Industrial Additive Manufacturing
Low Volume Production with Industrial 3D Printing
For industrial hardware developers, machinery OEMs, and maintenance teams, additive manufacturing has fundamentally changed how components are sourced. Low volume production using industrial 3D printing allows companies to bypass the high costs and extended lead times of traditional tooling.
The Role of Additive Manufacturing in Low Volume Runs
Traditional manufacturing often requires significant upfront investment in molds or fixtures, making low quantities uneconomical. 3D printing shifts the focus to supply flexibility, tooling avoidance, and rapid iteration.
Bridge Production
Manufacturing end-use parts to fulfill early orders or field testing (EVT/DVT/PVT) while permanent tooling is being machined.
Mass Customization
Producing parts that require slight variations per order, such as custom sensor brackets or machinery guards.
Spare Parts and MRO
Maintaining digital inventories to produce obsolete parts or urgent low-quantity replacements without storing physical stock.
Complex Geometries
Manufacturing lightweight or consolidated assemblies that are slow, difficult, or uneconomical to produce with traditional methods.
Facility Overview
RapidPrintParts operates a dedicated facility of approximately 2,600 m² with multiple in-house technologies suited for varying production needs.
40
In-House Systems
2,600
m² Facility
Core In-House Processes for Low Volume Production
Before recommending a process, we evaluate your actual operating requirements. Each technology offers distinct advantages for different production scenarios.
Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)
Highly efficient for low-volume end-use and functional nylon parts, offering excellent isotropic strength and surface resolution without support structures.
- Machines
- 4
- Materials
- PA12, PA11, PA12 GF, TPU
- Build Envelope
- 380 × 284 × 380 mm
- Tolerance Reference
- ±0.2 mm / ±0.3%
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
A proven workhorse for complex, durable nylon parts and low-volume production batches.
- Machines
- 10
- Materials
- PA12, PA11, TPU
- Build Envelope
- 380 × 380 × 600 mm
- Tolerance Reference
- ±0.3 mm / ±0.3%
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM / FFF)
Ideal for large structures, equipment parts, jigs, and fixtures requiring specific high-performance thermoplastics.
- Machines
- 18
- Materials
- ABS, ASA, PC, PA, PA-CF, PETG, TPU, PEEK, PEKK, PEI/ULTEM
- Build Envelope
- 1,000 × 600 × 600 mm
- Tolerance Reference
- ±0.2 mm / ±0.3%
Stereolithography (SLA)
Primarily used for high-detail prototypes and fit validation, valuable for low-volume runs where cosmetic appearance or internal fluid flow visualization is critical.
- Machines
- 8
- Materials
- Engineering resins
- Build Envelope
- 600 × 600 × 400 mm
- Tolerance Reference
- ±0.1 mm / ±0.2%
Note: Guaranteed tolerance for any process requires engineering review.
Ideal Applications and Best-Fit Parts
Our low volume production services are tailored for industrial applications rather than consumer display models.
Machinery and Automation
Custom fixtures, machine guards, routing ducts, and mounting brackets.
Robotics and Integrators
End-of-arm tooling (EOAT), custom grippers, and sensor mounts for line upgrades.
Industrial Hardware
Housings, enclosures, and mechanical components for product development cycles.
Contract Manufacturing
Overflow capacity or specialized material production to fill process gaps.
Post-Processing and Quality Documentation
Functional parts often require secondary operations to meet assembly or environmental standards.
Functional Finishing
- Blasting, sanding, polishing, and vapor smoothing
- Dyeing, painting, and marking
- Hardware installation (inserts, tapping, drilling)
- CNC secondary machining for critical mating surfaces
Quality Support
When agreed upon for the project, our quality team can support your low volume production with:
- First article inspection
- Dimensional inspection reports
- Material documents and certificates of conformity
- Shipment reports
Selection Factors and Limitations
While 3D printing is highly versatile, it is not always the right fit. Simple, very-high-volume parts are generally better suited to traditional molding or stamping. Our engineering review focuses on several key inputs.
01
Application Environment
Load, temperature, chemical exposure, flame retardancy, or ESD requirements.
02
Quantity
The current batch size and potential repeat demand.
03
Material and Dimensions
Specific polymer requirements and critical tolerances.
04
Files
Availability of a CAD model (STEP/STP) alongside a 2D drawing detailing critical dimensions.
05
Schedule
Target lead time or project milestones.
Request an Engineering Review
Transitioning from prototyping to low volume production requires careful planning and process selection. At RapidPrintParts, our engineering and quality team is ready to evaluate your material, load, temperature, tolerance, and finish requirements.
Contact us with your STEP/STP files, 2D drawings, and application details to start a technical discovery and receive a detailed engineering review for your next low volume production run.
Contact RapidPrintParts
Get in Touch
We are here to answer your questions about industrial additive manufacturing and functional 3D printed parts. Reach out to us through the following methods:
Email: [email protected]
Address: No. 17-1, Guanlan Avenue, Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, Shenzhen 3D Printing Industrial Park