Protolabs is looking to boost supply chain capacity in the UK and help customers manage costs with the launch of a new CNC Flexible Lead Time option.
The service will give clients in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, medical and prototyping markets the opportunity to choose a manufacturing solution for the shipping of parts from 6 to 12 days after an order when using its e-commerce platform.
This latest introduction is in addition to its standard delivery of just 3 days and as little as 1-day for expedited projects.
Protolabs uses both 3-axis milling and 5-axis indexed milling for rapid prototyping and low-volume production of end-use plastic and metal components.
Customers upload their CAD onto the company’s e-commerce platform where they can easily add threaded features, including key and coil inserts within their interactive quote. When the quote is returned, a 3D display will show which thread types are possible for each feature.
The Telford-based digital manufacturer stocks more than 30 engineering grade plastic and metal materials that are suitable for various applications and industries, including plastics like ABS, polycarbonate nylon and PEEK and metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium and copper.