On-demand manufacturing

On-demanding manufacturing or MaaS (Manufacturing as a Service) is the practice of ordering parts — 3D printed or otherwise — from a third-party manufacturer as and when required, rather than operating in-house manufacturing equipment.

Today, there are many providers of on-demand 3D printing services and other manufacturing services: some operate large factories (Shapeways, Materialise, …) while others are centralized hubs that connect customers with manufacturers (Hubs, Beamler, …).

The on-demand manufacturing workflow typically involves uploading a digital part file, receiving a quote, then completing the order.