Batch Manufacturing Without the Tooling or Setup Costs
Batch manufacturing with 3D printing skips the mould entirely, so there’s no tooling bill before a single usable part exists. Injection moulding still wins at huge, fixed volumes, but only once you’ve committed tens of thousands of pounds to tooling up front, a hard ask when your volumes are uncertain, your design might still change, or you simply need parts now, not in three months.
Instead, Midlands 3D solves that with two production-grade technologies working side by side: FDM and HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF). Together, they deliver real manufacturing volumes with no mould, no tooling investment, and no minimum order to justify it.
- No tooling or mould costs – ever
- Any batch size – from a single trial run to full production
- Change your design between batches, not between mould cycles
- Parts in days, not the weeks or months tooling takes
- ISO 9001 certified, JOSCAR registered – whatever the volume
Two Technologies, One Scalable Batch Manufacturing Process
- HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) – runs 24/7 with automated batch manufacturing. Built by HP for volume additive manufacturing from day one, so the same process is ready to scale from prototype straight to production.
- FDM print farm – over 150 machines strong, one of the largest fleets in Europe. Run different parts, materials and colours in parallel instead of queuing everything through one line.
- Every job, big or small, follows the same ISO 9001 certified process, so quality holds as volume climbs.
Injection Moulding vs. Batch Manufacturing by 3D Printing
| Factor | Injection Moulding | FDM & MJF at Midlands 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Thousands in mould tooling before you print a single part | None – no mould, no tooling investment |
| Lead time to first part | Weeks to months while tooling is designed and cut | Days |
| Minimum order | Needs volume to justify the mould spend | None – one-off batches through to full production |
| Mid-run design changes | New tooling required | Update the file, print the next run |
| Best fit | Fixed, unchanging parts at very high volume | On-demand, evolving or uncertain-volume production |
Proven in Production
Don’t just take our word for it – here’s how batch manufacturing with Midlands 3D has worked out for real customers.
Agilitum Ltd – Consumer Products
“I looked at injection moulding but even with a commitment to 5,000 parts, the overall costs were scarcely different to 3D printing. The tooling costs… was always going to prevent us from utilising the economies of scale… the unit cost was not significantly below that of 3D printing until you really scale up to 100,000 or more parts.”
Agilitum makes canine agility training equipment, and outgrew desktop 3D printers as demand soared. Since moving to batch manufacturing with Midlands 3D in recycled PETG and other FDM materials, they’ve sold several thousand units of their best-selling Stride Regulator alone.
OMS – Engineering & Energy
Energy-sector robotics specialist OMS uses our FDM capability to build the test rigs that validate their crawler robots, then switches to HP MJF for production-quality components that withstand harsh operating conditions.
As a result, one relationship covers two processes – prototyping and volume production handled together, with parts moving from design validation straight into batch manufacture.
See It In Action
Watch how volume FDM production actually runs at Midlands 3D: round-the-clock printing, one-off prototypes through to full batch manufacturing runs, across a wide range of materials.
The Right Material for the Job, Not the Process
We run production volumes across both our FDM print farm and HP MJF platform, so you choose the material that fits the application rather than being boxed in by the process.
PLA – cost-effective, easy to print to a good finish; indoor, decorative and functional prototype parts at volume.
PETG – stronger, more UV and heat resistant than PLA; suited to indoor and outdoor volume applications.
ABS – higher temperature resistance and durability for functional parts (design for up to 8% shrinkage).
Carbon fibre composite – strong, lightweight, matte black finish; ideal where stiffness-to-weight matters at volume.
Recycled & biodegradable filaments – a lower-impact option for volume runs, with no compromise on quality.
Flexible TPU (FDM) – Shore 85A and 95A, for simple flexible parts produced in batch.
PA12 Nylon (HP MJF) – strong, durable engineering nylon for high-volume, end-use functional parts.
Finish, Assemble and Ship – Ready to Use
Batch manufacturing doesn’t stop at the printer – instead, we finish, assemble and package parts so they arrive ready to go into your product, not your workshop.
- Surface finishing – DeepDye Colouring (grey to black), PolyShot Surfacing, and Vapour Smoothing. See finishing options →
- Production extras – threaded inserts, custom painting, full parts inspection and PPAP (Production Part Approval Process), plus Assembly and Bag-and-Tag packaging. See additional services →
- Delivery – next-working-day UK delivery via DPD with SMS/email tracking, or same-day collection by arrangement. See delivery options →
Who We Print For: Batch Manufacturing Across Industries
- Automotive – batch-produced jigs, fixtures and functional components that keep production lines moving.
- Defence – JOSCAR registered, and actively contributing to the UK’s Defence Advanced Manufacturing Strategy.
- Healthcare – MJF printing, dyeing and finishing processes certified compatible with ISO 10993, for orthotic and rigid or flexible batch parts.
- Engineering & Manufacturing – batch-manufactured end-use parts alongside the jigs, tools and handlers that make production more efficient.
- Consumer Products – a genuine alternative to injection moulding when speed to market matters or volumes are still ramping up.
- Marine – flexible SLS TPU and a range of materials for luxury yacht builders and the wider marine sector.
Scale Up With a Manufacturing Partner Agreement
There are no setup fees, no minimum order quantities, and no confusing pricing. And if your volumes are ongoing rather than one-off, a Manufacturing Partner Agreement (MPA) turns batch manufacturing into a real supply partnership.
- Volume Discounts – based on your overall requirements through the agreement, not just individual order size.
- Priority Production – faster turnaround and deliveries scheduled to your production plan.
- Consulting and Advice – our team works with you to identify process improvements and cost savings.
- Quality Assurance – a guarantee that parts meet your exact specification, every time.
- Continuous Improvement – ongoing collaboration to refine designs and processes.
Prefer to manage cashflow instead? Open a Trade Account for 30-day payment terms on invoices. And every quote comes backed by our Price Match Guarantee.
Batch Manufacturing FAQs
What counts as “batch manufacturing” rather than prototyping?
Any run beyond a handful of one-off parts counts – from a first pilot batch of 20–50 units through to an ongoing production schedule of thousands. Either way, FDM and MJF scale to both ends without new tooling.
When does 3D printing actually beat injection moulding?
Whenever your volumes are uncertain, your design might still change, or the tooling cost can’t be justified by the order size. One of our customers found that even committing to 5,000 injection-moulded parts, the cost barely beat 3D printing – tooling only really pays off once you’re past roughly 100,000 units. In short, below that, batch 3D printing usually wins on total cost and speed.
Can I change my design between batches?
Yes – simply update the file, and the next batch reflects it immediately, with no new mould and no retooling charge.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
No – we print single trial batches through to full production runs, with no minimum order quantity and no setup fees.
Quality, Delivery and Ongoing Batch Manufacturing Orders
How do you keep quality consistent across a large batch?
Every job runs through the same ISO 9001 certified, JOSCAR registered process, and we can carry out a full parts inspection and PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) before parts leave our facility.
What if I need parts delivered against an ongoing schedule?
That’s what our Manufacturing Partner Agreement is for – it locks in volume discounts and priority production slots so parts arrive when your schedule needs them, not just when they’re ready.
Can you handle finishing and shipping too?
Yes – DeepDye colouring, PolyShot surfacing and vapour smoothing for finish; threaded inserts, painting, inspection and assembly/bag-and-tag packaging to get parts line-ready; then next-working-day UK delivery via DPD.
Get Your Volume Manufacturing Quote
There’s no mould cost, no minimum order, and no months spent waiting on tooling. Whether it’s a single trial batch or a Manufacturing Partner Agreement that keeps parts flowing to your schedule, our team will help you find the right process and material for your volumes.