3 Space

What 3 Space does

3 Space is an industrial additive manufacturing and metrology service bureau headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, founded in 2013. The company operates a broad technology stack spanning polymer 3D printing (FDM, PolyJet, MultiJet, SLS, and PEEK), metal 3D printing (DMLS), and 3D scanning (Faro laser arm, blue light structured light, and white light), with stated single-scan accuracy down to 0.0003 inches and standard lead times of 5 days for printing and 48 hours for scanning. Its service portfolio also includes reverse engineering (physical part to STEP/IGES CAD), dimensional inspection with deviation mapping and FAI/PPAP reporting, and low-volume plastic injection molding (MOQ 250, 25-day lead time) delivered through a Chinese manufacturing partner that depends on 3 Space for the majority of its revenue.

The company serves B2B customers across automotive, robotics, consumer products, medical devices, aerospace, and other industrial sectors; Whirlpool is the only publicly named enterprise customer. 3 Space monetizes through quote-based, pay-as-you-go project work — scanning and reverse engineering are billed at $100-$200 per hour, printing is priced per part by quote, and injection molding carries no setup fees. The go-to-market is sales-led via the website contact form, supported by content marketing (blog, resource library, case studies) and social channels. The company is currently operating at capacity and not accepting new customers, which constrains near-term scaling absent capital or capacity investment.

Operationally, 3 Space is a privately held US LLC with 11-50 employees, no disclosed funding rounds, no app or API, and no stated AI/ML capabilities. Its competitive positioning rests on the breadth of its in-house technology portfolio, the precision of its scanning work, expert technician-driven design validation, and the cost advantage conferred by its Chinese injection-molding partner.

Name

3 Space

Legal name

3 Space

Website

https://3space.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

3 Space is a Louisville-based industrial 3D printing and 3D scanning service bureau offering polymer and metal additive manufacturing, precision metrology, reverse engineering, and injection molding to B2B customers in automotive, medical, aerospace, and consumer products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Additive Manufacturing Services

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAAADAL

Electronics & Industrial Component 3D Printing Services (enclosures, fixtures, functional parts)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/3D Printing/3D Printing Services (On-Demand Manufacturing & Service Bureaus)

SECONDARYIMAAAHAJ

Metrology & Scanning Services (Inspection Labs, On-Site Measurement)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/3D Printing/3D Scanning & Metrology for Additive Manufacturing

Keywords

• Industrial 3D printing
• Additive manufacturing services
• 3D scanning services
• Reverse engineering CAD
• Injection molding service

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 3D Printing Services: Provides industrial 3D printing services using FDM, PolyJet, and MultiJet technologies. Customers pay for parts manufactured on-demand. 5-day lead time for most orders. 3 technologies and dozens of materials available.
2. 3D Scanning Services: Offers 3D scanning for QA/QC, reverse engineering, and part inspection. 48-hour lead time for most orders. Non-destructive scanning with accuracy down to 0.0003 inches.
3. Reverse Engineering Services: Converts 3D scanned parts into usable CAD models (STEP/IGES files). Hourly service at $100-$200 per hour depending on technology used.
4. Dimensional Inspection Services: Part inspection comparing 3D scans to original CAD. Generates deviation maps and PDF reports. Hourly service.
5. Injection Molding Services: Production plastic parts via Chinese manufacturing partner. Average lead time 25 days. MOQ of 250. No setup fees. Low and high volume production (250-10,000+ parts).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

3 Space is an industrial 3D printing and scanning service bureau that manufactures custom prototypes, functional parts, and end-use components using FDM, PolyJet, MultiJet, SLS, DMLS, and PEEK technologies, and provides 3D scanning (laser, blue light, white light), reverse engineering, and dimensional inspection services. It also brokers plastic injection molding production (250-10,000+ units) through a Chinese manufacturing partner, with all design validation, quoting, and quality oversight handled in-house at its Louisville, KY facility.

Product overview

3 Space is an industrial 3D printing and scanning service bureau offering a comprehensive portfolio of additive manufacturing and metrology services. The core offerings include 3D Printing Services (covering FDM, PolyJet, and MultiJet technologies), 3D Scanning Services (laser, blue light, and white light scanning), and Manufacturing Services including injection molding. Supporting services include Reverse Engineering to convert physical parts to CAD, Dimensional Inspection for QA/QC, and specialized services for PEEK, DMLS metal printing, and SLS powder bed fusion. The company serves automotive, robotics, consumer products, medical devices, aerospace, and other industries with lead times typically ranging from 2-5 days for scanning/printing services to 25 days for injection molding projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3D Printing Services Industrial 3D printing service bureau offering multiple additive manufacturing technologies (FDM, PolyJet, MultiJet) and dozens of materials for prototypes, functional parts, manufacturing aids, and end-use components, with 5-day lead time for most orders and design validation prior to printing.
• 3D Scanning Services Industrial 3D scanning service using laser, blue light, and white light scanning technologies for QA/QC, reverse engineering, and part inspection, with 48-hour lead time, rush orders available, non-destructive scanning, and single-scan accuracy down to 0.0003 inches.
• PolyJet 3D Printing PolyJet material jetting 3D printing using photopolymers cured by UV light, capable of printing single parts from multiple rigid and rubber-like materials with smooth surface finish comparable to injection molding. Build size 19x14x8 inches, layer height 0.0006-0.001 inches, tolerance ±0.008 inches.
• MultiJet 3D Printing Highest-resolution 3D printing service using material jetting with UV-cured photopolymers, ideal for tiny parts with detailed features, fit testing, and cosmetic prototypes. Build size 12x7x8 inches, layer height 0.0006-0.0012 inches, tolerance ±0.0015 inch per inch, resolution 375-1600 DPI.
• FDM 3D Printing Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printing using industrial thermoplastics for functional prototypes and end-use parts. Build size 16x14x16 inches, layer heights 0.005-0.013 inches, tolerance ±0.005 inches, with materials including ABS-M30, polycarbonate, PPSF, ULTEM 9085, and Nylon 12.
• Laser Scanning Services Faro arm laser scanning service capturing 600,000 data points per second, with integrated touch probe for precise measurements. Probe accuracy 0.0013 inches, scan accuracy 0.0021 inches. Output formats include STL and PLY.
• Blue Light Scanning Structured light blue light scanning service offering the highest accuracy of any scanning technology offered, with single-scan accuracy as low as 0.0003 inches. Minimum feature size 0.0020-0.0080 inches, less susceptible to environmental disturbances due to fast individual scans, used for the majority of part inspection work.
• Dimensional Inspection Quality control and part inspection service comparing 3D scans of production parts to original CAD. Generates deviation maps, point inspections, and 2D planar profiles, and fulfills FAI/PPAP requirements. Report delivery in 48 hours, billed as hourly service.
• Reverse Engineering Reverse engineering service converting physical parts into usable CAD files (STEP or IGES) using 3D scan data, enabling replacement parts, legacy part digitization, aftermarket parts design, and design modification. CAD delivery in 48 hours, hourly service at $100-$200 per hour.
• Injection Molding Plastic injection molding service for production plastic parts, delivered through a Chinese manufacturing partner that handles tooling and molding while 3 Space provides design assistance, DFM feedback, and quality inspection. Average lead time 25 days, MOQ of 250 parts, no setup fees, supports low and high volume production (250-10,000+ parts) in any moldable plastic, with advanced options such as overmolding and two-shot molding.
• PEEK 3D Printing High-performance polymer 3D printing service using PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) material with exceptional durability, heat resistance, and chemical resistance, for aerospace, automotive, electrical, oil, medical, and culinary applications.
• DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) Metal 3D printing service using Direct Metal Laser Sintering to produce parts with cast-quality mechanical properties at up to 99.5% density. Supports stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, INCONEL, and other metals for aerospace, automotive, medical, and dental applications.
• SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) Selective Laser Sintering powder bed fusion 3D printing using thermoplastic sintering for functional prototypes and end-use parts, with no support structures required, reusable powder, and multiple nylon materials including flame-retardant and carbon-fiber reinforced options.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48-hour lead time for 3D scanning
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Chinese Manufacturing Partner (unnamed)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner3 Space partners with a Chinese manufacturing facility for the majority of their injection molding production. The partner handles tooling and molding while 3 Space provides design assistance, DFM feedback, and quality inspection. 3 Space accounts for more than 50% of the partner's revenue, ensuring strong relationship incentives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Velo3D: Velo3D manufactures and operates metal additive manufacturing systems and on-demand printing services with a focus on aerospace and defense. Overlaps with 3 Space's DMLS metal printing specialty.
• Protolabs: Protolabs is a global on-demand digital manufacturer offering injection molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing (SLS, SLA, DMLS, PolyJet). It directly overlaps with 3 Space's 3D printing and injection molding service bureau model but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• Direct Dimensions: Direct Dimensions is a 3D scanning, reverse engineering, and dimensional inspection service provider. It matches the metrology/reverse engineering half of 3 Space's offering rather than the printing side.
• Xometry: Xometry is an AI-enabled on-demand manufacturing marketplace aggregating 3D printing, CNC, sheet metal, and injection molding suppliers. It competes with 3 Space for the same industrial prototype-to-low-volume production customer base in automotive and medical.
• Hubs (Protolabs Network): Hubs operates a global network of vetted 3D printing, CNC, and injection molding service bureaus, now part of Protolabs. It competes head-to-head with independent bureaus like 3 Space for prototype and low-volume production orders.
• Stratasys Direct Manufacturing: Stratasys Direct is the service bureau arm of Stratasys, offering PolyJet, FDM, SLA, SLS, and DMD services. It shares 3 Space's emphasis on PolyJet/FDM printing for industrial prototyping applications.
• Materialise: Materialise is a Belgium-based pioneer in industrial 3D printing services with strong medical device and automotive presence. It directly competes with 3 Space for industrial-grade printing contracts and offers comparable PolyJet/SLS/DMLS technologies.
• Fictiv: Fictiv is a digital manufacturing platform offering CNC, 3D printing (FDM, SLA, SLS, DMLS), and injection molding. It targets the same industrial prototype and low-volume production buyers as 3 Space.
• Shapeways: Shapeways is an online 3D printing service offering SLS, MJF, SLA, DMLS, and PolyJet for both professional and prosumer buyers. It competes with 3 Space for industrial and prosumer demand.
• Quickparts: Quickparts is a US-based 3D printing and CNC machining service bureau serving automotive, aerospace, medical, and consumer products. It directly competes with 3 Space on rapid prototyping and low-volume production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/3spaceproto
• Facebookfacebook.com/3spaceproto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3-space-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/3_space_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 3 Space