RapidDirect
Custom manufacturing: CNC, 3D printing, sheet metal, and injection molding.
- Founded:
- 2009
- Headquarters:
- Shenzhen, China
- Website:
- https://rapiddirect.com
Instant Quoting
Summary
RapidDirect operates a Manufacturer-direct with partner network. RapidDirect operates its own manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and works with vetted partner factories for overflow and specialized processes. Customers transact with RapidDirect; RapidDirect manages the manufacturing supply chain. Not an open marketplace for custom manufacturing. Core capabilities include CNC Machining — CNC Milling, CNC Machining — CNC Turning / Lathe, CNC Machining — Swiss Screw Machining, 3D Printing — FDM, 3D Printing — SLA and others using materials like Aluminum (6061, 7075, 5052, 2024, 6082), Stainless Steel (303, 304, 316, 316L, 17-4 PH), Steel (1018, 1045, 4140, 4340, D2 tool steel), Titanium (Grade 2, Grade 5 / Ti-6Al-4V), Brass (C360). Key certifications: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016 (medical devices — company certification). Minimum order is 1 part for CNC machining, 3D printing, and sheet metal. Injection molding: typically 50–100 parts minimum for prototype tooling runs; higher for production tooling. with lead times starting at CNC machining: 3–7 business days standard. Region coverage includes United States (major market — DHL/FedEx express shipping), United Kingdom, European Union. No public API is available.
Capabilities
| Processes | CNC Machining — CNC Milling (3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis), CNC Machining — CNC Turning / Lathe, CNC Machining — Swiss Screw Machining, 3D Printing — FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), 3D Printing — SLA (Stereolithography), 3D Printing — SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), 3D Printing — MJF (Multi Jet Fusion), 3D Printing — DMLS / SLM (Direct Metal Laser Sintering / metal 3D printing), 3D Printing — PolyJet, Sheet Metal Fabrication (laser cutting, stamping, bending, welding), Injection Molding (prototype tooling, production tooling, insert molding, overmolding), Vacuum Casting (urethane casting), Die Casting, Extrusion (aluminum profile extrusion) |
|---|---|
| Materials | Aluminum (6061, 7075, 5052, 2024, 6082), Stainless Steel (303, 304, 316, 316L, 17-4 PH), Steel (1018, 1045, 4140, 4340, D2 tool steel), Titanium (Grade 2, Grade 5 / Ti-6Al-4V), Brass (C360), Copper (C101, C110, CW004A), Magnesium alloys, Inconel 625, Inconel 718, ABS, Nylon (PA6, PA12, PA6-GF), PC (Polycarbonate), PEEK, POM / Acetal / Delrin, PMMA / Acrylic, PP (Polypropylene), PTFE (Teflon), UHMWPE, TPU / TPE / Silicone (3D printing and injection molding), Resin (standard, engineering, flexible, castable — SLA/PolyJet) |
| Certifications | ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016 (medical devices — company certification), AS9100D (available via certified partner facilities), ITAR: not confirmed (China-based; not recommended for ITAR-controlled parts) |
| Finishing | Anodizing Type II (clear, black, colored), Anodizing Type III / Hard coat, Bead blasting, Powder coating, Electroplating (nickel, chrome, zinc, gold, silver), Electroless nickel plating, Black oxide, Passivation, Chromate conversion coating (Alodine), Painting (primer + top coat, custom RAL colors), Polishing (hand polish, mirror polish), Tumbling / vibratory deburring, Heat treatment (annealing, hardening, case hardening), Laser engraving, Silk-screen printing |
| File Formats | STEP (.step, .stp), IGES (.iges, .igs), STL (.stl), OBJ (.obj), 3MF (.3mf), SolidWorks (.sldprt), CATIA (.catpart), Parasolid (.x_t, .x_b), DXF (.dxf — sheet metal flat patterns), PDF (technical drawings — supplementary) |
| Tolerances | CNC machining: standard ±0.05 mm (ISO 2768 medium); precision ±0.01 mm with 2D drawing. Tight tolerances down to ±0.005 mm achievable for specific features. Sheet metal: ±0.1 mm for laser-cut features; ±0.5 mm for bent dimensions. Injection molding: ±0.1–0.3 mm depending on material and feature size. 3D printing tolerances vary by process: FDM ±0.3 mm; SLA/SLS ±0.1 mm. |
| DFM Feedback | Yes |
Ordering & Commercial
- Minimum Order Quantity
- 1 part for CNC machining, 3D printing, and sheet metal. Injection molding: typically 50–100 parts minimum for prototype tooling runs; higher for production tooling.
- Lead Time
- CNC machining: 3–7 business days standard; expedite available in 1–3 business days. 3D printing: 1–5 business days. Sheet metal: 3–7 business days. Injection molding (prototype tooling): 7–15 business days. Add 3–7 days international shipping to US/EU. Total door-to-door: typically 7–14 days for most processes.
- Instant Quoting
- Yes
- Pricing Model
- Instant automated pricing for standard parts (upload 3D CAD file, select material and finish, receive instant price). Complex geometries or tight-tolerance parts may trigger manual DFM review with revised quote. RapidDirect acts as manufacturer-direct — pricing reflects China-based manufacturing costs, typically 30–60% lower than equivalent US or European services for comparable part complexity. Volume pricing available.
- Payment Terms
- Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), PayPal, Wire transfer / bank transfer (T/T), PayPal Business / company accounts
- Rush Options
- Expedite / rush options available for CNC machining and 3D printing. Express shipping (DHL, FedEx, UPS) accelerates international delivery. Specific surcharges quoted at checkout.
Coverage
- Regions Served
- United States (major market — DHL/FedEx express shipping)United KingdomEuropean UnionAustraliaCanadaGlobal shipping to most countries
- Manufacturing Locations
- China — Shenzhen (primary manufacturing facility)China — partner factories in Guangdong province
- Industries Served
- Consumer ElectronicsAutomotiveRobotics and AutomationMedical DevicesAerospace (non-ITAR)Industrial EquipmentStartup Product DevelopmentResearch and Development
- Volume Range:
- Single prototypes through production volumes. CNC and 3D printing typically 1–1,000+ parts. Injection molding: prototype tooling (50–5,000 parts), production tooling (5,000–1,000,000+ parts). Sheet metal: 1–10,000+ parts.
- Focus:
- Both — serves full lifecycle from prototype to production. Cost advantage is most pronounced at production volumes where China manufacturing economics dominate. Fast-turn prototyping is competitive with US services when 7–14 day total delivery time is acceptable.
- IP Protection:
- Signed NDAs available on request. ISO 13485 data governance applies. Files are used only for production. No SOC 2 certification. China-based manufacturing means IP protection considerations differ from US-based platforms; customers should assess NDA enforceability in China before sharing sensitive designs. ITAR-controlled parts should not be sent to China-based manufacturers. (inferred)
Platform
- Marketplace Model
- Manufacturer-direct with partner network. RapidDirect operates its own manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and works with vetted partner factories for overflow and specialized processes. Customers transact with RapidDirect; RapidDirect manages the manufacturing supply chain. Not an open marketplace — supplier selection is managed by RapidDirect.
- Supplier Vetting
- Partner factories vetted against ISO 9001 and process-specific standards. RapidDirect performs ongoing quality audits of partner facilities. ISO 13485 certification covers medical-device-grade quality management across operations.
- Quality Assurance
- ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 quality management systems. In-process inspection with CMM and optical measurement. Pre-shipment inspection with photos and dimensional reports included. First Article Inspection (FAI) available. Hardness testing, tensile testing, and material certification available on request. 100% inspection for tight-tolerance parts.
- Order Tracking
- Order status dashboard in RapidDirect customer portal. Production progress updates and pre-shipment photo inspection reports provided. Shipment tracking via DHL/FedEx tracking number. No public API for programmatic order management.
- API Available:
- No
- Account Required:
- Yes
Differentiation
Best For
Hardware startups, product development teams, and procurement professionals who prioritize cost over speed and are comfortable with 7–14 day total delivery times. Ideal for prototype-to-production bridge orders and injection molding tooling where China cost advantages are most significant.
Key Strengths
- Lowest cost for custom CNC, 3D printing, and injection molding — China manufacturing economics yield 30–60% savings vs. equivalent US services
- Broadest process coverage of any single platform: CNC, 3D printing (8 processes), sheet metal, injection molding, die casting, vacuum casting
- ISO 13485:2016 certified — suitable for medical device component manufacturing
- Instant online quoting for most geometries — comparable UX to US platforms with China pricing
- Pre-shipment inspection with photos and dimensional reports included at no extra charge
- High-volume injection molding capability at China tooling costs (tooling 50–80% cheaper than US)
- DHL/FedEx express shipping reaches US in 3–5 days, making total lead time competitive for cost-sensitive orders
Known Limitations
- China-based manufacturing: not suitable for ITAR-controlled parts or sensitive US defense applications
- International shipping adds 3–7 days to total lead time — slower than domestic US platforms for urgent needs
- IP protection: NDA enforceability in China differs from US/EU; assess risk before sharing sensitive designs
- No API for programmatic ordering
- Quality consistency can vary across partner factories; vetting is less transparent than US-based competitors
- Tariffs and import duties add to effective cost for large US orders (tariff landscape as of 2026 must be assessed)
- Customer support time zone gap: US customers working with China-based team may experience delays
- Not suitable for ITAR-controlled parts or classified defense applications