Rapid Prototyping Service
Get to market fast with unmatched manufacturing speed and capabilities
- Four manufacturing services
- Hundreds of material options
- 1 day lead times available for all services
- Manufacturing analysis with each quote
Certifications
ISO 9001:2015 | AS9100D | ITAR Registered
Rapid Prototype Manufacturing Capabilities
3D Printing
Our online 3D printing service consists of six 3D printing technologies to build plastic, metal, and elastomeric parts. In addition to a broad material selection, we offer several post-processing options like clear coat, painting, heat treatment, polishing, and more.
CNC Machining
Our unmatched CNC machining capacity ensures your parts are shipped on-time, every single time. At Protolabs, our AS9100-certified CNC machining facilities are designed to get you parts fast. Finishing options like anodizing and chromate plating are available.
Injection Molding
Ready for a more cost- and time-efficient way to manufacture parts? Our affordable aluminum molds (starting at $1,500) and quick turnaround times (in as fast as 1 day) help you reduce design risks and get to market fast. Finishing options like pad printing, laser engraving, threaded inserts, and more are available.
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Unlike traditional sheet metal shops, we have infinite capacity and an easy-to-use online quoting system ensuring on-time shipment every time—whether you need a single part or 500 parts. Get sheet metal prototypes in as fast as 1 day. Finishing options like plating and powder coating are available.
Benefits of Rapid Prototyping and Use Cases
Design Feedback
- Have physical prototypes in hand within days to quickly modify designs during early product development.
- Produce multiple prototypes at the same time to compare and iterate designs simultaneously.
- Reduce overall time to market with an iterative product development cycle.
Design Validation
- Test the form and fit of components with small quantities of accurate 3D-printed and machined parts.
- Perform functional tests with prototypes manufactured in production-grade materials.
Iterative Development
- Receive interactive design for manufacturability feedback with every quote to make early adjustments before prototyping begins.
- Talk with applications engineers to discuss any design challenges and manufacturing questions that arise.
Market Testing
- Produce a pilot run of injection-molded parts to validate market interest before launch.
- Reduce financial risk at market launch by implementing affordable aluminum tooling before full-scale production begins.
"Protolabs is a tremendous ally because they enable us to develop and iterate at a much higher speed."
Rapid Prototyping Materials
Among each of our service lines you'll find several thermoplastic, thermoset, elastomeric, and metal options, so you can prototype and test in actual production-grade materials.
Online Quoting and Manufacturing Analysis
Upload a 3D CAD file to get an online quote. Each quote includes real-time pricing and manufacturing analysis. To start, simply a select a manufacturing process and upload a 3D CAD file.
We can accept the following file types:
- SolidWorks (.sldprt)
- ProE (.prt)
- IGES (.igs)
- STEP (.stp)
- ACIS (.sat)
- Parasolid (.x_t or .x_b)
- .stl files
