Digital Manufacturing for Startups
Take your idea from design to production with Protolabs - the world's fastest digital manufacturer. Get prototypes and low-volume production parts in as fast as 1 day with our industrial 3D printing, CNC machining and injection moulding services.
For a startup manufacturer getting that first product right is crucial for your reputation and future sales. First impressions really do count when you are building up your company and brand equity.
From initial CAD upload, through prototyping to on-demand production, we can get your product or component to market more quickly than anyone else. It’s like having your own R&D and production line that you can control from your own workspace.
Find out how we helped the Startup Moon Labs to develop and create their medical device The Evo System here.
Watch our video to find out how it works.
If you have a great product idea, first you need to know that it will work. The first step is to develop a suitable rapid prototyping program.
There are numerous ways that prototypes can be made, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Our new Prototyping Guide will help steer you through the processes available to find the right solution for your project. It is the first step to a faster product development process!
Product Development Resources
Looking for resources to better design products for manufacturability or simply want to further your manufacturing knowledge in the workplace? We have free physical design aids, in-depth white papers, case studies from every industry, and live and on-demand webinars.
Our Design Cube, for example, is often used by product developers for learning the intricacies of moulding design. Similarly, engineering managers can use white papers and webinars as on-going educational development for new engineers on their teams.
DESIGN AIDS
Learn about the design elements, materials, and surface finishes of injection-moulded parts by registering for our free design aids.
WHITE PAPERS
Read in-depth white papers on rapid manufacturing processes, part design, material properties, and other important considerations.
CASE STUDIES
See how innovative companies are using rapid manufacturing to solve complex development challenges and launch successful products to market.
Manufacturing Resources
Our in-house engineering experience and ability to produce quick-turn parts are well-suited for iterative development cycles and short deadlines. Choose from industrial-grade 3D printing (additive manufacturing), CNC machining, and injection moulding for prototypes and functional, end-use parts within days.
Want another great design resource? If you have a design ready, your 3D CAD model can be uploaded on our website for an interactive quote within minutes that contains free design for manufacturability analysis. It helps you make important design adjustments to part geometry before any actual manufacturing begins saving you precious development time and money, and ultimately accelerating your idea and product to market.
CNC MACHINING
Get pricing discounts on quantities greater than 15 machined parts along additional options like quality reporting, and finishing.
3D PRINTING
With tight process controls, careful design reviews, and extensive quality monitoring, we ensure precise and repeatable 3D-printed parts, every time.
INJECTION MOULDING
Our injection moulding service offers two options—prototyping and on-demand manufacturing—which provide you with a tooling solution tailored to you project requirements.
Watch our Insight Video Series
Our Insight video series will help you master digital manufacturing.
Every Friday we’ll post a new video – each one giving you a deeper Insight into how to design better parts. We’ll cover specific topics such as choosing the right 3D printing material, optimising your design for CNC machining, surface finishes for moulded parts, and much more besides.
Watch out for our CPD qualified videos.
Listen to our Insight Podcasts
Our Insight podcast series will help you master digital manufacturing.
Each Podcast will give you a deeper Insight into how to design better parts. We’ll cover specific topics such as choosing the right 3D printing material, optimising your design for CNC machining, surface finishes for moulded parts, and much more besides.
How to use Protolabs' unique Ecommerce Platform
Read in-depth guides on why we enhanced our digital manufacturing platform, how to navigate through it, and interpreting our interactive manufacturing analysis.