Protoworks R&D Lab

Our founder, Larry Lukis, was a software engineer who reinvented the injection molding industry two decades ago by tearing down the entire process and building it back up into a more scalable, economical, and software-first way. Since then, we have applied that same automation framework to CNC machining and industrial 3D printing in order to deliver an unprecedented speed-to-market value to tens of thousands of engineers worldwide. But we’re not stopping there.

Like many of our customers, we have an innate appreciation for technology, innovation, and new product development. We understand the importance of challenging the status quo and continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible. That is why we created Protoworks, an R&D lab with a mission to continue to look for ways that will advance and improve manufacturing processes—by making them digital, scalable, and more economical.

Our Protoworks team is made up of software developers, mechanical engineers, and manufacturing experts who are dedicated to expanding Protolabs’ manufacturing capabilities and bringing new processes and materials to our customers in order to allow them to prototype and launch new products to market sooner and more cost-effectively than before.

If you’d like to get involved with our research-and-development efforts, we’d love to work with you. From time to time, we look for early adopters and those who have flexibility in schedules and requirements to help us bring new technologies and/or materials to market.