Real Person. Real Parts. Real Results.

A full-service partner for additive manufacturing and production. From concept to prototype to full-scale runs — we manage the project end-to-end so you get the parts you need, on time and on spec.

Real Person
Real Parts
Real Results
About Us

A one-stop shop for the parts you need.

We're a full-service project management firm built around one idea: every project deserves a real person who looks at the whole picture. We don't just print or produce — we evaluate your needs, recommend the right process, and develop a complete solution that gets your product into customers' hands.

Whether you need a single prototype overnight or a hundred-thousand-piece production run, we work the technologies and partners that make sense for your project — MJF, SLS, Carbon DLS, SLA, FDM, DMLS metal, and full plastic injection molding production.

TR Tim Ruffner
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Founder & President

Tim Ruffner

15+ years in additive manufacturing · Industry speaker · Consultant

Tim founded 3D Printing and Production to be the single point of contact every customer wishes they had — a real person who understands the entire stack, from a customer's first sketch all the way through tooling, production, and fulfillment.

Across more than fifteen years in additive manufacturing, Tim has worked with industry-defining companies including BigRep, Dynamism, Star Prototype, and AdvancedTek, and helped take Desktop Metal, Concept Laser (now part of GE), and GPI Prototype to public-company scale. His expertise spans both metals and polymer additive manufacturing as well as traditional methods like injection molding, CNC machining, and casting — so the recommendation you get is the right one for your part, not just the one a vendor wants to sell you.

Tim has spoken at hundreds of industry events on designing for additive and traditional manufacturing, and is regularly featured as a voice in the additive manufacturing community — described by colleagues as "a force of nature in the 3D additive manufacturing industry."

15+ YearsIn additive manufacturing
Metals + PolymersFull-stack AM expertise
Hundreds of TalksIndustry events & training
3 IPOsHelped scale Desktop Metal, Concept Laser, GPI
Connect on LinkedIn
15+
Years in additive manufacturing
7+
Print technologies offered
100s
Industry talks delivered
1
Direct point of contact

What we manage for you

  • Process selection & material recommendations
  • Design for manufacturability review
  • Prototyping in any major 3D print technology
  • Tooling design & mold building
  • Production runs of any scale
  • Packaging, fulfillment & shipping
  • Ongoing project management — always one person to call
3D Printing

Additive manufacturing, every technology that matters.

From rapid prototypes to bridge-production parts. We work the right process for your geometry, material, and budget.

MJF — Multi Jet Fusion

HP's powder-bed process for strong, isotropic nylon parts. Excellent surface finish, high throughput, fine feature detail.

PA12Production-ready

SLS — Selective Laser Sintering

Laser-fused nylon powder for durable functional parts and complex geometries — no support structures required.

FunctionalComplex geo

Carbon DLS

Digital Light Synthesis for end-use polyurethane parts with isotropic mechanical properties and injection-mold-like surface.

End-useHigh-resolution

SLA — Stereolithography

Resin-based printing for the smoothest finishes and finest details. Perfect for visual prototypes, master patterns, and dental/medical parts.

Smooth finishFine detail

FDM — Fused Deposition Modeling

Cost-effective prototypes and large parts in industrial-grade thermoplastics. Great for fixtures, jigs, concept models, and budget-friendly functional iterations.

Cost-effectiveLarge parts
Production

Plastic injection molding, end-to-end.

Beyond prototypes — we offer complete plastic injection molding production. From part design and tooling all the way through molding, packing, and shipping. ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949 certified processes for everything from short-run to high-volume programs.

01

Part Design & Engineering

Collaborate on geometry, draft, gating, and material selection. A well-thought-out design cuts mold cost and run time.

02

Mold Design & Engineering

Custom plastic injection mold design tailored to your part, your volume, and your budget — built for repeatability.

03

Mold Manufacturing

Precision tool building including hardened production tooling, prototype tooling, and OEM/ODM mold programs.

04

Custom Injection Molding

All-electric and hybrid presses from 55 to 610 tons. Small prototype volumes through full-scale production runs of large plastic parts and housings.

05

Precision Injection Molding

Tight-tolerance parts for medical, electronics, and automotive applications. Engineering-grade resins and validated processes.

06

Die Casting

Die casting mold design and development for metal parts when injection molding isn't the right fit.

07

Large-Scale Production

One-stop service — molding, producing, packing, and shipping. We handle the full production lifecycle so you don't have to chase vendors.

08

OEM / ODM Programs

Long-term partnership models for brands and product companies that need a reliable production partner program-after-program.

Industries we serve

Medical & Pharmaceutical Automotive Consumer Products Engineering & Industrial Energy Electronics
More Services

Beyond manufacturing — a full partner for your business.

Parts are just the start. We sell production-ready equipment, advise on technology strategy, and work directly with teams and audiences to grow what you've built.

Used Equipment for Sale

Quality pre-owned 3D printers and production equipment — fully evaluated, supported, and priced to put serious capability within reach of growing shops and labs.

  • Industrial & desktop 3D printers
  • Post-processing and finishing equipment
  • Inventory rotates regularly — ask what's available
  • Trade-in and consignment options

Consulting

Strategic advice for companies adopting or scaling additive manufacturing. Make confident technology decisions before you spend on machines, materials, or headcount.

  • Technology selection & ROI analysis
  • Application discovery & part qualification
  • Workflow design & process integration
  • Vendor evaluation & equipment specs
  • Production-readiness assessments

Speaking & Training

Bring real-world additive manufacturing expertise to your event, classroom, or team. Practical, vendor-neutral, and built to help organizations actually scale.

  • Keynotes & speaking at industry events
  • On-site employee training programs
  • Workshops on AM strategy & operations
  • Coaching for businesses scaling production
  • Custom curriculum for engineering teams
Why Us

Real person. Real parts. Real results.

A tagline we actually mean — here's what it looks like in practice.

Real Person

One direct point of contact. No call centers, no ticket queues — just a project manager who knows your job.

Real Parts

Production-grade parts in the right material and process. We don't sell hype — we deliver parts that work.

Real Results

On time. On spec. On budget. We measure success by the part on your bench and the customer it ends up serving.

Fast Turnaround

Quotes in hours, not days. Prototypes in days. Production tooling on the schedule your launch demands.

Quality You Can Trust

Production processes are ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949 certified. Validated workflows for medical and automotive parts.

Honest Pricing

Transparent quotes. No surprise change orders. We tell you the trade-offs so you can pick the option that fits your business.

Get In Touch

Let's build your next part.

Send over a file, a sketch, or just a question. You'll talk to a real person — usually the same day.

tim@3dprintingandproduction.com  ·  (847) 313-0808  ·  Lake Zurich, Illinois