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Source custom aerospace & aviation parts

  • Network of AS 9100 certified manufacturing partners

  • Tight tolerances & complex geometries

  • Get full IP protection and quality documentation

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Get off the ground faster with Protolabs Network

Protolabs Network helps you launch projects faster without compromising on design or quality. With our instant quoting system and supplier network, you can bolster your supply chains and get custom parts for every prototyping, validation and full-scale production need. Our vetted network of manufacturing partners has cutting-edge capabilities and near-limitless capacity.

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Certified for aerospace & aviation

Protolabs Network is ISO 9001 certified and our suppliers have specialized certifications.

  • ISO 9001

  • AS 9100

  • ISO 14001

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Comprehensive quality documentation

Get validation reports to ensure the highest quality and compliance.

  • CMM Inspection Report

  • Full Dimensional Inspections

  • Material Test Reports

  • Material Certificates

  • Certificates of Conformance

  • First Article Inspections

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Highest quality standards

We use a rigorous set of protocols and procedures to maintain quality.

  • Special tooling

  • Dimensional checks with calibrated equipment

  • Review of all quality documentation and industry certifications

  • Full IP protections on the platform and within the network

Parts in 1 day with Protolabs

Protolabs and its network work together to bring you the world's most comprehensive manufacturing solution. While the network can provide a large breadth of capabilities, Protolabs’ factories offer expedited manufacturing with automated in-house machines for the industry's fastest lead times.

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Our aerospace & aviation manufacturing capabilities

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Prototyping

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Tooling
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Jigs & Fixtures
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Surrogate parts
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Drones
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UAVs
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CubeSat
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Fuel pumps
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Structural components
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Small sensors

Aerospace & aviation manufacturing capabilities 

CNC machining
CNC machining

Milling, turning and post-processing

  • Tolerances down to ±.020 mm (±.001 in)

  • Lead times from 5 business days

See our CNC machining services
3D printing
3D printing

FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF

  • ± 0.3% with a lower limit of ± 0.3 mm (± 0.012 in)

  • Lead times from 1 business day

See our 3D printing services
Sheet metal fabrication
Sheet metal fabrication

Laser cutting, bending, post-processing

  • Tolerances down to ±0.1 mm (±.004 in)

  • Lead times from 5 business days

See our sheet metal fabrication services
Injection molding Injection molded part
Injection molding

Prototypes and production tooling

  • Wide range of part complexities and sizes

  • 1 to 1M parts

See our injection molding capabilities

Why aerospace & aviation companies use Protolabs Network

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Specialized network

Get access to cutting-edge capabilities and limitless capacity

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Quality assurance

Receive comprehensive documentation with every order

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Instant pricing

Get instant quotes with all pricing information upfront

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Manufacturing a fleet of drones to scale reforestation

“Protolabs Network has been pivotal. Being able to affordably leverage FDM processes on a tight schedule let us get out to the field with our tech in a way that probably wouldn't have been possible otherwise.”



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Materials & surface finishes for aerospace & aviation parts

Through our manufacturing partner network, we provide access to strong, lightweight materials and surface finishes that can weather every application.

Examples of materials for aerospace
Aerospace & aviation materials

Select from a broad range of industrial-grade materials

Aluminum alloys: Al 2024, Al 2014, Al 7050
Titanium alloys: Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 5
Stainless steel: SS 304/304L, SS 316/316L, 17-4PH
Inconel: Inconel 718
Plastics: Ultem 9085, PA 6 Glass Filled, PA 12, PEEK, PTFE (Teflon)

Example of surface finishes for aerospace
Aerospace & aviation surface finishes

Manufacturing parts to support R&D in microgravity

Space Tango develops systems for scientific inquiry and research while in orbit. Find out how Protolabs Network helped produce hardware for this cosmic venture.

Read the case study

How we help aerospace & aviation companies innovate

Competitive pricing, IP protection and DFM guidance

The Protolabs Network platform is the easiest way to get competitive pricing for comparing order volumes, lead times, materials, tolerances, secondary processes, and more for your projects. Get all final pricing information upfront, including shipping, quality control and customs clearance (when ordering from the US and EU). We prioritize IP protection on the platform and throughout the process to ensure that your designs and models are completely secure. Our platform is equipped with design for manufacturability (DFM) analysis and our mechanical engineers are always on hand to offer guidance to get the most out of Protolabs Network.

To spec and on time, every time

To keep your supply chain consistent and sturdy, we adhere to thorough quality control processes and protocols. Our manufacturing partners go through a complete vetting process before joining the network and on-site quality engineers perform frequent audits to ensure they meet The Protolabs Network Standard. Internal teams in Amsterdam and Chicago inspect parts for functionality and cosmetic specifications, and we handle all custom clearance requirements and ensure on-time delivery.

Source locally and globally to de-risk supply chains

Supply chain resilience is critical, especially when you need parts on a strict schedule and with specific certifications. We offer local and global sourcing to reduce your supply chain risks and provide sourcing solutions to match compliance requirements. Protolabs Network gives you access to the most comprehensive network of industrial 3D printing, CNC machining service, injection molding and sheet metal specialists with consistent capacity available for your aerospace and aviation projects, no matter the scope.

FAQs

How do we ensure our manufacturing partners are AS 9100 certified?

We do thorough checks of every manufacturing partner (MP) during the initial onboarding process and perform audits on processes and certifications every two years. To source parts from certified MPs, you can indicate these requirements on the platform or contact networksales@protolabs.com. We’ll match your designs with the right supplier.

How does Protolabs Network protect data and intellectual property?

Our platform is secure and encrypted to ensure that customer data and interactions with suppliers are all protected. All digital models and drawings are safely stored on AWS servers, located in Europe. MPs must sign our Manufacturing Partner Agreement as part of their onboarding, which contractually obligates them to keep customer data confidential. Our General Terms of Sale prohibit orders that misappropriate or infringe on copyrights, patents, design rights, trademarks, trade secrets and other IP rights.

What happens if a part doesn’t meet your specifications?

One of the reasons engineers use Protolabs Network is that we take on all the risks for you. If your parts aren’t up to spec, you can file a dispute claim and we’ll remake your components or refund your order. For more detail on how we handle disputes, you can contact our Customer Success Team. At the same time, we complete non-conformity reports for parts that don’t meet all requirements, with follow-up with manufacturers including root cause analysis and rapid corrective actions.

How do I request materials not listed on the site or platform?

If you want to get parts in specialized materials that aren’t listed on our site or platform, you can send a request to your account manager or contact networksales@protolabs.com. Our supplier network has access to a huge range of materials, so most of the time we are able to find a manufacturing partner to fulfill your request.

Put your aerospace & aviation parts into production today.

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