Benefits of Rapid Prototyping
Rapid Prototyping Standrad Tolerances
Material Thickness |
General Dimensional Tolerance |
Surface Roughness (Ra) |
Primary Precision Influencing Factors |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CNC Machining Prototype |
±0.02 mm ~ ±0.08 mm |
0.8~3.2μm |
Tool precision, material hardness, machining feed speed |
|
Metal 3D Printing |
±0.10 mm ~ ±0.20 mm |
6.3~12.5μm |
Layer thickness, laser power, powder uniformity |
|
Laser Cut Prototype |
±0.08 mm ~ ±0.15 mm |
3.2~6.3μm |
Material thickness, beam focus, cutting speed |
|
Sheet Metal Forming Prototype |
±0.15 mm ~ ±0.30 mm |
3.2~12.5μm |
Bending pressure, sheet flatness, mold accuracy |
Rapid Prototyping Service Capabilities
Our rapid prototyping supports 3D printing, CNC machining and vacuum casting. It delivers visual and functional prototypes, covering low‑volume batches for product verification and iterative design updates.
Lead Time for Rapid Prototyping Service
Standard rapid prototyping orders take 3‑7 working days based on part complexity. Expedited service is available for urgent projects to fast‑track prototype validation and product development cycles.
Order Category |
Order Description |
Standard Lead Time |
Supplementary Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Standard Prototype |
Simple structure, single-piece samples, conventional metal materials |
2–4 business days |
Machining + basic inspection + simple finishing included |
|
Complex Multi-piece Prototypes |
Complex curved structures, multi-part assembly prototypes, small trial batches |
5–8 business days |
Repeated assembly testing and precision calibration required |
|
Rush Emergency Prototypes |
Urgent design verification, project inspection samples |
1–2 business days |
Priority equipment scheduling, real-time production progress updates available |
Rapid Prototyping Materials
Rapid prototyping offers diverse materials including plastics, resins, metals and composites. Material selections balance strength, appearance and cost to fit visual mock‑ups or functional prototype testing demands.
Rapid prototyping services supports a wide range of additional metals, plastics, and composites.
Visit our materials page for a full list.
Rapid Prototyping Surface Finishes
Rapid prototyping surface finishes include sanding, painting, polishing and vapor smoothing. These post‑processing options improve surface quality, remove layer lines and meet aesthetic or assembly‑fit requirements for prototype parts.
Grinding & Lapping
Passivation process
Abrasive machining process using grinding wheels or lapping compounds to remove material and produce extremely flat, smooth surfaces with tight dimensional tolerances (Ra 0.1–0.8 µm). Surface grinding produces flat parts, cylindrical grinding produces round shafts, and lapping achieves ultra-flat mirror-like surfaces. Essential for precision gauges, bearing surfaces, die sets, and any component requiring extreme flatness and surface accuracy.
Polishing & Buffing
Passivation process
Mirror polishing is a finishing process that gives metal a smooth, shiny, mirror-like surface. It works by using abrasive compounds starting coarse and moving to progressively finer grades along with soft cloth or felt buffing wheels to remove scratches, tool marks, and other surface flaws. This process achieves the highest possible shine, with a surface roughness of about Ra 0.025–0.1 µm (extremely smooth). It’s commonly used for decorative stainless steel panels, medical instruments, automotive trim, jewelry, and premium consumer products that need a flawless, reflective finish.
Bead / Abrasive Blasting
Passivation process
High-pressure projection of glass beads, aluminum oxide, or other abrasive media onto a surface to create a uniform matte satin, non-reflective finish. Hides scratches, weld seams, and surface inconsistencies, produces a consistent fine grain texture (Ra 0.8–3.2 µm). Used for aluminum and stainless steel brackets, enclosures, medical devices, and industrial components where a clean, uniform, non-glare matte appearance is desired.
Brushing / Grain Finishing
Passivation process
Mechanical brushing with abrasive belts or nylon brushes creates a uniform directional linear grain pattern across the surface. Hides scratches and surface imperfections, produces a consistent semi-matte appearance (Ra 0.4–1.6 µm). The most popular decorative finish for stainless steel and aluminum are used for kitchen equipment, architectural panels, appliance housings, and consumer product enclosures requiring a refined directional texture.
Deburring & Edge Breaking
Passivation process
Post-machining process that removes burrs, sharp edges, and residual material from cut or machined surfaces, producing clean, smooth, safe-to-handle edges. Methods include hand deburring, tumbling, vibratory finishing, and thermal deburring. Standard for all handled parts, assemblies, and components where sharp edges would be a safety concern or interfere with assembly that’s essential for quality and safety in every manufacturing process.
Anodized (Aluminum)
Passivation process
Electrochemical process that creates a hard, corrosion-resistant, dyeable aluminum oxide layer on aluminum surfaces. Available in any color (black, blue, red, clear), provides wear protection and improved corrosion resistance. Type II (standard) for general use, Type III (hard coat) for high-wear applications. Widely used for aluminum enclosures, electronic housings, aerospace components, and architectural panels requiring a durable, colored, corrosion-resistant finish.
Electropolishing
Passivation process
Electrochemical process that removes a thin layer of metal from the surface by anodic dissolution in an electrolyte bath, producing an ultra-smooth, bright, highly reflective finish (Ra 0.05–0.4 µm). Removes micro-burrs, improves corrosion resistance, and creates a clean, sterile surface. Widely used for stainless steel medical instruments, food processing equipment, pharmaceutical components, and any application requiring ultra-clean, corrosion-resistant surfaces.
Plating (Chrome / Nickel / Gold)
Passivation process
Electrochemical deposition of a thin metal layer (chrome, nickel, gold, silver, zinc, tin) onto a substrate surface to improve appearance, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, or electrical conductivity. Chrome plating provides a bright, hard, reflective finish; nickel plating provides corrosion protection and a smooth base; gold plating provides excellent conductivity and tarnish resistance. Used for automotive trim, electrical contacts, fasteners, and decorative hardware.
Plating (Chrome, Nickel, Gold)
Passivation process
Powder coating: electrostatic dry powder paint followed by thermal curing creates a durable, uniform matte or satin finish in any RAL color, with excellent corrosion and scratch resistance. Wet painting: conventional liquid paint (acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane) applied over a primed surface, available in any custom color and gloss level. Both provide protective and decorative finishes for enclosures, equipment housings, automotive parts, and outdoor industrial components.
Passivation & Conversion Coating
Passivation process
Passivation: chemical treatment (citric or nitric acid) removes free iron and contaminants from stainless steel, restoring and enhancing the protective chromium oxide layer for improved corrosion resistance does not change appearance or dimensions. Conversion coating (chromate, phosphate, black oxide): chemical process creates a thin protective layer on metal surfaces, improving paint adhesion and corrosion resistance. Standard post-fabrication treatment for stainless steel, steel, and aluminum components.
