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Service · Hardware embedding

Hardware embedding: metal inserts and electronics built into 3D printed parts

Nuts, threaded inserts, magnets, bearings, metal rods, NFC tags and circuit boards embedded in the part during printing, at our lab in Brescia, Italy.

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No trade name, just process

Hardware embedding is not a proprietary technology

It is not a patent and not a brand: it is an established industrial practice in additive manufacturing, one we have applied for years to jigs, tooling and end-use components. It does not need a new name; it needs to be designed properly. What makes the difference is the seat tolerances, the pause height in the G-code, the material chosen and the quality check on the insert: four parameters we document for every job.

How it works

Four steps, one part that comes out assembled

The print pauses at a controlled height, the component drops into its designed seat and the following layers seal it inside the polymer. Alternatively, we fit heat-set or press-fit inserts once printing is complete.

  1. 01

    Pocket design

    During DfAM we define the geometry, radial clearance and depth of the seat based on material, process and expected loads.

  2. 02

    Pause at Z height

    The G-code is set to stop the print at exactly the layer where the cavity is open and accessible.

  3. 03

    Component insertion

    The operator seats the nut, magnet, bearing or electronics fully home, checking orientation and polarity.

  4. 04

    Sealing and testing

    Printing resumes and the following layers encapsulate the insert permanently. A dimensional and functional check follows.

1 the print stops at the programmed layer, with the seats already formed, 2 the inserts go in: nuts, magnets, bearings, electronics, sensors, 3 printing resumes and closes the seats over them. The inserts stay sealed inside the part, precisely positioned, with no assembly afterwards.

Inserts encapsulated during printingExploded view of a 3D printed part: at the bottom, the part printed up to the pause layer, with its seats open; in the middle, a hex nut and a magnet dropping into the seats; at the top, the closing layers, printed afterwards, that seal the inserts inside the part.03Resumeclosing layers02InsertionM6 nut and magnet01Layer pauseseats open

What we can embed

Five families of components that can go inside the part

From fastening hardware to electronics, ballast and optics: if it has a properly designed seat, it can live inside the part.

Fasteners and joints

  • Hex and square nuts embedded mid-print for reusable female threads; a square nut cannot turn in its seat
  • Screws and bolts inserted head-down to create permanent threaded studs
  • Brass threaded inserts, heat-set or press-fit, for durable threads in the polymer
  • Washers and metal plates that spread load and clamping pressure over a wider area

Structural reinforcement

  • Steel or aluminum bars and rods housed in through-channels for extreme stiffness and tensile strength
  • Carbon fiber tubes as a lightweight alternative to metal for stiffening long, slender parts

Electronics and smart tech

  • Fully encapsulated NFC tags and RFID chips for traceability, identification and smartphone automations
  • Compact PCBs, microcontrollers and sensors (e.g. temperature) embedded in the polymer
  • Copper wires and conductive traces laid in dedicated channels to carry current
  • LEDs behind thin printed walls for diffuse, seamless light indicators
  • Coin cell batteries for low-power embedded circuits

Mechanics and motion

  • Neodymium magnets inserted mid-print: fully hidden and permanently fixed, ideal for invisible closures and modular snap fits
  • Ball bearings captured in the part for smooth rotary motion with no downstream assembly
  • Integrated springs for compliant mechanisms, buttons and suspensions

Utility and finishing

  • Ballast and counterweights (steel shot, sand) poured into internal voids to give bases and accessories mass and a premium feel
  • Optical components such as glass slides, mirrors and small lenses, captured in custom seats for sights and refractors

Industrial benefits

  • Reusable metal threads instead of printed threads that wear out
  • Less downstream assembly: the part leaves the machine complete
  • Traceability built into the component, with NFC/RFID tags that cannot be reached from outside
  • Metal replacement with reinforcement only where the load is
  • No glue, no overmolding, no risk of the insert coming loose

Design requirements

  • Typical radial clearance of 0.1–0.3 mm in FDM, tighter in MSLA and SLS
  • Print orientation planned so the pocket stays accessible and needs no internal supports
  • Compatible materials: PETG, ABS, Nylon PA12 SLS, PA-CF, CFC, PEEK and Ultem
  • Thermal check of the polymer when heat-set inserts are used
  • Dimensional check of the insert before the layer is closed

No pockets in your drawings yet? We design them with our DfAM consulting, choosing the polymer from our materials catalog.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about embedding inserts, magnets and electronics in 3D printed parts.

It is the placement of non-printed components (nuts, threaded inserts, magnets, bearings, metal rods, NFC tags, PCBs, LEDs) inside the part during printing. The machine pauses at a preset Z height, the operator places the component in the pocket designed for it, and printing resumes, sealing it inside the polymer.

Fasteners (hex and square nuts, screws, brass threaded inserts, washers), structural reinforcements (steel or aluminum rods, carbon fiber tubes), electronics (NFC/RFID, sensors, PCBs, cables, LEDs, coin cells), mechanical parts (neodymium magnets, bearings, springs) and ballast weights or optical components.

No. It is a standard industrial practice in additive manufacturing, not a patent or a trademark: what makes the difference is the pocket tolerances, the pause height, the material and quality control. At EptaPrint we have applied it for years to jigs, tooling and end-use components.

It depends on the material and process: typically 0.1–0.3 mm radial clearance for magnets and bearings in FDM, tighter in MSLA and SLS. We define the pocket at the DfAM stage together with the print orientation, so the insert seats fully without forcing and is locked in by the following layers.

The whole range: PETG and ABS for low-cost applications, Nylon PA12 SLS and PA-CF for tooling and structural parts, high-performance polymers such as PEEK and Ultem when thermal and chemical resistance are needed. For heat-set inserts we check the thermal compatibility of the polymer.

Need a part that leaves the machine already assembled?

Send us the CAD and the list of components to embed: we will propose pockets, material and print cycle, with a reply within 24 business hours.

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