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Frequently asked questions
14 questions with the real numbers: the robots start at $285.38 CAD built and tested by 3D3D, you pay by Interac e-Transfer on an emailed invoice, and the design files are free.
How much does a 3D printed robot from 3D3D Bots cost?
6 bots run from $285.38 CAD (The first Mini) to $362.89 CAD built and tested by 3D3D; the default, the Mini v2, is $362.89 CAD. It says "from" because 0 of the Mini v2's bought parts have no sourced price yet and are not in the number. Building it yourself costs $202.50 CAD in bought parts, with the print files free. See the bots.
How do I pay?
By Interac e-Transfer on an invoice the 3D3D team emails after it checks your design. There is no card checkout, and nothing is charged until you pay the invoice. Shipping is worked out from where it goes and added to the invoice. Prices and ordering.
What does "Built by 3D3D" include?
Bought parts at cost plus 15%, printing by the gram (PETG $0.11, TPU 95A $0.18, ASA $0.13, with $5.00 setup and bed time per plate), a build fee of $50.00 and a test fee of $50.00. Finishing is $25.00 an hour and only charged when a piece needs it; shipping is on the invoice.
Can I build it myself for less?
Yes. The design, print files, parts list with links and wiring are a free download. The Mini v2's bought parts come to $202.50 CAD in whole packs, and you print the 167.8 g of pieces yourself. The Mini v2's parts list.
What can the robot do today?
You can design it, run every fit check, and drive it in the free test room, where its face, voice and moves also run. The program that runs those on the bot's own ESP32-S3 chip is not built yet, so what the real bot does with them is in the test room today. The test room.
Which robot should I start with?
The Mini v2 (106 x 114 x 116 mm, $362.89 CAD) rolls on two 64 mm wheels. The Desk bot (96 x 88 x 170 mm, $315.14 CAD) stays on the table and turns and nods. Compare all 6.
Can I swap the head or the body?
Yes. There are 5 bodies and 8 heads, and all 40 pairs pass the checks. A head swap changes the built price by −$9.95 to +$0.88 on the Mini v2's body. The parts.
What are the parts printed in?
PETG on a 0.4 mm nozzle for the rigid pieces, and TPU 95A for the Mini v2's tyres. PLA is only for fit tests. PETG or TPU.
How long does printing take?
3D3D's calculator estimates 3.5 minutes per gram, so the Mini v2's 167.8 g is about 9.8 hours across its plates. That is the pricing estimate for bed time, not a measured print.
What does fit-checked mean?
Every printed piece is one watertight solid, with walls at least 1.2 mm, nothing hanging past 45 degrees and a fit on a 256 mm plate, and every bot's joins, overlaps and rules are checked. What is checked, and what is not yet.
What computer is in the robot?
An ESP32-S3 camera board (Waveshare ESP32-S3-CAM-OV5640, $37.99 CAD) with a camera, two microphones and a 2 W speaker, plus a 2 inch touch screen for the face. The ESP32-S3 guide.
Can I control the robot from my phone?
You can drive your design from your phone in the test room today. Driving the real bot from a phone is Coming next. How, step by step.
Is there an AI helper?
Bo, the AI helper, is Coming next. Designing, testing and ordering work without it.
Who makes it?
3D3D, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada: 3D printing and on-demand manufacturing, software and web development, and AI systems. The name 3D3D Bots is a working name. Questions: info@3d3d.ca.
All prices are in Canadian dollars before tax and shipping. Bought parts are priced from amazon.ca listings (seen 2026-11-04), plus 15% when 3D3D buys them. Printing, the build and test fee and finishing are 3D3D's own rates, listed on the prices page.