Protolabs Product Release Notes
Discover our latest product releases, capability enhancements, and e-commerce upgrades
*EMEA Only
New CNC Machining Surface Finishes Available
Choosing the right material is only the first step in designing a successful CNC-machined part. The surface finish matters too. It affects corrosion resistance, sealing performance, surface quality, and long-term durability.
To give engineers more options, we’ve added three new finishes to our CNC machining portfolio:
- SurTec 650
A hexavalent-chromium-free conversion coating for aluminum. It improves corrosion resistance without affecting dimensional accuracy, so it’s a strong choice for lightweight parts that operate in demanding conditions.
- Passivation
A post-processing treatment for stainless steel. It removes surface contaminants and restores the metal’s natural corrosion resistance. Engineers often specify it for parts where cleanliness and durability are critical.
- Micro-finishing (Ra 16 μin/0.4 μm)
Gets surface roughness down to Ra 16 μin (0.4 μm). Use it where low friction, better sealing, and a high-quality surface finish matter.
All three are available now when you request a quote on our digital quoting platform.
A New Unified Buying Experience
We launched our Single Sales Entity (SSE) in EMEA, which brings Protolabs and Protolabs Network together in a single buying experience, making it easier for our customers to access our full range of manufacturing services.
Customers in EMEA can expect
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Streamlined contracting: a simpler way to set up and manage agreements with us
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Simplified invoicing: a more consistent, predictable billing experience
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Easier payments: fewer steps from order to payment.
This means less administrative work and more time spent getting parts made.
24 New CNC Materials Now Available
Protolabs Network has added 24 materials to its CNC machining portfolio, bringing the total to more than 75. The new options include bronze, Inconel, and additional aluminum grades. With a wider selection, it’s easier to match a material to your part’s requirements for strength, weight, corrosion resistance, or temperature performance.
Explore available CNC machining materials on Protolabs Network
Advanced Lightweighting for MJF Printing
Our new MJF lightweight 3D printing service produces lightweight Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) parts for drones, UAVs, and other weight-sensitive applications. In these applications, reducing part weight can increase flight time and payload capacity while still meeting strength and stiffness requirements.
It’s a good fit for:
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Drones and UAVs: Frames, arms, housings, and mounts
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Robotics: End-of-arm tooling and moving components
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Aerospace and automotive: Brackets, enclosures, and functional prototypes
MJF builds complex geometries without support structures and produces consistent mechanical properties, so it’s well suited to strong, lightweight 3D-printed parts.
Introducing ProDesk by Protolabs
Introducing ProDesk by Protolabs
ProDesk is a single workspace for managing your prototyping and production projects with Protolabs, where you can:
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Request quotes
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Reorder parts
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Contact our production experts
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View your recent activity
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See the latest platform updates
Update: Extension of the beta test phase and certifications for PA12 FR
We are pleased to provide you with an update on our Multi Jet Fusion material PA12 flame retardant (PA12 FR). The beta test phase for this innovative, halogen-free material has been extended until 10 March 2025. This gives you even more time to discover and utilise the benefits of this material.
Since 3 February 2025, PA12 FR also has the flammability blue card and a certificate of conformity, which further underlines the high quality and safety standards of this material.
PA12 FR fulfils the flammability class UL94 V0 and enables the production of durable and environmentally friendly end products. This flame-retardant, environmentally friendly and cost-effective material is the ideal solution for your projects.
You can obtain a quote directly via our online ordering portal. If you have any questions, our Customer Engineering Team ([email protected]) will be happy to help.
New Selective Laser Sintering Materials - PAx Smooth Natural & PAx Vapour Smooth Natural
We've added PAx Smooth Natural and PAx Vapour Smooth Natural to our Selective Laser Sintering offering. Characterised by excellent toughness and flexibility in any direction (including the z plane)
Primary Benefits include;
- Excellent toughness and durability
- High impact and high elongation
- Long-term stability
Improved Polishing Capabilities Without Sacrificing Lead Times
We are constantly looking for innovative ways to improve - with our new proprietary mill head auto polishing system, we can get customer products (parts) out the door faster. We now offer auto polishing of mould surfaces, with continued focus to make that even more efficient in the future. We are ultimately producing higher quality finishes, saving labour time and costs.
New Multi Jet Fusion Material PA12 Glass Beads Smooth Grey
We’ve added PA 12 Glass Beads Smooth Grey to our Multi Jet Fusion offering, meaning you can create quality, strong parts for prototyping and end-use products. The high-strength nylon exhibits a quality surface finish and is water and air-tight without additional treatment.
This material possesses several advantages when produced with Multi Jet Fusion:
- Consistent mechanical properties near isotropic
- Finer details with a minimum feature size of 0.5 mm
- Increased heat deflection temperature up to 175°C
Get Rapid 5-axis Inedexed Milled Parts
We constantly challenge ourselves to improve our offerings to you. As part of that commitment, you can
now get bigger, more complete parts across a range of materials in as little as 1 to 3 days with our 5-axis
indexed milling capabilities.
The result?
- 150% larger envelope for parts requiring 5-axis machining
- Reduction in unreachable material, averaging a 13% improvement in plastic parts
- More complex geometries and non-orthogonal features like off-axis holes are now machinable
Injection Moulding Recycled Materials
In today’s world, where sustainability is a pressing global concern, the need for greener manufacturing practices has never been more crucial. Protolabs now offers three recycled materials for its injection moulding service.
Compare Recycled Materials to their Traditional Counterparts
New 3D Printing Leather Surface Finish
Finish your parts with a flawless, uninterrupted pattern!
When 3D printing parts, our engineers can translate images of a pattern directly to the surface of your part, resulting in a visually stunning and tactile pattern. Not only does it look amazing, but control over surface structure provides opportunities for
ergonomics, functionality and customisation.
Instant Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Instant design for additive manufacturability (DfAM) analysis now available on all 3D printed quotes. When reviewing your quote, our analysis will immediately highlight potential manufacturability advisories concerning thin walls, small gaps and parts that might exceed our maximum size restraints.
For more help on designing for 3D Printing visit our toolkit.
