility. Add it to your lead time for an estimate of when your parts arrive.

Transit times are for reference only. Once your parts ship, delivery is in the courier’s hands and depends on each courier’s service, pickup days, and policies, which can change without notice.

WHAT TO WATCH

What adds time

Finishing happens after printing, so it adds to the production lead time, and some finishes run together and share the same days. Shot peening, black dye, and Cerakote apply to HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) parts, and heat-set inserts go into both MJF and FDM parts:

Shot peening (MJF)2 business days
Black dye (MJF)2 business days
Shot peening + black dye2 business days
Cerakote (MJF)5 business days
Cerakote + shot peening (MJF)5 business days
Heat-set inserts (MJF and FDM)3 business days, added to any finish

Cerakote isn’t combined with black dye.

Orders that need more than one build, or hundreds of medium to large parts, can go out in partial deliveries, by courier or for pickup.

MAKING THE CALL

Choosing a tier

Rush — when the deadline decides.

Sometimes time is what matters most, whether you're getting a product to market or iterating on a design, and Rush helps you meet the date. It carries a charge on top of Standard pricing, and you'll see it on your quote before you pay.

Standard — when everything's running on schedule.

Standard is the right balance for getting your prototypes or batches on time, without setbacks.

Economy — when you're ahead.

Scheduled replenishment, spare parts, and repeat orders you know are coming. Order against your own schedule, and the longer window comes at a lower price than Standard.

FAQ

Lead times: common questions

Business days, Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays in British Columbia. A weekend or a holiday in the middle of an order doesn't eat into the tier you chose, so the date on your quote already accounts for the days the shop is closed.

Noon, Pacific Time. Orders paid and confirmed before noon start counting that same business day, and anything confirmed after noon starts the next business day. If the files need a fix first, the cut-off applies to the moment they're confirmed.

Rush is the tightest turnaround we offer, and four things decide whether an order can run on it. The material has to be in stock and ready to run, so materials quoted on request can't go on Rush. Large quantities that need more than one build take longer. Some finishes add fixed time that can't be compressed. And Rush depends on where your parts fit in the current production schedule.

A batch that fits in a single build follows the tier you choose, like any other order. When it needs more than one, send the files through RFI / RFQ help: we plan the builds, set the ship date on your quote before you pay, and can split the order into partial deliveries, so the first parts reach you while the rest are still in production.

Yes. Rush, Standard, and Economy apply to both MJF and FDM, counted the same way and with the same cut-off. Choosing a process changes the material and the part, not the clock, so an MJF housing and an FDM bracket can be planned against the same dates.

We ship with Purolator, UPS, and FedEx, and book the fastest service available for your destination and package. The transit times above give you a reference for cities across Canada.

Know your date before you order

Upload your file for an Instant Quote with the turnaround and lead time included.

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