Rapid CNC Prototyping

A prototype is only useful if it is made the way the production part will be. We cut prototypes on the same machines, from the same material stock and with the same programmers as series parts — so a design that passes testing on our prototype will actually pass in production. Quotations go out within 24 working hours and simple parts ship in five days.

Capabilities

Quotation	within 24 working hours
Lead time	from 5 working days, complex parts 10–15 days
Minimum quantity	1 piece, no minimum order
Materials in stock	6061-T6, 7075-T6, 304 / 316L, brass C3604, POM
DFM feedback	included with every quotation
Tolerance	same as production: ±0.01 mm
Inspection	First-article report on request, free on series orders
File formats	STEP, IGES, DWG, DXF, PDF, native SolidWorks

Typical parts

Design verification and fit checks
Functional test rigs
Trade-show and sales samples
Pilot runs before tooling
Reverse-engineered replacements
Investor and customer demonstration parts

Why it matters

Prototype and production are the same process

Prototypes are not made on a separate "fast" machine with looser rules. Same equipment, same programmers, same inspection. That is why a prototype that fits and functions here will still fit and function at volume.

DFM feedback before you pay for metal

Every quotation includes a manufacturability note: internal corners that no cutter can reach, walls too thin to hold size, tolerances that cost money without buying function. Cheaper to fix on screen than in steel.

No tooling, no minimum

CNC needs no mould, so one piece costs one piece. You can order three design variants, test them side by side and pick a winner before committing to tooling of any kind.

The prototype programme becomes the production one

When a prototype goes to series, the toolpaths, fixturing and inspection plan already exist and have already been proven. Series parts are not re-engineered from scratch, so the first production batch is not a second round of surprises.

Frequently asked questions

How fast can you really deliver a prototype?

Simple turned or milled parts ship in five working days from approval. Complex 5-axis parts, parts needing special material or parts requiring anodising take 10–15 days. If you have a hard deadline, say so on the enquiry — we will confirm what is realistic rather than promise and miss.

Is prototyping more expensive per piece?

Yes, because programming and set-up are spread over one piece instead of a hundred. That cost is not wasted: when the part goes to series, we already have proven toolpaths and fixturing, so the first production batch is right first time.

Can a prototype part become a production part?

That is the point of making them the same way. Same machine, same material, same programme. Many customers order 5 pieces for testing, then 500 for production with no change to the drawing.

What if I only have a sample part and no drawing?

Send the sample. We measure it with CMM and optical equipment, produce a drawing for your approval, then machine to that drawing. Reverse engineering a sample cannot recover the original design intent for tolerances, so we ask you to confirm the critical fits before we cut.