3D printing in core facilities – Low pain, high gain

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has rapidly developed from a niche hobbyist activity into a widely accessible and indispensable technology across multiple scientific disciplines. Within microscopy, optical engineering laboratories and imaging core facilities, 3D printing enables creating customised solutions for sample holders, optical components and everyday laboratory tools that traditionally required specialised machining. By providing rapid prototyping, low-cost production and reproducibility, 3D printing facilitates innovation and efficiency in facility operations. This article provides a perspective on the possibilities, challenges, and practical aspects of implementing 3D printing within microscopy core facilities. Instead of providing technical review about 3D printing, we focus on service organisation, user engagement, resource management and community-driven repositories for design dissemination. Our aim is to share insights with those considering the implementation of 3D printing as a service for developing add-on components to ease the operation of different aspects of the machine-park driven services and those who are managing advanced instrumentation within research groups.