What Rapid Prototyping Services does

Rapid Prototyping Services (Rapid Prototype Services, LLC) is a privately held, founder-owned FDM 3D printing service bureau headquartered in Satellite Beach, Florida, on the Space Coast adjacent to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Founded in 2004 by Ken Brace, a UCF mechanical engineering graduate and former precision sheet metal manufacturer, the company operates with a 1–10 person team and runs large-format industrial FDM machines to produce prototypes, jigs and fixtures, and low-volume production runs (100–900 pieces) for aerospace, defense, industrial, and medical customers. Revenue is generated on a custom quote basis tied to part complexity, material, and volume, with the bulk of public evidence centered on an 11-year supply relationship with NASA producing approximately 3,000 parts and tools for the Orion crew capsule across Artemis II–IV missions, and a Lockheed Martin HIGH FIVE AWARD–winning contract for 2,000 3D printed drill plates.

The business is differentiated less by technology — FDM is a widely available additive process — than by regulatory and incumbency moats: ISO 9001:2015, AS9100D, and ITAR certifications gate entry into human-rated aerospace and defense work, and a decade-plus of qualified supply on the Orion program creates meaningful switching costs for NASA and Lockheed Martin. The company markets primarily through industry-association memberships (SME, Manufacturers Association of Central Florida, Space Coast Manufacturers Association), Thomasnet, a YouTube explainer video, and earned media coverage of the Artemis program. Distribution is direct via a website-based quote-request workflow with no disclosed resellers or channel partners, and the company carries no external funding, no parent, and no public financial disclosures.

Strategically, the company is positioned as a long-tail, high-reliability supplier to a small number of mission-critical aerospace customers, with secondary efforts to monetize medical-grade thermoplastics and SMB prototyping demand through expanded service lines and digital channels. Concentration on a handful of large aerospace primes and the absence of any disclosed diversification away from that core are the most material investment considerations.

Name

Rapid Prototyping Services

Legal name

Rapid Prototype Services, LLC

Website

https://rapidps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rapid Prototyping Services is a privately held, founder-owned FDM 3D printing service bureau in Satellite Beach, Florida that produces prototypes, jigs and fixtures, and low-volume production parts (100–900 pieces) for aerospace primes such as NASA and Lockheed Martin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom 3D Printing and Prototyping Services

NAICS

Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)

akta.pro primary industry

Large-Format 3D Printing & Tooling Services (BAAM/LSAM, molds, patterns, jigs/fixtures) (IMAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rapid Tooling & Prototype Molds (Additive) (IMAAAFAD), Concept & Industrial Design Prototyping (Additive) (IMAAAFAA), Electronics & Industrial Component 3D Printing Services (enclosures, fixtures, functional parts) (IMAAADAL)

Keywords

• 3D printing services
• Rapid prototyping
• FDM manufacturing
• Custom tooling
• Low volume production

Headquarters

HQ city

Satellite Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 3D Prototyping Services: Custom 3D printing of prototypes from CAD files using FDM technology with rapid 24-hour turnaround. Revenue generated per-part with pricing based on material, size, and complexity.
2. Jigs & Fixtures Manufacturing: Production of 3D printed tooling, jigs, and fixtures for manufacturing applications. Achieved 50% cost savings versus traditional machining, generating recurring orders from aerospace customers.
3. Low Volume Production: Low volume production runs of 100-900 pieces for customers before transitioning to conventional production methods. Supports manufacturers' market entry and testing phases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rapid Prototyping Services converts customer CAD files into physical 3D printed parts using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) on large industrial 3D printers. The company specializes in custom tooling (jigs, fixtures), prototypes, and low-volume production runs of 100-900 pieces using aerospace-grade thermoplastics with 24-hour turnaround. Operations are based in Satellite Beach, Florida, with ITAR, ISO 9001:2015, and AS9100D certifications enabling work for aerospace and defense customers.

Product overview

Rapid Prototyping Services is a 3D printing service provider using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and other rapid prototyping techniques on large industrial 3D printers. The company operates two core service offerings: Jigs & Fixtures (3D printed tooling from CAD drawings for manufacturing applications) and Low Volume Production (producing 100-900 pieces). The company specializes in prototypes, low volume production parts, and tooling for aerospace, commercial, and medical applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jigs & Fixtures

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% cost savings on tool manufacturing compared to traditional machining methods
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership providing 3D printed parts and tools for NASA's Orion space capsule supporting the Artemis program. Over 11 years, produced approximately 3,000 parts for Artemis II, with tools reused for Artemis III and IV missions. Key strategic relationship for aerospace credibility.
• Lockheed MartincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAerospace contractor partner awarded HIGH FIVE AWARD to Rapid Prototyping Services for outstanding performance. Recognized as a model supply chain partner for fabrication of 2,000 3D printed drill plates. Integrated 3D-printed parts into Orion spacecraft.
• Limbitless SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit partnership where company donated two industrial 3D printers. Supports production of affordable, personalized bionics and prosthetic arms for children with disabilities. Aligns with company's philanthropy initiatives including donations to Brevard County Schools.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shapeways: Online 3D printing service bureau offering on-demand prototype and production parts across multiple processes. Comparable in online quoting and on-demand model, though more oriented to designers and small businesses than aerospace.
• Star Rapid: China-based rapid prototyping and low-volume manufacturing service offering CNC, injection molding, sheet metal, and multiple 3D printing processes. Direct global competitor in fast-turn prototyping for industrial customers.
• Xometry: On-demand manufacturing marketplace connecting buyers to a network of CNC, sheet metal, and additive manufacturing service providers. Competes for the same low-volume production and prototyping customers and similarly targets aerospace and industrial buyers.
• Quickparts: On-demand custom prototyping and low-volume production provider offering CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing services. Direct competitor in online-quote, rapid-turnaround industrial prototyping.
• Materialise: Global 3D printing service bureau offering industrial prototyping, tooling, and end-part production in polymers and metals, with established aerospace and medical customers. Direct competitor for outsourced industrial AM services.
• Hubs (formerly 3D Hubs): Global manufacturing platform offering CNC, injection molding, sheet metal, and 3D printing services with automated quoting — directly overlapping RPS's online-quote, low-volume-production go-to-market for prototypes and small batches.
• Protolabs: Largest publicly traded digital manufacturer offering rapid prototyping and low-volume production via CNC, injection molding, sheet metal, and multiple 3D printing processes (SLA, SLS, DMLS, PolyJet). Direct competitor in on-demand prototyping with a much broader process and material portfolio.
• Stratasys Direct Manufacturing: Service bureau arm of Stratasys offering FDM, PolyJet, stereolithography, and selective laser sintering parts. Closest peer in FDM-based industrial prototyping and tooling, with the added benefit of being tied to a major FDM OEM.
• Fathom: U.S. on-demand digital manufacturer offering rapid prototyping, low-volume production, and tooling across plastic and metal 3D printing plus CNC. Highly comparable business model and customer base in industrial and aerospace prototyping.

Broad incumbents

• 3D Systems: Pioneer of 3D printing offering both OEM hardware and an On-Demand Manufacturing services arm across plastics and metals. Broad incumbent with much wider process portfolio, competing for the same aerospace and industrial prototyping work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rapid-prototyping-services-llc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rapid Prototyping Services