Low Volume Manufacturing and Batch Production
Between a prototype and a moulding tool sits a gap that traditional manufacturing serves badly. Innovat3D fills it with low-volume production of engineering-grade parts, with no hard tooling and no minimum order quantity.
That makes it practical to launch a product, support a small installed base or bridge supply while tooling is prepared.
Problems this solves
- Minimum order quantities far above what is actually needed
- Tooling investment that cannot be justified at current volumes
- Product designs still evolving between batches
- Bridge supply needed while production tooling is made
- Spares for a small installed base
Typical applications
- Short production runs of end-use parts
- Bridge production ahead of hard tooling
- Spares and service components
- Variant and customer-specific versions
- Repeat supply of fixtures and production aids
Benefits
No tooling cost
Cost is in the parts, not in a mould that must be amortised.
Order what you need
Ten parts or a few hundred, repeated as demand requires.
Design can evolve
Changes between batches cost design time only.
Consistent output
Documented settings and checks so batches match.
Who we work with
- Small manufacturers and product companies
- Machine builders needing repeat parts
- Businesses launching a new product
- Service and maintenance operations
How it works
- 01
Review
Volume, tolerance and material requirements assessed.
- 02
Optimise
Design refined for repeatable, economic production.
- 03
First article
A sample batch approved before full production.
- 04
Produce
Batches run to the agreed specification.
- 05
Repeat
Call-off supply arranged where demand is ongoing.
Frequently asked questions
- What counts as low volume?
- Typically from a handful of parts up to several hundred per batch. Above that, moulding often becomes more economical.
- Will every part be identical?
- Parts are produced from the same data with documented process settings and dimensional checks, giving consistent results across a batch.
- Can you hold stock?
- Repeat and call-off arrangements can be discussed for ongoing requirements.
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View Jigs & FixturesDiscuss your application
Send CAD files, drawings, photographs, dimensions, an existing part or simply a description of the manufacturing problem — whatever you have is enough to start. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Innovat3D supports engineering and manufacturing customers throughout the UK.