CNC Machining
Tight tolerances and finishing capabilities, as fast as 2 days.
Sheet Metal
Experience the versatility & cost efficiency with flexible application options.
Injection Molding
Production-grade steel tooling, as fast as weeks.
Die Casting
Create high quality custom mechanicals with precision and accuracy.
3D Printing
FDM, SLS, SLA, PolyJet, MJF technologies.
Compression Molding
Experience lower tooling costs with high-quality durable parts.
Urethane Casting
Production quality parts without the tooling investment.
Our digital supply chain platform provides high-quality, scalable manufacturing solutions and is built to handle the full product lifecycle.
Learn moreJoin thousands of customers who trust Fictiv with their production programs.
Learn more2025 State of Manufacturing & Supply Chain Report
Download reportAirvine Scientific Success Story
The manufacturing behind Airvine's wireless Ethernet backbones.
Read case studyTake a closer look at how Fictiv outperforms Protolabs
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| Complex Parts |
Machining per 2D drawings 2D drawing annotation features |
Does not support 2D drawings |
| Design | Custom complex parts without compromise | Designs must conform to their in-house machine specifications |
| DFM Feedback | Design for manufacturability pre- and post-sale according to your specifications and timeline | Feedback is not optimized for actual long-term, high-volume production |
| Production Programs | Guided expertise, technical industry expertise, strategic program managers, supply chain quality, global network with virtually unlimited capacity |
Rudimentary production lacks depth and scale
Only offers domestic supply chain management |
| Capabilities/Manufacturing Processes | CNC, Injection Molding, Die Casting, Compression Molding, Urethane Casting, 3D Printing, Sheet Metal | CNC, Injection Molding, 3D Printing, Sheet Metal |
Fictiv v. Protolabs: Quality
By choosing Fictiv, you gain peace of mind knowing that your projects are in the hands of qualified professionals dedicated to delivering exceptional quality. Unlike Protolabs, which often prioritizes price over quality, Fictiv puts quality first.
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| Quality Control | |
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Fictiv provides rigorous inspections with highly trained quality professionals who examine all parts. This dedicated oversight ensures that every component meets strict quality standards before it reaches the customer. Fictiv inspects each part prior to shipment, enabling customers to verify visually that parts meet their quality and specification requirements. |
Protolabs lacks Fictiv's level of assurance—vital in today's competitive manufacturing landscape. |
| Vetted Network of Global Manufacturing Centers | |
| Fictiv offers a more sophisticated supply chain experience with a carefully vetted network of manufacturing centers. These centers adhere to stringent quality standards and utilize advanced technologies and best practices in manufacturing. |
Protolabs is a digital manufacturer with a network of manufacturing partners. Protolabs has a less rigorous onboarding and auditing program for its partners than Fictiv. |
Fictiv v. Protolabs: Design
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| Design Guidance | |
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Fictiv is a consultative digital manufacturing company that partners with customers to maintain customer designs and accepts 2D models. |
Protolabs automates the process extensively and asks customers to change their designs to fit Protolabs' process limitations based on customer-supplied 3D CAD part models. |
| Custom Manufacturability Guidance | |
| Fictiv works with a vetted network of suppliers and technologies that cater to difficult part designs and complicated manufacturing challenges, providing a solution focused on achieving customer intent. | Protolabs requires design concessions based on equipment and tool set availability rather than customer requirements. |
| 2D Drawings for Critical Project Features | |
| Fictiv encourages 2D drawings in order to achieve critical project features and dimensions. | Protolabs' limited equipment, cutters, and process availability often leads to design changes, rather than being driven by manufacturability guidance. |
| Technical Expertise to Support Production | |
| Fictiv has teams of technical industry experts, strategic program managers, supply chain quality technicians, and logistics personnel who partner with our vetted global supply chain to provide comprehensive solutions to production programs. | Protolabs has a more limited capability set that is designed with speed and efficiency in mind. This leads to a network that can support production as long as it fits into a specific box of requirements. |
Fictiv v. Protolabs : Capabilities
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Fictiv offers 7 primary manufacturing processes, finishing, and assembly and allows customers to fully specify geometry, dimensions, and tolerances for each part feature. Fictiv encourages 2D drawings to be uploaded with GD&T, drawing notes and in-platform annotation. This means a design engineer's intent will always be conveyed to the manufacturing team. This also ensures that tight tolerances, as well as critical surfaces will be machined per the customer's specification. |
Protolabs only offers manufacturing per 3D models as specified in the quote. If you are a skilled engineer, you know how much of the design intent is left behind without a proper 2D drawing. Protolabs also reserves the right to modify specifications and requires customers to pay additional fees associated with these modifications. |
Fictiv v. Protolabs: DFM and DFX
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Fictiv offers pre- and post-order Design for Manufacturability (DFM) feedback, which increases efficiency and optimizes costs. Its team of experts routinely reviews 2D drawings or 3D models to provide DFM feedback that will ensure the success of a customer's design. |
Protolabs' DFM and DFX processes result in quality and service inconsistencies, whereas Fictiv ensures reliable, high-quality manufacturing that delivers parts exactly as designed. |
Production at the pace of innovation
"The difference that Fictiv offers is that tight turnaround time. I have a concept in my head, upload it to a website, and I get the part 3 days later -I don't think there's anything faster available."
Clear communication. Precision parts
"Being able to use Fictiv for gears is very exciting for us because we know that they're going to hit their lead times and we're going to be in constant communication to see where our parts are in the supply chain."
Unrivaled customer service
"Fictiv does an incredible job connecting my needs as a customer to those suppliers that have the capability, the right competitive cost, and the capacity to build my product and get it to me in a very rapid cycle time."
JON HOBGOOD
Vice President, Advanced Manufacturing and Automation
Honeywell Aerospace
Production at the pace of innovation
"The difference that Fictiv offers is that tight turnaround time. I have a concept in my head, upload it to a website, and I get the part 3 days later -I don't think there's anything faster available."
Clear communication. Precision parts
"Being able to use Fictiv for gears is very exciting for us because we know that they're going to hit their lead times and we're going to be in constant communication to see where our parts are in the supply chain."
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