Consumer Electronics Manufacturing for Prototypes and Low-Volume Production
Beat competition to market with rapid prototyping and on-demand production
Upload A PartDevelopment speed and a well-designed, user-centric final product are critical to the success of companies launching consumer and computer electronic products and devices to different markets. Technology-enabled manufacturing processes can accelerate design cycles, lower development costs, and help support more SKUs and product customization that consumers now demand. From airplanes to automobiles to hospitals, electronics can be found nearly everywhere delivering value through advanced features and improving user experiences.
Why Protolabs for Development of Consumer and Computer Electronic Components?
Automated Quoting
Save days or weeks of development time with automated quoting and design feedback within hours, oftentimes faster.
Functional Prototyping
Quickly iterate and improve early designs with 3D-printed or machined prototypes made in production materials.
Mass Customization
Leverage low-volume production capabilities to offer more customization options that customers demand.
Rapid Injection Molding
Quickly scale from prototyping to low-volume production and be first to market with quick-turn plastic injection molding, overmolding, and insert molding.
Onshoring
Simplify your supply chain with a domestic manufacturing partner that can produce functional, end-use parts within days and provide a bridge to production.
HP Slashes Design Cycle Time with Rapid Manufacturing
The tech giant used injection molding to trim development time from months to weeks for its next-generation printers. While developing its next-generation inkjet printer, HP turned to Protolabs' injection molding services to slash design cycle time from a standard, six- to eight-week timeframe to just 15 days.
Read HP Success Story“It has been very enlightening to us here at HP that we are able to get parts so rapidly out of the actual materials used in the final production.”
What Materials Work Best for Consumer and Computer Electronic Components?
ABS. This reliable thermoplastic is widely used in industries like consumer electronics. It brings general-purpose performance for parts like electronics enclosures and handheld devices, and is also relatively inexpensive.
Aluminum. This material can be machined or formed through sheet metal fabrication to create housings, brackets, or other metal parts that need high strength and low weight are required.
Elastomers. Available in both 3D printing and injection molding, choose from several elastomeric materials for parts that need impact resistance or flexibility. Overmolding is also available for components and products with ergonomic grips, buttons, or handles.
Polycarbonate. This strong and extremely impact resistant thermoplastic has a low shrink and good dimensional stability. It’s a transparent plastic that is available in optically clear grades, which works well for transparent covers and housings.
Advanced Photopolymers. When your application requires greater mechanical properties for end use parts, we provide several advanced photopolymer options offering high strength, good impact resistance and excellent surface finishes.
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We have several capabilities within our services and processes catered to the consumer and computer electronics industries. A few of common applications include:
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