Digitalization and Multitasking Accelerate Prototyping

Production forecasting can be more of an art than a science at Protolabs. The company deals with tens of thousands of different customers yearly, and orders to its machining segment average only three parts. With a range of capabilities that includes machining, injection moldmaking, 3D printing and sheet metal services, the company relies on a specially developed digital thread and versatile machine tools to keep lead times to a matter of days.

Protolabs began its digitalization journey when company founder Larry Lukis developed software for accepting customer CAD models and applying the data throughout the manufacturing process. Customers upload CAD models to the company’s website, choose material and finishing options, and learn how these options impact part lead time and manufacturability. According to Mike Kenison, Protolabs’ vice president and American general manager, digitizing the manufacturing data flow from initial order to completed part results in lower non-recurring costs for the first-part process compared to traditional manufacturers.

“We never know what orders are going to come in, so we always have extra machines and extra capacity available,” Pedersen says. “That’s how we make this work.”

All this smart technology has led to Protolabs filling a niche as a high-mix, low-volume prototype manufacturer. Meeting this niche in a timely manner can be difficult with CNC machines, but adopting a fleet of identical multitasking machine tools has gone a long way to keeping lead times short.

Machines for High-Mix Multitasking

Initially, Protolabs’ CNC segment used vertical milling machines and standard turning centers. When management saw a need to boost turning capacity, it added Mazak’s Integrex i-100 Bartac-S Multi-Tasking machines. These machines have two turning spindles and a milling spindle that together enable full five-axis machining and the ability to machine complex parts in a single fixturing.

Using identical machine tools enables a high degree of flexibility in scheduling. “If we get an order that requires more than one machine, we might run it on two machines instead of one,” says Scott Pedersen, director of manufacturing operations. “At other times, every machine may be running a different part. We never know what orders are going to come in, so we always have extra machines and extra capacity available. That’s how we make this work.”

All the parts Protolabs machines on the multitasking machines are round, and workpiece materials include both hard and soft metals. An intelligent bar loader system simplifies the frequent bar changes that result from the differing material requirements of various parts.