Compare Manufacturers: Protolabs vs. Fictiv
Get speed, quality, and reliability with digital manufacturing at Protolabs
Here’s a snapshot of why companies choose Protolabs over Fictiv
| Protolabs is the fastest and most comprehensive digital manufacturing service in the industry with more than 25 years of experience developing products for innovative companies around the world. Our unique manufacturing model of in-house facilities and a network of suppliers allows engineers and procurement teams to optimize projects for speed, quality, and cost efficiency. |
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| Core Model | 7 owned digital factories in the United States and 2 owned factories in Europe + global manufacturing network of vetted suppliers | Primarily outsourced manufacturing partner network |
| Core Services | Injection molding, CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabrication | Injection molding, CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet fabrication, casting |
| Owned Manufacturing | Manufacturing primarily occurs in Protolabs in-house facilities with more than 1,000+ machines across U.S. and Europe but companies can also access supply network for expanded capabilities and cost efficiencies | Relies primarily on its third-party supply network |
| Supplier Network | 300+ vetted global suppliers for elevated levels of quality control and oversight | 250 suppliers in the U.S., Mexico, China, India, and Japan |
| DFM Feedback | Automated, interactive design for manufacturing analysis integrated into quoting; also supports 2D drawings for core processes | Quoting with instant pricing and DFM guidance; also supports 2D drawings |
| Speed | Instant quoting and automated manufacturing through in-house factories that can produce parts in as fast as 1 day | Digital quoting and network capacity with turn times that range up to 3 weeks depending on service |
| Breadth | Four flagship in-house services along with expanded network capabilities that broaden material selection, finishes, part envelop, and more | Marketplace model widens capabilities portfolio |
| Production Scale | Supports highly complex end-use production parts at various volumes from 1 to 1 million+, depending on contract manufacturing agreements | Supports jobs from individual parts into millions |
| Engineering Expertise | Protolabs was founded in 1999, employees more than 2,000 employees, and has a large team of engineers available to talk through part designs and projects to optimize part designs and create project efficiencies | Fictiv launched in 2013 and employs around 500 employees with a fraction of that base with engineering experience |
| Quality Measures | Tightly controlled in-house quality systems + network QA on-site quality control | Inspected by distributed partners then verified by Fictiv |
| Certifications | Protolabs’ in-house facilities are ITAR, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and AS9100D certified with network partners that are ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO IATF 16949 certified | Fictiv is ISO 9001 certified with partners that are ISO 13485, AS9100D, and IATF 16949 certified |
| Sweet Spot | Rapid prototyping to low/high-volume production with in-house facilities paired with network flexibility | Broad sourcing for production through distributed capacity |
Our Manufacturing Services
Injection Molding
Get affordable, high-quality molded parts and bridge tooling within days. With our free moldability consultation, the design and molding process is rapidly accelerated to save you time and money.
- Low-volume molding up to 100,000+ parts with volume pricing available—no MOQ required
- 100+ plastic, elastomeric, and silicone rubber materials
- Automated CMM for fast, in-house quality documentation
CNC Machining
Leverage the same speed, precision, and reliability in machining that you’re accustomed to at Protolabs but unlock advanced machining capabilities like tighter tolerances and volume pricing through our manufacturing network.
- Machined parts in as fast as 1 day with optional plating and anodizing in as fast as 4 days
- Cost-efficient machined parts at higher volumes
- Tolerances down to ±0.001 in. (0.020mm) through our digital network
3D Printing
Want quality parts and additive expertise at a single 3D printing source? Choose from seven different additive manufacturing technologies for cost-effective prototyping and highly precise, repeatable production parts.
- Additive technologies include metal 3D printing, SLA, SLS, FDM, and more
- 30 plastic and metal materials in a range of finishes
- 25 years of additive manufacturing expertise
Sheet Metal Fabrication
From easy quoting to quick-turn production and finishing options, get up to 500 quality sheet metal parts in your hands in days from a single supplier.
- Instant quotes with interactive manufacturability feedback
- Six sheet metal materials including aluminum, stainless steel, steel, brass, and copper
- Finishing options from welding and hardware insertion to powder coating and silk screening
A Team of Manufacturing Experts to Guide YouWhen you're ordering at this scale, there are times when you just want to speak with real people—a team who's on your side and has done this before; people who know the difference a thousandth of an inch in tolerance makes, or what you’re up against when you’re complying with medical device regulations. Those kinds of people. When you manufacture with Protolabs, you’re backed by an entire team of production experts, humans who can help you manufacture like a pro. |
Quality Control & Certification for Production
| Our industry-standard procedures and certifications guarantee quality and regulatory compliance. |
| CMM inspection report | First Article Inspection (FAI) |
| Dimensional Inspection Report (DIR) | PPAP |
| Material Certificates + Certificate of Analysis | Conflict Minerals Reporting |
| REACH + RoHS Certificates | Prop65 |
| Industry Certifications: ISO 9001 and AS 9100 | Certificate of Conformance (CoC) |
| Industry Certifications (Protolabs Network): ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and IATF 16949 | |
Material Selector Tools
| Compare how our service-specific materials stack up against each other. Sort by material property to quickly identify the best choice for your application. |
