Protolabs recently introduced an expanded, rapid machining service that is said to provide customers with tighter tolerances, diverse finishes, and quality documentation.
MINNEAPOLIS—Protolabs reported that it launched advanced features within its automated CNC machining service that are designed to empower engineers and product developers with reliable, high-quality milled parts at speed.
According to a release from Protolabs, the expanded offering gives customers access to end-use metal and plastic parts with tighter tolerances for added precision, and diverse finishes to strengthen and cosmetically improve parts. Fast and comprehensive quality documentation is also part of the offering. Parts ordered with these features are shipped in as few as five days from the company’s ITAR- and AS9100-compliant facility.
“Expanding our capabilities with speed was driven by customer demand,” said Chris Gottlieb, global product director for CNC machining at Protolabs, in the release. “This offering is a game-changer for engineers who need fast, reliable, and complex machined parts without sacrificing quality. No other manufacturer in the world combines these advanced capabilities with unmatched speed.”
The digital manufacturer’s comprehensive machining service is tailored for rapid prototyping and product development, from early-stage iterations to late-stage design validation. For industries such as aerospace and defense, which are experiencing increasing demand, Protolabs’ controlled, ITAR-registered and AS9100-certified facilities ensure that quality standards are strictly followed, the company said in the release.
The offering is said to provide key benefits to engineers and product teams, including rapid turnaround, reliable delivery, and mass customization with no minimum order quantity. It also meets needs for high-mix, low volume orders, the company said.
“Protolabs’ expanded service also allows engineers to scale up to production quantities,” the release stated. “Once the engineer knows their prototypes are suitable for an application, those parts can be replicated in larger quantities.”
The expanded machining options are available now through Protolabs’ online quoting and ordering system. Protolabs claims to be “the world’s fastest manufacturing service, enabling companies across every industry to streamline production of quality parts throughout the entire product life cycle.”
“From custom prototyping to end-use production, we support product developers, engineers, and supply chain teams along every phase of their manufacturing journey,” the company said in the release.