Protolabs Expands Offerings Through Digital Manufacturing Network

Protolabs is expanding its production cabilities its customers can access within its global CNC machining service. Through Protolabs’ manufacturing partner network at Hubs, product developers and buyers from around the world can utilize advanced machining capabilities designed to lower part costs, improve tolerances, broaden finishing options and make possible larger and more complex part designs. These expanded capabilities are intended to complement the quick-turn CNC machining services already available from Protolabs.

“Constant innovation is at the forefront of everything we do,” says Rob Bodor, president and CEO at Protolabs. “Customers not only have access to the fastest machining service in the marketplace; with this launch, they now have the most comprehensive.”

Users can upload a 3D CAD model for machining on the company’s website to access the expanded options inside Protolabs’ online quoting platform, which are then fulfilled by Protolabs’ digital factories or one of its digitally enabled manufacturing partners. All advanced machining capabilities are live and available to customers.

With volume pricing options, customers have the potential to lower their overall piece-part price as quantity increases — up to thousands of machined parts. The company says tighter tolerances down to ±0.0008 in. (0.020 mm) are achievable as are complete parts with all features milled, holes tapped and post-process finishing applied. Regarding finishing options, plating (black oxide, nickel), anodizing (Type II, Type III) and chromate coating in larger quantities are available. Parts as large as 40 in. (1,000 mm) to as small as 0.02 in. (0.5 mm) are supported.

“This is a step change in what we can offer customers at Protolabs,” says Greg Thompson, the company’s global product director of machining. “As we’ve grown into a more robust prototyping-to-production provider, customers who need parts quickly, with precision, and tailored to their specific design requirements now have a single supplier to accomplish that. It’s a true one-stop shop for machining.”