If you sell 3D printed products in the UK, understanding product safety, technical documentation and UKCA or CE marking can seem complicated. A common question for small makers is simply: what do I actually need to do before I sell my 3D prints?
The answer depends on what you manufacture and how the product is intended to be used. A decorative 3D printed collectible, for example, may be subject to different requirements from a product designed or marketed as a children’s toy.
UKCA or CE marking is therefore not automatically required just because a product has been 3D printed. You first need to identify the type of product, the market where you intend to sell it and the legislation that applies.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the main considerations for UK 3D printing businesses, including product classification, toy safety, risk assessments, technical documentation, UKCA and CE marking, and keeping organised product records.
We’ll also look at how the GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop Software can help small 3D printing businesses organise their technical records. The software is a documentation tool rather than a certification service, so manufacturers remain responsible for determining and meeting the legal requirements that apply to their products.
Does a 3D Printed Product Need UKCA or CE Marking?
One of the biggest misconceptions about selling 3D printed products is that every item automatically needs UKCA or CE marking. This is not the case. The manufacturing method itself does not determine whether a conformity marking is required.
Instead, you need to consider what the product is, its intended use, who it is intended for and which product legislation applies to it.
For example, a decorative collectible intended for adult display may fall under different product-safety requirements from a 3D printed item designed or marketed as a children’s toy. Electrical products, machinery and other regulated product categories can also have their own requirements.
For products placed on the market in Great Britain — England, Scotland and Wales — businesses should first identify which product rules apply. Where the product falls within legislation requiring conformity marking, the appropriate conformity-assessment and documentation requirements must then be followed.
Importantly, CE marking continues to be recognised in Great Britain for a range of regulated products. This includes toys, where current government guidance allows businesses to use either CE or UKCA marking when the relevant requirements are satisfied. Therefore, sellers should not assume that UKCA is the only marking available for products sold in Great Britain.
Northern Ireland has different arrangements, and businesses selling into the EU also need to consider the applicable EU requirements.
When Is a 3D Printed Product Considered a Toy?
Whether a 3D printed product is considered a toy depends on factors such as its intended purpose, design, presentation and how it is marketed. Under UK toy-safety rules, a toy is broadly a product designed or intended, whether exclusively or not, for use in play by children under 14 years of age.
This distinction is particularly important for 3D printing businesses. A detailed display model sold as an adult collectible may be treated differently from an articulated figure that is designed, described or marketed for children to play with.
Simply adding an age label such as “14+” or describing something as a “collectible” does not automatically prevent a product from being regarded as a toy. The product itself, its intended use and the way it is presented to customers all need to be considered.
If a 3D printed product is a toy, the manufacturer needs to consider the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 and the relevant safety requirements before placing it on the market.
This can include assessing mechanical and physical hazards, flammability and the migration of certain chemical elements. Depending on the product and assessment route, relevant toy standards can include BS EN 71-1, BS EN 71-2 and BS EN 71-3.
For 3D printing businesses, this makes product classification one of the most important early steps. You should decide what the product is and who it is intended for before deciding which safety requirements, documentation, testing or conformity marking may apply.
Age Grading 3D Printed Toys: Under 3, 3+ and 6+
Age grading is an important part of assessing a product that is intended to be used as a toy. The appropriate age range should be based on the design, characteristics, intended use and hazards of the particular product rather than simply choosing an age category to avoid stricter requirements.
For a small 3D printing business, it can be useful to separate products into practical age groups when maintaining technical records.
Under 3 years: Products intended for children under 36 months are subject to particularly strict safety requirements. Small parts and choking hazards are especially important considerations for this age group.
3 years and over (3+): Some toys may be appropriate for children aged three and above but unsuitable for younger children because of hazards such as small parts. Where applicable, the correct age warning and specific hazard should be provided.
6 years and over (6+): A manufacturer may determine that the design, complexity or intended use of a product makes an older age grading appropriate. However, selecting 6+ does not remove the manufacturer’s responsibility to assess the product against the requirements that apply to it.
An age warning should not be used simply to avoid safety requirements that would otherwise apply to the product. The age grading needs to be appropriate for the product and its intended users.
Does the Product Require Adult Supervision?
Adult supervision should be considered separately from the product’s age grading. A product can, for example, be classified as 6+ while also carrying an instruction that adult supervision is required where this is appropriate to its use and identified risks.
This is why GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop records the product’s age group separately from whether adult supervision is required. Keeping these as separate pieces of information provides a clearer record of the manufacturer’s assessment.
A supervision warning should not be relied upon as a substitute for making a product appropriately safe for its intended use. Manufacturers should still identify hazards, assess risks and determine which safety requirements apply.
What Are EN 71-1, EN 71-2 and EN 71-3?
If a 3D printed product is classified as a toy, the manufacturer needs to consider the safety requirements that apply to toys. The BS EN 71 series of standards covers a number of important toy-safety areas.
For many 3D printed toys, three particularly relevant parts are BS EN 71-1, BS EN 71-2 and BS EN 71-3.
BS EN 71-1 – Mechanical and Physical Properties
This part deals with mechanical and physical hazards. For a 3D printed toy, considerations can include small parts, sharp points or edges, components that may break off, moving or articulated parts, pinch points and other hazards created by the design or construction of the product.
BS EN 71-2 – Flammability
This part deals with the flammability of toys. Manufacturers need to consider the materials used in the product and whether the toy presents an unacceptable risk from ignition, burning or exposure to flame.
BS EN 71-3 – Migration of Certain Elements
This part addresses the migration of certain chemical elements from toy materials. For 3D printing businesses, information supplied by filament manufacturers or suppliers can therefore form useful supporting documentation. However, a material certificate should only be relied upon for what it actually demonstrates and does not automatically establish compliance of the finished product.
Importantly, using filament that has supporting EN 71-3 documentation does not by itself mean that the finished 3D printed product complies with all applicable toy-safety requirements. The finished product, its construction, intended use, age grading and potential hazards must also be considered.
Risk Assessments for 3D Printed Products
A risk assessment is an important part of documenting how a 3D printed product has been considered from a safety point of view. Rather than simply stating that a product is safe, the manufacturer should identify reasonably foreseeable hazards, consider who could be harmed and record the measures used to reduce or control those risks.
For a 3D printed product, potential hazards will depend on the design, materials, intended use and intended user. They may include small or detachable parts, sharp points or edges, breakage, moving joints, pinch points, choking hazards, flammability, material-related hazards and foreseeable misuse.
The assessment should also consider whether additional warnings or instructions are appropriate. For example, a product containing small parts may require an age-related warning where the applicable product-safety rules require one. However, warnings should not be used as a substitute for designing and manufacturing the product as safely as reasonably possible.
For businesses producing multiple products, keeping these assessments organised is particularly important. A change to the model, material, filament, construction method or intended use could affect the original assessment and may mean that the technical documentation needs to be reviewed.
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop includes a structured risk-assessment section so manufacturers can record identified hazards, assess risks and retain the information alongside the rest of the product’s technical record. The software helps organise this information; it does not perform the manufacturer’s risk assessment or determine whether a product complies with legislation.
What Should Be Included in a 3D Printing Technical File?
A technical file provides a structured record of the information used to demonstrate how a product has been designed, manufactured and assessed. The exact documentation required will depend on the product and the legislation that applies to it, so there is no single technical-file template that is suitable for every 3D printed product.
For a small 3D printing business, a useful product record may include information such as:
- Manufacturer details – the name and contact details of the manufacturer or responsible business.
- Product identification – product name, description, photographs and a unique product or reference number.
- Intended use and age grading – including whether the product is intended as a toy, decorative item, collectible or another type of product.
- Materials and filament information – including filament manufacturer, material type, colours and relevant supplier documentation.
- Design and manufacturing information – information needed to identify how the product was produced and any important manufacturing considerations.
- Risk assessment – identified hazards, risk levels and the measures taken to reduce or control those risks.
- Applicable legislation and standards – a record of the requirements the manufacturer has determined apply to the product.
- Supporting certificates and test information – where applicable, including relevant material documentation or test reports.
- Warnings and safety information – including age warnings, small-parts warnings or supervision instructions where appropriate.
- Batch and traceability information – allowing manufactured products to be linked back to appropriate production records.
- Conformity documentation – where required for the particular product, this may include a Declaration of Conformity and information relating to the applicable conformity marking.
Technical documentation should be treated as a living record rather than something created once and forgotten. If the product design, material, supplier, manufacturing process or intended use changes, the manufacturer should consider whether the existing assessment and documentation also need to be updated.
This is particularly useful for 3D printing businesses because the same basic model may be produced in different colours, filaments or variations over time. Keeping organised records makes it easier to identify exactly what materials and information relate to each product and production batch.
How GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop Helps
Managing this information manually can become difficult as a 3D printing business grows. A manufacturer may have dozens or even hundreds of products, multiple filament brands and colours, supporting material documents, product photographs, risk assessments and individual production batches to keep organised.
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop was created to make this record keeping easier for small 3D printing businesses and makers.
Instead of keeping information across spreadsheets, documents and different folders, the Windows desktop application provides one place to create and maintain a technical record for each product.
The software includes features to help you:
- Create and manage product technical files
- Record manufacturer and business information
- Store product descriptions and photographs
- Manage filament brands, colours and material information
- Record product age groups separately as Under 3, 3+ or 6+
- Record separately whether adult supervision is required
- Create and maintain product risk assessments
- Record batch and traceability information
- Keep supporting product and material information organised
- Export technical records as PDF documents
- Create printable UKCA labels
- Copy an existing technical file when producing similar products
- Check for software updates from within the application
For example, if you manufacture several versions of the same 3D printed design using different filament colours, you can copy an existing technical file and update the relevant product and material information rather than creating every record again from the beginning.
The software is designed as a documentation and record-management tool. It does not certify a product, perform laboratory testing, issue UKCA or CE approval, or guarantee that a product complies with UK legislation.
The manufacturer or responsible business remains responsible for identifying which legislation and standards apply to its products, carrying out or obtaining any necessary assessments or testing, maintaining the required documentation and ensuring products placed on the market meet the applicable legal requirements.
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop costs £5 as a one-off purchase, with no monthly subscription. It is designed for Windows 10 and Windows 11 and includes a licence for use on up to two Windows computers.
Declaration of Conformity, UKCA Labels and Traceability
A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is a formal document used for products where the applicable legislation requires the manufacturer to declare that the product meets the relevant legal requirements. It should not be treated simply as a certificate that can be produced for every 3D printed item.
Whether a Declaration of Conformity is required depends on the type of product and the legislation that applies to it. Where one is required, the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the necessary conformity assessment has been completed and that the declaration contains the required information.
Depending on the applicable legislation, this can include details such as the manufacturer, product identification, relevant legislation and standards, the declaration itself, and the name, signature and date of the person responsible for issuing it.
Conformity marking should only be applied where the applicable product legislation requires or permits it and the relevant requirements have been satisfied. A UKCA or CE mark should not simply be added to a 3D printed product because it has been manufactured for sale.
Traceability is also an important part of product documentation. Product or batch identifiers can help connect an item placed on the market with its manufacturing records, materials and supporting technical information. Manufacturer or responsible-business identification may also be required under the legislation applicable to the product.
For businesses producing the same 3D printed design repeatedly, batch records can therefore be particularly useful. If a filament, supplier or production detail changes, the relevant batch information can help establish which products were manufactured using which materials.
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop provides tools for maintaining product and batch records and creating printable UKCA labels. These features are intended to help manufacturers organise information and produce documentation where appropriate. The software does not determine whether a product is legally eligible to carry a UKCA mark, and generating a label does not constitute UKCA approval or certification.
UKCA or CE Marking for 3D Printed Products in Great Britain
For businesses selling in Great Britain — England, Scotland and Wales — CE marking continues to be recognised for many regulated product categories. The UK Government has extended recognition of certain products meeting EU requirements, including CE marking, indefinitely.
For toys, businesses currently have the choice of using UKCA or CE marking when placing compliant products on the Great Britain market. This means a toy does not have to carry UKCA simply because it is being sold in Great Britain.
However, the ability to use either marking does not remove the manufacturer’s other responsibilities. Before placing a toy on the market, the manufacturer must ensure that it meets the applicable essential safety requirements, carry out a safety assessment, follow the appropriate conformity-assessment procedure, prepare the required technical documentation and draw up the appropriate Declaration of Conformity.
Where the applicable rules allow self-declaration, a manufacturer placing a toy on the Great Britain market may use either the UKCA or CE route. There are circumstances where third-party conformity assessment is required, so manufacturers should determine the correct procedure for their particular product rather than assuming that self-declaration is always sufficient.
There can also be additional considerations where an EU harmonised standard and the corresponding Great Britain designated standard differ. In some circumstances this can affect the conformity-assessment procedure or the technical evidence required.
The rules are different for Northern Ireland and the European Union. Businesses intending to sell products in those markets should check the requirements applicable to the market where the product will be placed.
For a small 3D printing business, the important point is therefore to classify the product first. Being 3D printed does not itself determine whether UKCA or CE marking is required. The product’s intended purpose, users and applicable product legislation determine which requirements need to be followed.
For further information, read the current UK Government guidance on UKCA and CE marking.
Keeping Technical Documentation Up to Date
Technical documentation should not be treated as something that is created once and then forgotten. Products, materials and manufacturing processes can change over time, and those changes may affect the information or assessments previously recorded.
For a 3D printing business, changes that may require a technical file to be reviewed can include using a different filament brand or material, changing filament colours, modifying the 3D model, changing print settings or construction methods, changing suppliers, or altering the product’s intended use or age grading.
Batch records can also help with traceability. For example, if you change filament supplier or begin using a different material certificate, recording which batches were produced using each material can make it easier to identify the products affected by that change.
Supporting documentation should also be kept organised. Depending on the product, this could include material information, supplier documentation, test reports, risk assessments, product photographs, manufacturing information and copies of declarations or other conformity documentation where applicable.
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop is designed to make this easier by keeping technical files, filament information, product photographs, risk assessments and batch records together. Existing technical files can also be copied when producing similar products, allowing the relevant details to be changed without rebuilding the entire record.
However, the software does not automatically determine whether an existing assessment remains valid. The manufacturer remains responsible for reviewing changes and deciding whether further assessment, testing or documentation is required.
A Practical Checklist Before Selling a 3D Printed Product
Before placing a 3D printed product on the market, it is useful to work through a basic product-safety and documentation checklist. The exact requirements will depend on the type of product and the legislation that applies, but the following provides a useful starting point for small 3D printing businesses.
- Classify the product – Decide what the product is, its intended use and who it is intended for. In particular, determine whether it is a toy, an adult collectible, a decorative product or another type of consumer product.
- Identify the applicable legislation – Determine which UK product-safety rules apply to the product and whether conformity marking is required.
- Consider age grading – Where relevant, determine an appropriate age group based on the product’s design, intended use and hazards.
- Consider adult supervision separately – Decide whether adult supervision or additional safety instructions are appropriate for the product.
- Assess foreseeable hazards – Consider issues such as small parts, sharp points or edges, breakage, pinch points, moving parts, choking hazards, flammability and material-related hazards.
- Record materials and filament information – Keep details of the filament manufacturer, material type, colours used and relevant supplier or material documentation.
- Carry out the appropriate assessment or testing – Where legislation or applicable standards require assessment or testing, ensure this is completed and retain the supporting evidence.
- Create and maintain the technical documentation – Keep the product description, risk assessment, material information, supporting documents, photographs and other relevant records together.
- Prepare conformity documentation where required – This may include a Declaration of Conformity where the applicable legislation requires one.
- Apply conformity marking only where appropriate – Do not add UKCA or CE marking simply because an item is 3D printed. Determine whether the applicable product legislation requires or permits the marking first.
- Add appropriate warnings and traceability information – Where required, include safety warnings, manufacturer information and product or batch identification.
- Keep records up to date – Review the technical documentation when the design, material, filament, supplier, manufacturing process or intended use changes.
Using GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop was developed to help small 3D printing businesses and makers keep their product documentation organised without having to manage numerous spreadsheets, documents and folders.
The software allows you to create a separate technical file for each product and record important information including product details, manufacturer information, filament brands and colours, product photographs, age grading, adult supervision requirements and risk assessments.
You can also maintain batch records, helping you keep track of products manufactured at different times and the materials associated with them. Supporting product and material information can therefore be kept alongside the technical record.
When producing variations of an existing design, you can copy an existing technical file and change the relevant product, filament and colour information rather than creating another file from the beginning.
Technical records can be exported as PDF documents, providing a convenient way to retain, archive or print the information you have recorded. The software can also create printable UKCA labels for products where the manufacturer has determined that UKCA marking is applicable.
Importantly, GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop is a documentation and record-management tool, not a certification or testing service. It does not determine whether a product requires UKCA or CE marking, certify that a product complies with legislation, perform laboratory testing or replace the manufacturer’s responsibility to determine the legal requirements applicable to a product.
The software costs £5 as a one-off purchase with no monthly subscription and includes a licence for use on up to two Windows computers, together with the application’s built-in update system.
Start Organising Your 3D Printing Technical Files
If you manufacture and sell multiple 3D printed products, keeping technical information organised can quickly become time-consuming. GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop provides one place to create and maintain your product technical records.
You can record product information, filament brands and colours, risk assessments, age grading, adult-supervision requirements, product photographs and batch information. You can also export records to PDF and create printable UKCA labels where appropriate.
The software is available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 for a one-off payment of £5, with no monthly subscription. One licence can be used on up to two Windows computers.
View GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop →
Important Compliance Information
This article provides general information for 3D printing businesses and makers and should not be treated as legal, regulatory, testing or certification advice. Product-safety requirements vary according to the product, its intended use, the market in which it is sold and the legislation that applies.
GotStuffUK Technical Files Desktop is a documentation and record-management tool. It does not certify products, perform laboratory testing, issue UKCA or CE approval, determine whether conformity marking is required or guarantee that a product complies with UK legislation.
Manufacturers and other responsible businesses remain responsible for identifying the legislation and standards applicable to their products, carrying out or obtaining any required conformity assessment or testing, maintaining appropriate technical documentation, applying markings and warnings correctly and ensuring products placed on the market meet applicable legal requirements.
For current requirements, always check the relevant official UK Government product-safety guidance.