Service · Small Batch

100 to 5000 pieces.
Bridge or sustained.
No big tooling.

Small batch production for 100-5000 piece quantities. Bridge production before steel tooling, ongoing low-volume products, market validation runs, regulatory samples. CNC, rapid injection, urethane casting, sheet metal small-batch production.

Small Batch Production Quote Low volume production

100-5000 piece runs No expensive tooling 4-8 week typical Quality consistent

01 · Small batch processes

Process selection by volume.

Different processes serve different small-batch volume ranges. We pick the optimal process per quantity.

Urethane casting

10-50 units

Silicone mold from CNC master. Polyurethane resins simulate production plastics. Lead time 2-3 weeks. Per-unit $20-100.

CNC small batch

10-500 units

CNC machining for moderate batches. No tooling investment. Per-unit cost decreases with volume. Materials: any machinable.

Rapid injection (Al tool)

100-5000 units

Aluminum injection mold tooling, real production plastic. Tool $3-15K, per-unit $5-30. Bridge before steel tooling.

Sheet metal batch

50-2000 units

Laser-cut sheet metal + press brake forming. CNC for fasteners and complex features. Production volumes possible without dies.

Soft tooling injection

500-20000 units

MUD inserts in master unit dies. Lower tool cost than dedicated steel. 5,000-20,000 shot life. Bridge to high-volume.

Welded fabrication batch

50-2000 units

Welded fabrications produced in batch. CNC parts + sheet metal + welding combined.

MJF 3D printing batch

100-5000 units

MJF 3D printing economical at moderate volumes for nylon parts. No tooling, but print cost per unit is consistent.

Hybrid process

Various

Combine processes — urethane cast bodies + CNC features, or 3D print prototypes + injection production.

Pre-tool bridge

100-2000 units

Bridge production before steel tool ready — keeps customer in market while production tooling builds.

02 · Small batch advantages

When small batch makes sense.

Pre-revenue startup

Validate market before investing in tooling

Regulatory samples

FDA, CE marking samples — production-representative without full tooling

Market validation

Test market with limited inventory commitment

Bridge to production

Cover demand while production tooling builds

Specialty products

Lower-volume products where tooling investment doesn't justify

Service spares

Parts for products no longer in main production

Customization

Multiple variants in moderate volume each

Bid samples

Samples for bidding on contracts before commitment

B2B niche

Specialty B2B applications with limited but ongoing demand

FAQ

Small Batch Production questions.

For volumes under 500-1000 pieces (typical), CNC machining typically more economical than tooled production. Above that volume, tooled processes (injection molding, die casting) become cheaper per part. Specific break-even depends on part complexity, geometry, material. We provide cost comparison at quote — sometimes surprises customers when CNC is competitive at higher volumes.

Small batch quality matches or exceeds high-volume. Small batch advantages: more attention per part, easier to address issues, less process variation (small lots vs continuous production). Disadvantages: higher per-unit cost, longer lead time per piece. For premium quality at moderate volume, small batch CNC often preferred over high-volume injection.

CNC small batch: 4-6 weeks for first 100-500 pieces. Rapid injection: 8-12 weeks (tool 4 weeks + first article + production). Urethane casting: 3-4 weeks total. Sheet metal: 4-6 weeks. Adjust schedule per customer urgency. For rush small batch (premium pricing), 2-3 weeks possible.

Yes. CNC small batch: 100 pieces typically 40% of single-piece cost. 500 pieces 25%. 1000 pieces 18%. Setup cost amortized over volume. For repeat orders, additional reduction (we keep CNC programs, fixtures). Quote shows pricing at multiple quantity breaks for customer evaluation.

Production process documented for repeatability. Subsequent lots run same program, same fixtures, same materials. SPC monitoring tracks process consistency. For critical applications, sample inspection per lot or 100% inspection per agreed plan. Cpk targets achievable for production-stable processes.

Yes — common for customer needing multiple variants (sizes, colors, materials). Small batch enables multiple variants without separate tooling. Each variant produced as separate lot with same process. Cost similar to single-variant production. Useful for: market testing variants, custom product lines, multiple customer requirements.