We Melt Plastic. Accurately.
Merlin 3D was built on a simple premise: 3D printing shouldn’t be a gamble. We operate a tight, precision-focused print farm in the UK, utilizing industrial-grade hardware like the Flashforge AD5X equipped with a 4-colour multi-material system, and the high-speed Adventurer 5M.
We don’t do mass-produced injection moulding. We specialize in fused deposition modeling (FDM)—which is a fancy way of saying we melt high-quality engineering plastics and stack them layer by microscopic layer.
Whether you need a 4-colour articulated dragon to distract you at your desk, or a reinforced PETG bracket to keep your workshop from collapsing, we handle the technical headaches so you don’t have to. We understand the physics, the tolerances, and the material science required to turn digital files into physical reality.
If your CAD file is sound, we will print it flawlessly. If it defies the laws of gravity, we’ll politely tell you why it’s going to end up as a pile of plastic spaghetti before we take your money.
The Man Behind the Machine
“I didn’t take the traditional route into engineering.”
Most of my life has been spent behind the wheel of an HGV, navigating Class 1 tankers or operating HIAB cranes on the overhead powerlines for the National Grid. I’ve spent fifteen years understanding load limits, safety protocols, and how things actually work in the real world.
When I wasn’t on the road, I was studying Natural Science and Planetary Science with the Open University. That mix of heavy-duty industrial experience and academic curiosity is what drives Merlin 3D. I don’t just “hit print” and hope for the best; I understand the material science and the physics required to make sure your custom bracket doesn’t snap and your articulated model looks exactly as it should.
When the printers aren’t humming, life is usually a different kind of loud. I live here in Carmarthen with my wife, and our three boys. While I handle the CAD designs and the technical side of the running a server, the boys act as our unofficial (and very enthusiastic) quality control department. If a new articulated dragon design can survive a weekend being “tested” by two under-10s and a teenager, I know it’s ready for the shop. Family is the reason I started Merlin 3D, and it’s the reason every project that leaves the workshop is built to last.
Whether I’m designing a replacement part for your workshop or a custom mascot for your desk, I bring the same precision I used when hauling articulated trailers to every millimetre of your 3D print.
— Jon Bassett > Lead Tinkerer