If you want something printed but don't have a 3D file for it, we can make one. The 3D modeling service at 3D Lab Bali turns sketches, photos, measurements, broken parts or 3D scan data into files that are ready to print. The rate is IDR 150,000 per design hour, with a one-hour minimum, then billed per 30 minutes. You can take just the file (STL, OBJ or STEP), or have us print it at our workshop in Jimbaran.
Below: what to send us, design hours from some of our orders, and how to keep the hours down.
What You Can Send Us to Model
Almost every design order starts from one of these four:
- A sketch or an idea. A hand drawing on paper is enough, as long as it has dimensions. Reference photos from the internet help show the style or shape you want.
- A broken or discontinued part. We measure it with a caliper and redraw it. The full process is in our article on 3D-printed spare parts in Bali.
- 3D scan data. A scan file is just a "skin" with holes and rough surfaces. We turn it into a solid model you can print or resize. When you need a scan and when measuring by hand is enough is covered in what is 3D scanning.
- An old file that won't print. A broken STL, walls that are too thin, or an AI-generated mesh that isn't watertight. That is usually a repair job, not a design from scratch.
The thing people most often forget to send is dimensions. If the part has to fit something else, such as a lid for a container, a mount for a tool or a clip for a pipe, send the dimensions of that mating part too. Better still, bring it to the workshop.
Two Kinds of 3D Design: Precise CAD and Sculpting
We pick the method from the shape of the object.
Technical and mechanical shapes (brackets, boxes, mounts, spare parts, enclosures) are drawn in CAD software such as Fusion 360. Every dimension is locked to a millimetre value, bolt holes go exactly where they should, and changing something means changing a number. For designs we build from scratch this way, you can also get a STEP file that opens and edits in other CAD software.
Organic shapes (statues, figures, characters, reliefs, ornaments) are made in sculpting software such as ZBrush or Blender, much like shaping digital clay. The result is an STL or OBJ file. Shapes like these are usually printed in resin so the fine detail survives.
The method also drives the estimate. A simple mechanical part is often done within an hour, while an organic shape with lots of detail can take several hours because every curve is shaped by hand.
How Long Does 3D Design Take? Examples from Our Orders
Here are the design hours from a few finished orders in our workshop:
- Sign (FDM), CAD: about 1.5 hours
- Miniature with a thin fence (resin), file repair, fence thickened so it would print: about 1 hour
- Sculpted hands (resin), sculpting: 2 hours (initial estimate 4)
- Four 2.5D relief panels, 20 × 20 × 2.5 cm (resin), sculpting: 8 hours billed (about 11 hours of actual work)
Design hours depend more on the amount of detail and the number of parts that have to fit together than on the size of the object. The relief panels took long to make because their whole surface is sculpted.
Sometimes the customer already has a model, but thin features, like the fence on that miniature, are too small to print. In that case the design time goes into thickening and cleaning up those features.
The Process: From Chat to File in Your Hands
- Send references on WhatsApp. A sketch, photos from several angles, the main dimensions (length × width × height), and which features have to be precise.
- Discussion and estimate. We confirm what the part does: indoors or outdoors, load-bearing or not. Then we send an estimate of design hours, material and print price. The consultation is free.
- Deposit for orders above IDR 300,000. For orders above IDR 300,000, we ask for a 50% deposit before the designer starts. Below that, you pay when the order is done.
- Preview and revisions. Before printing, we send a preview of the model for you to check and approve. Revisions are billed at the same hourly rate.
- File or printed part. You receive the file, or we print the model straight away. For parts that lock together, our designer leaves a tolerance gap, because the material shrinks slightly as it prints.
Full service details are on our 3D modeling service page.
Tips to Keep Design Hours Down
Since design is billed by the hour, every back-and-forth and every revision adds cost. A few things help:
- Measure before you send. A photo of the object next to a ruler or caliper is far more useful than "roughly this big".
- Batch your revision feedback. One list with five changes is quicker to work through than five separate messages.
- Decide what it's for up front. A part for a car parked in the sun is designed with a different material and wall thickness than a desk ornament.
- Check whether the model already exists. For common objects, a print-ready file is sometimes available on a 3D model marketplace. Downloading it can cost less than an hour of design.
- For precise parts, plan one test print. Printing one sample to try is cheaper than printing ten that don't fit. More in our rapid prototyping article.
How design cost compares with print cost is broken down in 3D printing cost in Bali.
FAQ
Can I get just the file, without printing? Yes. You receive an STL or OBJ file, plus STEP for technical designs we build from scratch. You can print the file anywhere.
What is the minimum charge for 3D modeling? One hour, IDR 150,000. After the first hour, it's billed per 30 minutes. If we also print it, the minimum order for printing is IDR 100,000.
How long until the model is ready? It depends on complexity: from one day for a simple part to about a week for a complex shape. We send the time estimate together with the price estimate.
What if I cancel after design has started? For orders with a deposit, the deposit pays for the designer hours already worked, so it can't be refunded. That's why we always confirm shape and dimensions with you before we start.
Have an Idea but No File?
Send your sketch, photos or part on WhatsApp for a free consultation. We'll help you decide whether it needs a design from scratch, a file repair, or a scan first. All our contacts are on the 3D Lab Bali links page.