How to Mail a Part for 3D Scanning and Printing
· 2 min read
Vekform works by mail, or by local pickup in metro Atlanta, so most jobs begin with a box. Here is how to pack a part so it arrives scannable, how to make sure we can match it to your quote, and what happens on our end once it lands.
Request the quote first
Start with the quote form, describe the part, and attach a photo. We reply with the shipping address and a reference. Sending a part before you have a reference means it arrives as a mystery box, and it slows everything down.
In metro Atlanta? Ask for pickup
If you are inside the Atlanta metro, you can skip the box. Say so on the quote form and we arrange a pickup of the part, usually within a few days, and hand the finished print back the same way. Everything below still applies to how the pieces should be protected.
In metro Atlanta? Ask for pickup
If you are inside the Atlanta metro, you can skip the box. Say so on the quote form and we arrange a pickup of the part, usually within a few days, and hand the finished print back the same way. Everything below still applies to how the pieces should be protected.
Send every piece
If the part broke into fragments, send all of them, even the small ones. A part broken cleanly carries its full geometry between the pieces, and a sliver you thought was trash might be the only record of a mounting tab. If you have an intact matching part from the other side of the machine or vehicle, send that too. Scanning a good example is always better than reconstructing a broken one.
Protect the surfaces
- Wrap each piece separately in tissue or a soft cloth so they do not rub against each other.
- Do not tape directly to the part. Adhesive residue on a scan surface has to be cleaned off and some plastics do not like it.
- Do not glue the pieces back together. Glue adds thickness and hides the break line we use to align them. Loose pieces are better.
- Do not clean with solvents. A wipe with soapy water is fine. Grease and dirt are easy for us to deal with. Solvent damage is not.
Box it
A small padded envelope is fine for clips, knobs, and caps. Anything larger or fragile goes in a box with padding on all sides so it cannot shift. Put a note inside with your name, email, and the reference from your quote. Ship with any carrier that gives you tracking. Most of Georgia reaches us in one business day by ground, and the rest of the country in two to five.
What happens when it arrives
We photograph the part as received, match it to your quote, and scan it. If the part is shiny, clear, or very dark we apply a temporary matte coating that washes off. We clean the mesh, rebuild the geometry, identify anything that has to be reconstructed, and send you a firm quote with the price and the ship date. Nothing prints until you approve it.
Getting your original back
Your original ships back with the finished part unless you tell us to recycle it. Many customers want the broken original back as a reference for the next one, and we are happy to include it.