Easing Your Production Pain Points

On-demand manufacturing backed by customisable solutions reduce many of the common complexities of production

Introduction

Navigating your way through the entire product life cycle can be a very complex process involving continuous iteration and problem solving along the way. When it comes to manufacturing’s role, Protolabs works to streamline your processes with systems built around ease of use and value-added service. How so? These are some common challenges that engineers, buyers, procurement teams, and others encounter during the production process, and some ways we can help overcome them.
Challenge 1

Establishing Reliability & Repeatability with Suppliers 

We understand that the smallest error or delay impacts your bottom line. You need a manufacturer that delivers on quality and does what they say they will do, every time. Don’t just take our word for it. Our industry-standard procedures and certifications guarantee quality and regulatory compliance—ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO TS16949, and AS 9100. We offer a variety of inspection reports including CMM and dimensional inspection reports; material certificates and certificate of analysis; REACH and RoHS certificates; Certificate of Conformance (CoC); first article inspection (FAI); and PPAP.  Our online platform also makes future re-orders effortless, so you can confidently order additional quantities with the exact specifications and quality across every batch.
Challenge 2

Building Trust in Outsourcing Partners

Production may require you to place your trust in overseas suppliers. During line-down emergencies, the need for trust and transparency is even higher. Protolabs gives you the option to manufacture domestically in the United States and Europe via our in-house factories, which can prevent supply chain disruption. 
 

Any orders that are manufactured through our partner network are subject to stringent quality control procedures. We guarantee that the quality of the parts meets the same high standards as the parts we manufacture in-house. Every partner in our network is thoroughly vetted and continuously audited to ensure compliance and on-time delivery. We also pride ourselves on transparency. We can provide spec sheets or audit reports about the suppliers we partner with, and we take extra quality control measures such as re-inspecting globally sourced orders with specialised teams in the United States (Minnesota) and The Netherlands (Amsterdam).  
Challenge 3

Finding Experienced Production Support 

Every manufacturing project is different, and as projects evolve, the journey can be complex. You need human expertise and production support when you need it. When you partner with us, you benefit from an entire team of experts working to see your project through. Our support team includes a dedicated account manager with production expertise, CAD and cost-reduction advice from in-house applications engineers, logistics fulfilment from operations specialists, and on-site quality control. They are experts in our internal manufacturing processes and our manufacturing partners’ capabilities to ensure we find the best solution to meet production requirements.  


Procurement Guide

Want to learn more about our full-service manufacturing solutions and what it’s like to partner with us?
Download a copy of our Procurement Guide
Challenge 4

Balancing Speed, Cost, & Quality

How do you balance getting parts when you need them, at the right price, and from a qualified supplier with right compliance and certifications? We help mitigate this trade-off. Our manufacturing model supports production- and industry-certified parts across our services in weeks, rather than months. Parts are manufactured according to high industry standards and with full traceability. We also support common regulatory needs like RoHS and REACH. This helps you get approved products to market and revenue, faster. 


If cost is paramount, we also help tailor manufacturing solutions that help lower cost for projects with more flexible deadlines, and our manufacturing network taps into our global supply partners to bring additional cost efficiencies.   
Challenge 5

Limiting Overstuffed Supply Chains 

You need to minimise your total number of suppliers while maximising output from existing suppliers; and sometimes there are gaps throughout prototyping to production. Our infinite capacity model is ideal for building a manufacturing safety net into your supply chain that you can turn to during unexpected and expensive disruptions or line-down situations. With a single supplier inclusive of in‑house factories and a vetted global network, you gain built‑in redundancy and surge capacity without adding suppliers. This helps keep your approved vendor list (AVL) manageable. Our solutions also assist with bridge and low‑volume production runs to build inventory as you need it throughout the product life cycle. 
Challenge 6

Reducing High Switching Cost 

There is a significant financial and resourcing cost attached to switching to new production suppliers. As a single resource with a global footprint, our capabilities can help you manufacture almost any type of production order. This includes quick-turn manufacturing with advanced certification, as well as geometrically complex and cosmetic parts via our global network. Whether you need just one part, or volumes of up to 1 million, we have the manufacturing capacity and capabilities to meet your requirements. This full-service solution reduces the need for switching suppliers, saving you time and money.  
Challenge 7

Navigating Rigid Suppliers

You need a flexible supplier that can adapt to the changing needs of your project and volatile markets.
Our quoting and manufacturing processes are iteration-friendly. Our rapid quoting, actionable DFM, and quick-turn manufacturing reduce time spent on engineering change orders (ECO), so changes can be implemented faster and with less risk. We offer predictable and repeatable pricing, helping you to forecast costs, and in some instances, volume pricing can be applied as part quantities increase.  This allows us to more easily accommodate low-volume, high-mix orders (a complex bill of materials with multiple line items) and isideal for mass customisation and managing demand volatility. 

Customer-Centric Production

Customers choose Protolabs because we remove friction. Our experienced team collaborates with you in true partnership style. Expect fast answers, knowledgeable insights, and solutions for navigating compliance requirements as we keep your production project moving. To discuss tailored procurement solutions, get advice or even if you’re not sure where to start, book a free consultation with our manufacturing experts. Find out more about what sets us apart as a full-service production manufacturer.

Explore Production Solutions

Start your production project today with dedicated support from our manufacturing team.