Small batch
Small batch: 1 to 500 pieces, no tooling
For a prototype that has to be the real part, a repair piece for a machine that is already down, or a bridge order while a mould is being made. The difference from the OEM routeis simple: no tooling, stock material, and the first pieces are the sample.
From
1 piece
Lead time
10–15 days
Tooling
None
Quote
24 hours
Custom vs small batch
| Custom (OEM) | Small batch | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum quantity | 100 pcs per part number | 1 piece |
| Tooling | Quoted per part where needed | None — machined from bar or plate |
| Material | Ordered to the drawing | Stock grades only (list below) |
| Sample stage | Sample, then production | The first pieces are the sample |
| Lead time | 25–35 days after sample approval | 10–15 days from drawing approval |
| Best for | A part that will repeat | A prototype, a repair part, a bridge order |
Stock material for small batch
Small batch works because the material is already on the rack. These are the grades normally available without a mill order — sizes are typical, not guaranteed:
| Aluminium 6061-T6 | Round bar Ø6–120 mm, plate 6–100 mm |
|---|---|
| Aluminium 7075-T6 | Round bar Ø10–80 mm |
| Stainless 303 | Round bar Ø4–100 mm |
| Stainless 304 | Round bar Ø4–80 mm, plate 3–50 mm |
| Stainless 316L | Round bar Ø6–80 mm |
| Steel 1045 | Round bar Ø10–120 mm |
| Alloy steel 4140 | Round bar Ø12–100 mm |
| Brass H62 | Round bar Ø5–60 mm |
| POM (acetal) | Round bar Ø8–100 mm, plate 6–50 mm |
| PTFE | Round bar Ø10–80 mm |
| PEEK | Round bar Ø10–50 mm |
What small batch is not good at
Being clear about this saves both sides a week. Four things that do not work at low quantity:
| Tolerances tighter than ±0.01 mm on many features | Tight tolerancing is priced by inspection time, which dominates a 5-piece order. |
|---|---|
| Material not in the stock list | We can order it, but the mill minimum usually exceeds the part quantity. Ask first — sometimes it works. |
| Heat treatment or plating as a one-off | These are batch processes. A single part still pays the batch minimum. |
| Large parts above the bar capacity | Above Ø120 mm or 500 mm long, the setup cost stops making sense at small quantity. |
For a prototype, send these three things
1 · The drawing, with the features that matter marked
On a prototype, the tolerance that matters is usually one or two dimensions — the ones something else has to fit. Marking them means the rest can be machined at a sane tolerance and the price reflects it.
2 · The mating part
If the new part fits an existing one, send both. This is the single most common cause of a prototype that arrives and does not assemble.
3 · What happens next
A one-off repair, a test rig, or the first 5 pieces before a 5,000-piece order? The answer changes how we machine it — a prototype for testing can be made in a way a production part cannot.
Send the prototype drawing
From one piece, no tooling, 10–15 days from drawing approval. If the part will repeat, we will say so — and price both routes so you can see where the crossover is.