Cloud manufacturing experience (either as supplier or customer)

[Luke Rickert]

Hi everyone I need a few prototype parts and the guys I am working for suggested we try one of these online services such as Xometry or Protolabs. These are one-off smallish milled aluminum parts, nothing super exciting but not entirely straight forward either. Nothing super time critical, we would like them soon but it doesn't need to be tomorrow.

Before going that route I would input as to if we should be dealing with these companies. Is this more gig economy BS or otherwise problematic? We don't need super tight tolerances so provided they do something close to what they say they will that side of things should be ok.

I am guessing they must be doing the work in a low labor cost country which may or may not be a problem. I ran a few parts through their systems and despite huge differences in actual production time, difficulty etc. the price doesn't really change which makes me concerned. (seems like they were just looking at weight) For that matter I do wonder if they aren't the same company as the prices are very similar.

thanks

Luke

 

[aribert]

I have used Protolabs on occasion for both short run injection molded parts and machined parts back in 2012/2013 to 2017 thru two different employers. I've been retired for 5 yrs now so my knowledge of Protolabs may be a bit out of date. At the time, Protolabs was based in Wiscowsin or Minnysota. Price in part was based on the turn around time we needed, along with material specified, surface finish required, .... Our shortest lead times were machined parts in 24 to 36 hrs and injected parts in 48 to 72 hrs from acceptance of data and PO.

Our parts were designed in either NX or Catia. Protolabs CAD data fidelity requirements were more strict than other prototype suppliers we used (both local and China). Protolabs did not do any data smoothing or manipulation. The slightest discontinuity would cause the data to be rejected (on a level that would not be visible to one's eye, at the 5th or 6th decimal place) - this was maddening at times.

 

[kb0thn]

I've used Protolabs for 12 years now. A handful of injection molds and one milled aluminum part. Injection parts have been good and we use them for a low volume product that needs a few injected molded parts. Very easy to order from. The milled part was fine as well.

Xometry on the other hand is a hot mess.

We had been using bigbluesaw.com for occasional waterjet polycarbonate parts. Okay prices and okay quality. Xometry bought them and now parts have the worst taper I have ever seen on waterjet parts. 0.020"+ on an 0.125" thick polycarbonate part. Their response was along the lines of if you want low taper, you have to pay for their much much more expensive low taper 5 axis waterjet service.

Stupidly I ignored that bad experience and just ordered another waterjet polycarbonate part from them last week. It is for a time critical project and I paid for all the appropriate expedites and overnight shipping so it would arrive to me yesterday (Friday). I got a tracking number at 1PM Thursday for priority overnight. Friday morning I tracked that tracking number and the package still hadn't been tendered to FedEx. I called Xometry and explained the situation and asked that they make sure to actually ship the thing and to change it to Saturday delivery. They said they would look into it. At the end of Friday they e-mailed and said that their vendor claimed FedEx has it and it is therefore not Xometry's problem. As of today, Saturday, it still hasn't been tendered to FedEx. Now I am ordering material from McMaster and hoping it arrives in time on Monday for me to mill the part and get it on the semi 3PM so I can bill out a huge project.

Thumbs down on Xometry from my perspective. They don't want to stand behind their product.