CIDEAS Inc.
CIDEAS Inc. is a privately held, US-based additive manufacturing service bureau operating as BuildParts since 1998. It provides multi-process 3D printing (SLA, FDM, SLS, DLS/CLIP, PolyJet, Urethane Casting) with 30+ machines and 70+ materials to B2B customers across automotive, aerospace, medical, and entertainment industries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersCrystal Lake, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CIDEAS Inc. does
CIDEAS Inc. is a privately held US additive manufacturing service bureau founded in 1998 and headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois, operating commercially under the BuildParts brand. The company operates 30+ industrial 3D printing systems spanning six process technologies — SLA (3D Systems iPro 8000, ProJet 7000HD), FDM (Stratasys Fortus 900mc and 450mc), SLS (EOS P770, sPro 60), DLS/CLIP (Carbon M1), PolyJet (Stratasys J750), and Urethane Casting — supported by 70+ materials including proprietary offerings such as ABS M100 and CIDEAS GT-enhanced Tango elastomers. CIDEAS holds ITAR registration and ISO 9001:2015 certification, with biocompatible material certifications (ISO 10993, USP Class VI) enabling work in regulated aerospace, defense, and medical device verticals.
The company serves a B2B customer base across automotive, aerospace, medical, consumer electronics, and film/special effects industries, with named engagements including Legacy Effects (Chitauri Warrior display model), Livemap (CES 2019 HUD motorcycle helmet), IAV/Achates Power (trade show display engine), and Gould Studios (AMUG award-winning Miller 91 scale model). CIDEAS was the first service bureau globally selected by Carbon for the DLS/CLIP Early Access Beta program in 2016, providing a first-mover capability in Continuous Liquid Interface Production. The team — led by President and Founder Mike Littrell and Head Engineer Dan Williams — has received three AMUG DINO Awards (2012, 2016, 2017).
CIDEAS generates revenue on a per-order service bureau model with no minimum order quantities, with parts available from under $10 and volume discounts for DDM (Direct Digital Manufacturing) quantities of 50, 100, 500 or more. Pricing varies by process, material, orientation, layer height, and finish level. Customers access services through a sales-led motion via project managers (phone/email) or self-service through the in-house True-Quote online portal, which supports instant pricing and STL upload up to 400MB. Same-day delivery is available in Chicagoland, Wisconsin, and Indiana; international customers are served via standard shipping across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, and the Caribbean.
CIDEAS Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CIDEAS Inc.
- Legal name
- CIDEAS Inc.
- Website
- https://buildparts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CIDEAS Inc. is a privately held, US-based additive manufacturing service bureau operating as BuildParts since 1998. It provides multi-process 3D printing (SLA, FDM, SLS, DLS/CLIP, PolyJet, Urethane Casting) with 30+ machines and 70+ materials to B2B customers across automotive, aerospace, medical, and entertainment industries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CIDEAS Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Services
- NAICS
- Printing and Related Support Activities (3231)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Polymer 3D Printing Service Bureaus (FDM/FFF, SLA/DLP, SLS/MJF) (IMAAADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Prototype Jigs, Fixtures & Assembly Aids (Additive) (IMAAAFAE), Conferences, Workshops & Industry Events (AM Knowledge Sharing) (IMAAAJAL)
Keywords
Where CIDEAS Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Crystal Lake
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CIDEAS Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Services: CIDEAS operates as a service bureau producing custom 3D printed parts for customers on a per-order basis. Customers select from multiple manufacturing processes (SLA, FDM, SLS, DLS/CLIP, PolyJet, Urethane Casting), materials, orientations, and finish levels. Revenue is generated through per-part manufacturing fees with pricing influenced by process type, material, quantity, part size, and finish complexity. No minimum order quantities; parts can ship for under $10. Volume discounts apply for DDM (Direct Digital Manufacturing) quantities of 50, 100, 500 or more.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Low-volume 3D printed parts from $10 per part |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | True-Quote online quoting — self-service price discovery |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
CIDEAS Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CIDEAS Inc., operating as BuildParts, is a full-service additive manufacturing (3D printing) service bureau that converts customer CAD files into physical prototypes and end-use parts using multiple 3D printing technologies (SLA, FDM, SLS, DLS/CLIP, PolyJet) and urethane casting. The company operates 30+ in-house industrial machines and offers 70+ materials along with finishing services and direct digital manufacturing (DDM) for production quantities from 1 to 10,000+ parts.
Product overview
CIDEAS Inc. operates BuildParts as a comprehensive additive manufacturing and 3D printing service platform with over 30 in-house industrial machines and 70+ materials. The portfolio consists of core manufacturing services including Rapid Rigid Parts, Rapid Elastomers, Additive Manufacturing/DDM, Finishing, and Design & Engineering. Manufacturing processes include SLA, FDM, SLS, DLS/CLIP (by Carbon), PolyJet, and Urethane Casting. The True-Quote digital platform provides interactive online quoting with orientation control. The company offers proprietary enhancements like the CIDEAS GT process for elastomers, serving aerospace, automotive, medical, and entertainment industries since 1998.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- True-Quote: Interactive online quote system developed in-house, providing a customizable 3D printing price matrix that enables users to control part orientation, process selection, scaling, fill density, build layer height and finish level.
Products and services
- Rapid Rigid Parts
- Rapid Elastomers
- Additive Manufacturing (AM/DDM)
- Finishing Services
- Design & Engineering Services
- Urethane Casting
- True-Quote Online Quote System
Quantifiable outcome
- Parts can ship in as little as 1 day for standard orders
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CIDEAS Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CIDEAS Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CIDEAS Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CarboncoreBuildParts by CIDEAS was the first service bureau in the world selected by Carbon for the DLS/CLIP (Continuous Liquid Interface Production) Early Access Beta program in 2016. CIDEAS gained early access to Carbon's proprietary CLIP technology and materials, enabling them to offer DLS/CLIP services to customers before the technology was widely available. The partnership positioned CIDEAS as a pioneer in DLS/CLIP additive manufacturing services.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights12 records
CIDEAS Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Xometry: Digital marketplace and on-demand manufacturing platform connecting buyers with manufacturing partners including 3D printing services. Competes with BuildParts' True-Quote portal in self-service instant quoting for low-to-mid complexity polymer parts, with stronger SEO and marketplace dynamics.
- Forecast 3D: U.S.-based 3D printing service bureau specializing in SLA, SLS, DLS, and PolyJet with focus on production parts. Direct competitor in the same technology stack as BuildParts, with similar mid-market B2B positioning and DDM capabilities.
- Hubs (Protolabs Network): Global manufacturing platform aggregating 3D printing service bureaus with instant online quoting. Competes with BuildParts in the self-service digital funnel for polymer parts, with broader partner network and more aggressive pricing for standard jobs.
- Protolabs: Largest publicly-traded digital manufacturer offering on-demand injection molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing services including SLA, SLS, DLS, PolyJet, and FDM. Most direct competitor to BuildParts across polymer 3D printing services with automated quoting and global footprint.
- Sculpteo: Online 3D printing service bureau offering SLA, SLS, DLS, and other polymer processes with instant online quoting. Closely comparable business model to BuildParts/True-Quote, with European base and similar multi-technology service bureau positioning.
- Shapeways: Online 3D printing service bureau offering SLA, SLS, DMLS, and PolyJet services with instant quoting portal. Directly comparable to BuildParts in technology breadth and self-service B2B/B2C model, though focused on smaller businesses and prosumers.
- Stratasys Direct Manufacturing: Service bureau arm of Stratasys (FDM/PolyJet OEM) offering industrial 3D printing services across multiple technologies. Competes head-to-head with BuildParts in FDM and PolyJet, with manufacturer-backed equipment access and broader geographic reach.
Emerging players
- Fictiv: Digital manufacturing platform offering instant quoting for CNC, injection molding, and 3D printing. Comparable to BuildParts in self-service quoting experience and B2B target market, though Fictiv operates more as a software-enabled marketplace than an in-house service bureau.
Regional players
- Star Rapid: China-based rapid prototyping and 3D printing service bureau offering SLA, SLS, FDM, and DLS services globally. Comparable to BuildParts in technology breadth and B2B service bureau model, but with lower-cost manufacturing base and primarily competing on price for standard polymer parts.
Broad incumbents
- 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing: Service bureau division of 3D Systems (SLA/SLS OEM) offering industrial 3D printing services globally. Competes with BuildParts across SLA and SLS processes, with OEM-backed technology access and broader enterprise footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CIDEAS Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceCIDEAS Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
CIDEAS Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CIDEAS Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
CIDEAS Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CIDEAS Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CIDEAS Inc.
What does CIDEAS Inc. do?
CIDEAS Inc., operating as BuildParts, is a full-service additive manufacturing (3D printing) service bureau that converts customer CAD files into physical prototypes and end-use parts using multiple 3D printing technologies (SLA, FDM, SLS, DLS/CLIP, PolyJet) and urethane casting. The company operates 30+ in-house industrial machines and offers 70+ materials along with finishing services and direct digital manufacturing (DDM) for production quantities from 1 to 10,000+ parts.
Is CIDEAS Inc. a public or private company?
CIDEAS Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CIDEAS Inc. founded?
CIDEAS Inc. was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CIDEAS Inc. based?
CIDEAS Inc. is headquartered in Crystal Lake, United States, in the North America region.
How does CIDEAS Inc. make money?
One revenue line is on record: additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Services.
Who are CIDEAS Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Xometry, Forecast 3D, Hubs (Protolabs Network), Protolabs, Sculpteo, Shapeways and Stratasys Direct Manufacturing. Fictiv is listed as an emerging player. Star Rapid is listed as a regional player. 3D Systems On Demand Manufacturing is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does CIDEAS Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for CIDEAS Inc..
What industry is CIDEAS Inc. in?
CIDEAS Inc.'s product category is Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAADAA, Polymer 3D Printing Service Bureaus (FDM/FFF, SLA/DLP, SLS/MJF), with a secondary code of IMAAAFAE, Prototype Jigs, Fixtures & Assembly Aids (Additive). Its NAICS code is 3231.