Poznań, Poland Foundation in registration

First Layer
Foundation

We design and 3D print the things that aren't in any catalogue.

The first layer decides whether a print succeeds. It either holds to the bed or lifts off, and then nothing above it matters. We took our name from the moment something finally gets a base to build on.

Send us a request How it works
layer 0010.20 mm
Remote support

You describe the problem, we design the object

3D printing only becomes cheap once someone can design the thing that needs printing. That is the part we take on. Distance is not an obstacle, because design work does not require us to be in the room.

Files

Print-ready models

We model the object and send you files ready to print locally, as many times as you need. Every design we make stays open, so your team can reprint or adapt it without coming back to us.

STL and STEP · Open files

Parts

Finished prints

Where printing locally is not an option, we produce the parts in Poznań and ship them. Material is chosen for the job, from rigid to flexible, depending on what the object has to survive.

Produced in Poland

Review

Fixing files that fail

If you already have a model that will not print properly, send it over. Most failures come down to wall thickness, tolerances or the wrong orientation on the bed, and those are quick to correct.

Geometry · Tolerances

How it works

From a photo to a finished part

We work with organisations rather than directly with individuals, because you know the people you serve far better than we ever will.

  1. Tell us the problem

    A photo, a short description and rough measurements are enough to start. Write in English or Polish, whichever is easier for you.

  2. We answer honestly

    We reply to every request and say plainly whether 3D printing is the right tool. Sometimes it is not, and saying so early saves everyone weeks.

  3. We design, print and iterate

    A volunteer or small team models the part under mentorship. We print it, test it and revise it. The first version is almost never the last one.

  4. You get the files, not a dependency

    You receive print-ready files along with any physical parts. The design stays open, so you can produce it again on your own terms.

Who we are

A student initiative from Poznań

First Layer Foundation is the English name of Fundacja Pierwsza Warstwa, a foundation being established in Poznań, Poland.

Our volunteers are students trained by us in CAD and FDM printing, working on real requests under mentorship. That model is deliberate: the people we help get objects made for them, and the students get engineering work that actually matters to someone. Alongside the international work, we design assistive objects for children with disabilities in the Poznań area and support humanitarian aid for people affected by war.

The foundation is in the process of registration. Until it is entered in the Polish court register we operate as a student initiative and do not collect donations.

Scope and limits

What we will and will not do

  • We charge nothing for design work. For larger production runs we discuss materials only
  • We work through organisations, not directly with individuals
  • We do not replace medical devices or anything requiring certification
  • We do not take on work that needs industrial tolerances or certified materials
  • For objects made for one specific person, we need contact with that person or their carer

If you are not sure whether your problem fits, write anyway. Telling you it does not costs us one email and saves you the guesswork.

Contact hello@firstlayerfoundation.org

Tell us who you are, what is missing and roughly how many people it is for. A photo helps more than a long description. We usually reply within a few days.

Details

Registered name: Fundacja Pierwsza Warstwa. English name: First Layer Foundation.

  • Based inPoznań, Poland
  • StatusIn registration
  • LanguagesEN · PL