Production Catalog

The Production Catalog helps you and your team transition parts from prototyping to production. Many preliminary versions of your parts are created during the prototyping phase. Once product design and specifications are finalized, the Production Catalog helps your team identify, organize, share, and reorder production-ready parts.

Cataloging a part allows you to assign production part numbers, revisions, and descriptions, standardizing naming conventions to improve order accuracy. In addition, cataloging parts helps prevent accidental changes to specifications and designs.

Cataloging a part will distinguish production-ready parts from prototyping variants. When you catalog a part, we create a 1-to-1 relationship between your part number and our Protolabs 11-digit part number. Once cataloged, the part will appear in the Production Catalogs of all team members who have access to that part. In addition, parts that are cataloged will have their configuration locked to prevent accidental changes.

No. We manufacture all parts based on your specifications. The Production Catalog is a tool for identifying, naming, and organizing production-ready parts but does not affect our manufacturing processes. 

No. The Production Catalog is a tool to reorder your production parts in an easy and reliable way across team members. You can continue to order parts from Protolabs without using the Production Catalog.

There are many opportunities within the platform where you may catalog a part. This feature is found on all part option menus and is labeled "Catalog for Production". When cataloging a part, you will be asked to assign your part number, revision, and description. Once cataloged, the part will be labeled as a production part to all team members who have access to the part.

Yes. If you need to update the part name, you can edit the assigned part number, revision, and description under your part options. 

If the part configuration or design has changed, you will need to remove the old part from the catalog and add the new part in its place. 

Removing a part from your Production Catalog also removes it from the Production Catalog of team members who have access to the part. It also removes the "Production" label and unlocks the configuration, allowing for part changes. 

The part may still be ordered and used as it had been prior to being cataloged. If the part was removed in error, it can be re-added at any time. 

1. On the Production Catalog page, click "+ Team Catalog".
2. Name your Team Catalog
3. Add the parts you want shared with your team to the Team Catalog
4. Share access to your team by entering your colleagues' email addresses

What happens next: 

• The Team Catalog becomes visible to everyone you shared it with
• All parts in the Team Catalog are shared and orderable
• Anyone with access can add, move, and order parts in the shared catalog