High-Precision
Rapid Prototyping
in Days.
Rapid prototyping moves you from concept to functional parts in days rather than months. Goodfellow Microfabrication combines laser micromachining, micro-CNC, micro 3D printing, and bonding to deliver production-grade prototypes, typically within two weeks, and as fast as 24 hours in select cases depending on material and thickness.
Upload STEP, STL, or PDF, our engineers review it for manufacturability.
No redesign required to start, we’ll help optimise your part.
Why choose Goodfellow Microfabrication for rapid prototyping
We deliver high-precision rapid prototyping for advanced manufacturing, turning concepts into functional, production-grade parts in days, with multiple fabrication technologies and material flexibility under one roof.
Micron-level precision, fine features and tight tolerances on functional, production-grade prototypes.
Fast, reliable turnaround, typically within two weeks, and as fast as 24 hours in select cases.
Integrated fabrication, laser, micro-CNC, micro 3D printing, and bonding & assembly under one roof.
Broad material choice, prototype in the same metals, polymers, glass, silicon, and ceramics intended for production.
A clear path to production, regulated-industry experience and a smooth transition from prototype to scale-up.
Upload STEP, STL, or PDF, our engineers review it for manufacturability.
No redesign required to start, we’ll help optimise your part.
Explore our precision capabilities
Choose the manufacturing route that fits your geometry, material, and production need.
CNC Micromachining
4-axis CNC milling and drilling for fine-feature and engineering plastics where repeatable tolerance control matters.
Laser Micromachining
UV, IR and structured polymer film for nozzles incredibly ultra-fine, perfectly uniform backlit micro-holes.
Rapid Prototyping
Fast-turn prototype paths for teams that need DFM feedback, material parts on compressed timelines.
Hybrid CNC + Laser
A medical-grade stainless steel stent part, CNC macro structural feature machined and laser-cut.
Bonding & Assembly
Precision alignment, bonding, micro-assembled components flawlessly bonded and aligned data.
Explore Applications
Choose your sector to get started, or upload your CAD file if your design is ready.
Microfluidics
Microfluidic structures, manifolds, and bonded polymer substrates produced by laser micromachining, micro-CNC, or micro 3D printing with fine channel geometry.
Next step for Microfluidics
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Aerospace
Sensor hardware, lightweight structures, and precision metallic parts prototyped in production-intent metals, with a clear path from prototype to scale-up.
Next step for Aerospace
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Semiconductor
Wafer tooling, fixtures, and test supports that need fine features and stable geometry, laser, micro-CNC, and additive processes under one roof.
Next step for Semiconductor
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Photonics & Optics
Mounts, apertures, and alignment structures where finish and dimensional accuracy matter, prototyped in metals, glass, silicon, and technical ceramics.
Next step for Photonics & Optics
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Electronics / MEMS
Sensor housings, flex-circuit supports, and MEMS-adjacent parts with compact geometry, prototyped in the same materials intended for production.
Next step for Electronics / MEMS
Continue into the materials library or upload your CAD file if your design is already fixed.
- DFM review included
- No minimum order
- 24 to 48 hr prototype turnaround
Rapid Prototyping Capabilities
Engineering guidance, not fixed spec promises.
Material selection supported, customers often work with engineering to optimise for manufacturability.
Material support available
Work with your own material or select from 170,000+ options.
Broader material matching and traceability support are available through the wider Goodfellow library.
Laser vs. Micro-CNC vs. Micro 3D Printing
Use this guide to identify the right process, or combine them for the best result.
Choose the right prototyping process for your part, based on material, features, and function.
Laser Micromachining
Best when you need:
- Feature sizes down to 2 µm
- ±2 µm typical tolerance, application dependent
- Clean edges, minimal heat
Best for: ultra-fine features
See laser micromachining →Micro-CNC Machining
Best when you need:
- Metals & engineering plastics
- Load-bearing parts
- Production-matching finish
Best for: strength & accuracy
See micro-CNC →Micro 3D Printing
Best when you need:
- Complex geometries
- Microfluidic & biomedical parts
- Fixtures, housings, test parts
Best for: complex geometry
See 3D printing →Our Rapid Prototyping Process: From Concept to Production
A clear engineering workflow from first brief through material selection, DFM review, fabrication, validation, and delivery.
Submit Your Brief
Share your drawing, CAD file, application goal, tolerance needs, or early-stage project requirements.
Select Material
Use your own material or source precision metals, polymers, ceramics, and specialist grades through Goodfellow.
Engineering Review
Collaborative review to select the most suitable fabrication processes, laser, CNC, or additive.
Manufacture & Validate
Rapid manufacture by laser, CNC, or additive methods, with bonding, assembly, and post-processing as needed.
Deliver or Scale
Inspection and dimensional verification, then iterate or transition to production.
Supported by the Goodfellow Group’s integrated material, fabrication, and testing capabilities.
The Goodfellow Group
The Goodfellow Group brings together material supply, precision fabrication, and testing capabilities, giving you access to a complete engineering ecosystem.
Global supply of advanced metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, and compounds with research-quality flexibility and production-scale support across 170,000+ specialist materials.
170,000+ material grades
No minimum order
CNC micromachining
Laser micromachining
Hybrid manufacturing
Micro-assembly
Certified reference materials and analytical standards supporting calibration, laboratory QA, and regulatory compliance.
Calibration and QA support
Traceable standards
Trusted by engineers worldwide
“Potomac Photonics expertise and expediency enabled us to both deliver our flight unit calorimeter spectrometer insert on schedule and the opportunity to test in advance our proposed alignment method in Japan.”
“The resolution of this 3D printer was much higher than what we had in our onsite lab. Working with tolerances in the 1 – 2 thousandths range gave us the parameters we needed to fulfill the design requirement. . .”
“… The edges are consistently clean, even under magnification. They have turned orders around much more quickly than I am used to, and most importantly, communication is good. …”
Ready to move forward?
Upload your drawing or request a quote, our engineering team will review your design and respond within 24 hours.
No redesign required to start, we’ll help optimise your part.
Uploads stay confidential. We can sign your NDA on request before you share files.
You submit your request
Name, email, description, drawing. No commitment.
Engineer reviews your part
DFM check on geometry, tolerances, material fit.
Quote & process path confirmed
Feasibility, recommended process, next steps.
Step 1, Tell us about your part
Common questions
Direct answers to the engineering, materials, and process questions buyers most often ask when evaluating a microfabrication partner.
Rapid prototyping lets engineers and product developers move from concept to functional parts in days rather than months. Goodfellow Microfabrication delivers high-precision rapid prototyping using laser micromachining, micro-CNC, micro 3D printing, and bonding and assembly.
Turnaround is typically within two weeks, and as fast as 24 hours in select cases depending on material type and thickness. This supports fast iteration and functional validation.
Goodfellow Microfabrication brings laser micromachining, micro-CNC machining, micro 3D printing, and bonding and assembly together under one roof, so projects move quickly without switching suppliers.
Laser micromachining achieves feature sizes as small as 2 µm and typical tolerances of ±2 µm (application dependent), with minimal heat-affected zones and clean edge quality, including cutting, drilling, ablation, and surface structuring.
Prototypes can be made in the same materials intended for production: metals such as stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, nickel alloys, and thin foils; polymers such as PMMA, polycarbonate, polyimide, and COC/COP; and glass, silicon, and technical ceramics.
Yes. Micro 3D printing enables fast production of complex geometries that are difficult to machine, including microfluidic structures, diagnostic and biomedical components, and fixtures, housings, and functional test parts.
Yes. By removing the need for hard tooling, molds, or photomasks, rapid prototyping reduces upfront cost, lets teams evaluate designs early and often, and uncovers design, material, or manufacturability issues before production scale-up.
Goodfellow Microfabrication’s rapid prototyping services are used across aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceutical manufacturing, semiconductor and microelectronics, and electronics and photonics.
Ready to prototype
at the micron scale?
Share your CAD and project goals. Engineers review every design for manufacturability and respond within 24 hours.
