300 parts.Zero molds.
Low-Volume 3D Printed Production
Make 300 first. Cut the mold once they sell.
FORMFTY MANUFACTURE — a FORMFTY HUB company
FORMFTY MANUFACTURE in Taipei, Taiwan 3D prints production runs of 2 to 300 parts with no molds, so hardware startups and brands have finished units to show, test-sell or ship to their first customers. When the market responds and volumes grow, we plan the move to Taiwan's established mass-production processes.
- 2–300
- parts, no tooling
- 10–30%
- of the lead time of conventional processes
- 15–40%
- of the cost of conventional processes
- Finishing
- sanding, painting, assembly
Lead time and cost ratios apply to low-volume runs and depend on part count, material and finishing.
Not sure it will sell? Hold off on the mold
A mold costs money and time, and every design change means starting over. While you only need tens or hundreds of units, 3D print them directly and put them in front of people: at a trade show, in a test sale, with your first customers. Real reactions tell you more than any forecast. Whether 3D printing is the right call depends on quantity, material, quality, cost and lead time, and when it isn't, we'll say so and suggest another process.
One real number
National Taiwan University needed 100 units of an electrochemical reactor teaching model. Conventional tooling was estimated at about NT$825,000. 3D printing came to about NT$130,000.
Figures from the MORE DESIGN × FORMFTY MANUFACTURE EDM newsletter, 2024.
3D printed parts can be the final product
FREE Bionics' powered exoskeleton assist device had its exterior and CMF planned by MORE DESIGN, and close to 200 sets were 3D printed in our own factory. It is on the market now. Low volume doesn't have to be a stopgap. At the right quantity, 3D printing is the production method.
When volumes grow
Once a low-volume run has proven the market and the numbers go up, we plan the transition to Taiwan's established production processes: sheet metal, CNC machining, mold making, injection molding and assembly. The dimensions, materials and cosmetic requirements already confirmed during prototyping and low-volume production are handed over with the project, so nobody has to work them out again at the mass-production stage.
Confidentiality, quality and response time
- Confidentiality
- We can sign an NDA before we look at your files. Confidential projects are handled by a dedicated person and shipped under a code name.
- Quality
- ISO 9001 quality management system. Parts that don't meet spec are remade, guaranteed.
- Response
- Inquiries get a first reply within 6 working hours (Taiwan time, GMT+8).
- Formal quote
- The 6-hour reply is a first response: we confirm what you need and ask for anything missing. The formal quote comes separately, based on your files, quantity and material.
Questions we often get
- How many parts can you make without a mold?
- 2 to 300 parts can be 3D printed directly, with no tooling. Whether it suits your part also depends on material, quality, cost and lead time, and when it doesn't, we'll recommend another process.
- How does 3D printing compare with injection molding on time and cost for small runs?
- For low-volume runs, roughly 10–30% of the lead time and 15–40% of the cost of conventional processes, depending on part count, material and finishing. For 100 units of a National Taiwan University electrochemical reactor teaching model, conventional tooling was estimated at about NT$825,000; 3D printing came to about NT$130,000.
- Can 3D printed parts be sold as a finished product?
- Yes. FREE Bionics' powered exoskeleton assist device was 3D printed in our factory, close to 200 sets, and is on the market.
- Can we start shipping before the mold is ready?
- Yes. While the mold is being made, a low-volume 3D printed run gets product to your first customers or onto the shelf for test sales. This is often called bridge production.
- What happens when I need more units?
- Once a low-volume run has proven the market and volumes grow, we plan the move to Taiwan's established mass-production processes: sheet metal, CNC machining, mold making and injection molding.
Tell us what you want to make. We will handle the rest.