Talk with Our Production Team
Hello! We just need a few bits of information then a manufacturing expert will reach out to you directly to see we how can partner on a future production project.
Thank you! We've received your request and a member of our team will reach out shortly.
Manufacturing for Short-Term Production
Tap into production capabilities for short-term needs of end-use parts like jigs, fixtures, and industrial components, or managing inventory levels and cost towards end of product life
Certifications ISO 9001:2015 | AS9100D | ITAR
Agile, Low-Risk Production Strategy
Short-term production offers a strategic, cost-effective way to manage repairs to equipment when you need replacement parts, or sunset a product when it is reaching end-of-life with the flexibility to avoid warehousing unneeded parts. Another way to augment the power of short-term production is with durable jigs and fixtures. These hold material in place during manufacturing and are vital to ensuring that the parts you need can be delivered without delay, reducing downtime.
Specifically, short-term production allows you to:
- Get parts on demand, allowing you to reduce inventory risk and warehousing costs as products reach end-of-life
- Prepare for equipment emergencies via a proven maintenance, repair, and operations plan that offers fast replacement parts with no MOQs
- Streamline factory assembly work with jigs and fixtures, which offer different means to mount your material for manufacturing, ensuring greater consistency, and precision for future orders
Manufacturing Processes for Short-Term Production
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
How to Leverage Short-Term Production
Jigs & Fixtures
These durable manufacturing tools help create more accurate parts. In machining, jigs are used to more precisely direct end mills, helping achieve high tolerances. Fixtures lock a workpiece into place, to ensure that it won't shift during manufacturing.
- Increase quality and consistency
- Reduce setup and cycle time
- Reuse for future manufacturing
End-of-Life Production
All products eventually reach the end of their life cycle. That wind-down can be done strategically with short-term production, avoiding excess stock.
- Flexibly address consumer needs
- Manufacture only what you need in low volumes, just-in-time
- Reduce inventory and overhead
Maintenance, Repair, & Operations
Over time, parts wear out and equipment gets deprecated, but with a plan in place to manufacture legacy parts, you can avoid equipment obsolescence, extend its longevity, and ensure that your business stays on track.- Control costs by maintaining reduced inventory of replacement parts
- Order parts only when you need them with no MOQs
- Access production-grade materials for durable industrial components
Manufacturing Materials
Quality Measures for Short-Term 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 ISO TS16949 | |
 |
 |
 |
Short-Term Production Resources
