Six processes.
One quality system.
One PO.
CIFProto integrates CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, vacuum casting and rapid tooling under a single ISO 9001 quality system. One engineer owns your project from CAD to container — no sourcing juggling, no cross-supplier finger-pointing.
Which manufacturing method fits your part?
Each process has a sweet spot. Match your quantity, material, tolerance and budget against the quick-reference matrix below — or ask our engineers to recommend.
| Process | Best for qty | Material | Tolerance | Lead time | Tooling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC Machining 3/4/5-axis + turning |
1 – 1,000 | 40+ metals & plastics | ±0.01 mm | 3–7 days | None |
| 3D Printing SLA · SLS · MJF · DMLS |
1 – 500 | Resin, nylon, metal | ±0.1 mm | 2–5 days | None |
| Injection Molding Rapid & production tooling |
500 – 1M+ | 50+ thermoplastics | ±0.05 mm | 14–42 days | Al / P20 / H13 |
| Sheet Metal Laser · bend · weld |
1 – 5,000 | Steel, Al, SS, Cu | ±0.1 mm | 5–10 days | None / PEM |
| Vacuum Casting Silicone mold + PU |
20 – 50 | PU resins (ABS/PC-like) | ±0.15 mm | 7–10 days | Silicone |
| Rapid Tooling Aluminum bridge molds |
500 – 10,000 | Most thermoplastics | ±0.08 mm | 14 days | Al 7075 |
Deep dive on each capability.
Every process page below includes material options, tolerance data, typical applications, DFM guidance, case studies, and a dedicated instant quote flow.
CNC Machining
3, 4 and 5-axis milling, plus Swiss-type and conventional turning. Hold ±0.01 mm on mission-critical features. Aluminum, steel, titanium, brass, copper, PEEK, Delrin and 30+ other production-grade materials.
3D Printing
Industrial SLA, SLS, MJF and DMLS metal printing. Functional prototypes, low-volume production, conformal cooling channels, topology-optimized aerospace brackets. No tooling, no MOQ.
Injection Molding
Rapid aluminum tooling in 14 days for 500–10,000 parts. Hardened P20 and H13 steel molds for mass production up to 1 million cycles. Overmolding, insert molding and two-shot capabilities in-house.
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Fiber laser cutting up to 4 kW, precision press brake bending (±0.1 mm), TIG/MIG welding, PEM hardware insertion, powder coating and wet paint. Ideal for enclosures, brackets, chassis and panel work.
Vacuum Casting
Silicone tooling for 20–50 PU polymer copies that match ABS, PC, rubber or glass-filled plastics. The pragmatic bridge between 3D-printed prototypes and injection-molded production parts.
Rapid Tooling
Aluminum 7075 bridge molds built in 10–14 days, capable of running 500 to 10,000 production-material shots. The fastest path from CAD to injection-grade parts for pilot runs and market validation.
Not sure which process is right?
Three questions narrow it down fast.
What's your quantity?
Quantity is the single biggest cost driver. Tooling only pays off at volume — below ~1,000 plastic parts, CNC or 3D printing beats injection molding on total cost.
- 1–20 → 3D printing (fastest, no tooling)
- 20–50 → Vacuum casting or CNC
- 50–500 → CNC machining
- 500–10K → Rapid aluminum tooling + injection
- 10K+ → Production-grade P20/H13 steel molds
What's your material?
Material constrains your options: only certain processes can work certain materials economically.
- Metal, precision → CNC (almost always)
- Metal, complex → DMLS metal 3D printing
- Sheet metal → Laser + press brake
- Engineering plastic → CNC (low vol) / Molding (high vol)
- Rubber-like → Vacuum casting with Shore A PU
How tight are your tolerances?
Tight tolerances narrow your options, and usually add cost and lead time.
- ±0.5 mm+ → Any process works; 3D printing cheapest
- ±0.1 mm → CNC, sheet metal, molding OK
- ±0.025 mm → Precision CNC (5-axis, Swiss)
- ±0.01 mm → High-precision CNC + grinding
Every finish. Under one roof.
From functional surface treatments to cosmetic class-A finishes. All finishing is managed by CIFProto's QA team — no supplier handoffs, no finger-pointing on reject batches.
All finishes