Top Reasons to Add Threaded Inserts to Your 3D Printed Parts

Publicado: January 08, 2026

Categorías: Noticias

3D printing has come a long way from just making plastic toys. Nowadays, we’re seeing it used for real engineering bits and functional prototypes. But there’s a common headache: plastic threads just don’t last. If you screw a bolt directly into a printed hole, the plastic wears out fast, or worse, the whole thing cracks under pressure. That’s where threaded inserts come in.

Adding metal threads to your 3D prints isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s what turns a flimsy plastic part into a solid, industrial-grade component. At Qewit, we’ve seen how the right fastening choice makes or breaks a project. Whether you’re working with basic PLA or high-performance alloys, these little metal sleeves change the game entirely.

Why Should You Enhance Your 3D Printed Components?

You might think your print is strong enough straight off the bed, but plastic has its limits. When you’re building something that needs to actually do something—like a jig, a housing, or a moving part—you need a connection that won’t fail the third time you open it up.

Structural Reinforcement of Plastic Parts

Most 3D prints are somewhat hollow or have thin walls. Threaded inserts distribute the load across a larger surface area inside the plastic, which stops the material from snapping when you tighten things down. It’s like giving your part a metal skeleton where it counts most.

Exceptional Wear Resistance for Repeated Assembly

If you’re prototyping, you’ll likely be taking things apart and putting them back together a lot. Plastic threads will strip almost immediately. Metal inserts from Qewit provide a hard, durable thread that can handle hundreds of cycles without losing its grip.

Professional Finish for High-End Projects

Let’s be honest, a bolt going into a brass or steel insert looks a lot more professional than a wood screw shoved into a plastic hole. It gives your work that “finished” look that clients and partners expect from a high-quality supplier.

Getting the basics right is step one, but choosing the specific type of insert depends on what material your print is actually made of.

How Does Hardened Steel Self Tapping Inserts Benefit Your Prints?

When you’re dealing with tough, reinforced plastics—like carbon-fiber filled nylon or polycarbonate—standard brass inserts might not cut it. That’s when people usually reach for hardened steel.

Superior Hardness for Reinforced Plastics

Hardened steel inserts are tough enough to cut through the most stubborn materials. If your 3D print is reinforced with glass or carbon fiber, these inserts won’t deform during installation. They’re built to bite into the material and stay put.

Enhanced Thread Durability in Fragile Materials

Some 3D prints can be a bit brittle. The Self Tapping design of these steel inserts means they create their own clean threads as they go in, which reduces the internal stress that often causes 3D prints to delaminate or split apart.

Reliable Performance Under High Mechanical Loads

Steel is just plain stronger than brass. For parts that are going to be under constant tension or vibration, hardened steel provides the security you need. It’s the “heavy duty” option for serious engineering work.

Steel is great for strength, but what if your 3D print is part of a hybrid project, maybe mixed with wood or wood-composite filaments?

Can Wood Self Tapping Inserts Improve Hybrid 3D Designs?

We see a lot of “wood” filaments these days, and they’re great for aesthetics. But they can be tricky to fasten. Our hexagon drive inserts for wood are a perfect match for these softer, more fibrous materials.

Optimized Hexagon Drive for Easy Installation

One of the biggest pains is slipping while trying to drive an insert in. The hexagon drive on these inserts means you can use an Allen key or a power tool with a hex bit. It gives you way more control so you don’t ruin a 20-hour print at the very last second.

Strong Grip in Wood-Plastic Composite Filaments

Wood-filled filaments have a different texture than regular plastic. The coarse, deep threads of our wood inserts are designed to grab onto those fibers, giving you a much higher pull-out strength than a standard fine-thread insert.

Seamless Integration for Multi-Material Assemblies

If your project involves 3D printed brackets attached to actual timber, using the same type of fastening system throughout makes life a lot easier. It keeps your bill of materials simple and your assembly process consistent.

While wood inserts handle the softer side of things, sometimes you need something that can survive a bit of a beating from the elements.

Is Stainless Steel the Best Choice for Harsh Environments?

If your 3D printed part is going outdoors or into a kitchen, you can’t just use any old metal. Rust is the enemy. That’s where insertos de autoroscado de acero inoxidable really shine.

Excellent Corrosion Resistance for Outdoor Applications

Stainless steel is the go-to for anything that might get wet. Whether it’s a mounting bracket for a weather station or a part for a boat, stainless steel inserts won’t rust and seize up over time.

Maintenance of Material Purity and Hygiene

For food-safe or medical-adjacent prototypes, you need materials that won’t leach or react. Stainless steel is inert and easy to clean, making it a much better choice than plated carbon steel for these specialized niches.

Long-Term Stability Against Environmental Degradation

Plastics can degrade in the sun, but your fasteners shouldn’t. Stainless steel provides a stable, long-lasting anchor point that will likely outlast the 3D printed part itself. It’s about building things that actually endure.

Choosing the right material is vital, but where you get those parts matters just as much as the parts themselves.

What Makes Qewit the Ideal Partner for Your Projects?

At Qewit, we’ve been at this since 2004. We’re a British-owned business operating with “Western Style” standards, but we’re based where the manufacturing happens to give you “Far Eastern Value”.

Western Quality Standards With Far Eastern Value

We understand the quality expectations of European and global markets. Because we’re on the ground in places like China and Taiwan, we can manage the supply chain directly, ensuring you get top-tier fasteners without the middleman markup.

Rigorous Quality Control and Professional Testing

We don’t just ship boxes and hope for the best. Every batch goes through our own testing facilities—we’re talking salt spray tests, hardness testers, and vision projectors. We provide the certificates and the traceability you need to feel “worry-free”.

Bespoke Fastening Solutions for Custom 3D Designs

3D printing is all about custom work, so why settle for standard fasteners? If your project needs a specific size or a unique finish, we offer a fully bespoke service. We can manufacture and finish products specifically to your drawings and specs.

Preguntas frecuentes

Q1: Can I install these inserts with a regular soldering iron?

A: While many 3D hobbyists use heat-set inserts, the Self Tapping inserts we’ve talked about here are designed to be screwed in mechanically. This often provides a much stronger mechanical bond, especially in materials that don’t melt cleanly, like thermosets or fiber-reinforced nylon.

Q2: Will these inserts work in low-infill 3D prints?

A: They can, but for the best results, you should increase your wall thickness (perimeters) around the hole where the insert will go. This gives the insert more material to “bite” into, ensuring it doesn’t just pull out the internal structure of the print.

Q3: Do you offer samples for testing in new 3D printing filaments?

A: Absolutely. We know how much variation there is in filaments these days. At Qewit, we pride ourselves on technical support and can help you figure out which insert material and thread type will work best for your specific application.