What our customers are prototyping
The workshop supports artisans, design offices, maintenance services, industrials and traders in the rapid manufacture of custom-made parts:
- Prototypes to validate a footprint or ergonomics;
- functional prototypes to test an assembly, clip or hinge;
- drilling jigs, assembly assemblies and control tools;
- enclosures and holders for electronic boards;
- pre-series for a first diffusion before an investment in mold.
A short iteration loop
The rapid prototyping is worth the number of iterations it allows. With the Studio, a parametric model is modified by its dimensions, without going through the CAD for each adjustment: you correct a thickness, a center distance or a game, you re-run the print, and you compare the versions.
- CAD file exported to STL or 3MF, or part generated in the Studio
- Choice of material close to final use
- Printing and shipping, within 48 to 72 hours for most orders
- Test, measurement, correction of dimensions
- New version, then pre-series
The guide tolerances and adjustments gives the games to be provided for the interlockings, axes and inserts, often the first cause of resumption of a prototype.
The means of the workshop
| Fair | What it allows |
|---|---|
| More than 20 machines | Multiple parts or versions printed in parallel |
| Multi-material FDM | PLA, PETG, ABS/ASA, TPU, nylon and PLA charged carbon |
| SLA resin | Small details and smooth surfaces |
| Large format | Parts up to 60 cm high or wide |
| Multicolor | Up to 8 colours on the same piece |
| 3D Scan Creaform | Digitization of an existing part, accuracy 0.1 mm |
The choice of material is made according to the resistance, the temperature and the environment of use: see the guide which material to choose .
From prototype to small series
Once the prototype is validated, the same part can be produced in pre-series or in small series, with decreasing prices for identical parts. 3D printing remains interesting as long as the volumes do not justify an injection mold; the guide 3D printing or plastic injection helps to locate this threshold for your part.
For an existing part to reproduce or improve (broken part, reference more manufactured), the 3D scan avoids redrawing: see Spare parts by 3D scan.
Choosing the right prototype technology
The right prototype is not always the most accurate: it is the one that answers the question asked. A shape prototype, which is used to validate a footprint or a grip, can be printed quickly in PLA. A functional prototype, which must take effort, approaches the final material: PETG or ABS / ASA for the hold, TPU for a flexible part, nylon charged carbon for rigidity.
Indicate in your order the purpose of the prototype: shape, function, presentation. The material and finish are chosen accordingly, and the price displayed before payment takes these choices into account. To compare FDM, resin, SLS or MJF technologies, see the guide 3D printing technologies.
Order in company
The online order displays a price including VAT before payment, for one-time needs. For a tracked project (several versions, series, parts to scan), write to the workshop from the home page: the team responds within 24 hours to requests without commitment. Specify in your request the confidentiality constraints of your project.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a prototype?
Most orders are shipped within 48 to 72 hours; priority production in 24 hours is offered for emergencies.
What files to send for a prototype?
A STL or 3MF file, imported into the Studio. You can also generate the part from a description or parametric model of the library.
What materials for a functional prototype?
PETG, ABS/ASA, TPU or nylon charged carbon according to mechanical and thermal constraints; SLA resin for small details.
Can you reproduce a piece without a file?
Yes, thanks to industrial 3D scanning (precision 0.1 mm), then printing the part reproduced or improved.
Do you make small series?
Yes, with degressive prices for identical parts, on the same machines as the prototype.
What maximum size?
Up to 60 cm in height or width in large format.
