We see the same pattern over and over. A team launches a beautiful prototype. The first 100 units come together. Then someone asks for 5,000 — and the production plan does not exist. Bridge production is the discipline of getting through that gap without crushing margin or stalling delivery.
What bridge production means
Bridge production is the run that sits between prototyping and full volume. The unit economics of prototyping (CNC, MJF, low-volume injection) do not survive at 10,000 units; the unit economics of full tooling do not justify themselves until 25,000+. Bridge production fills the gap.
The options on the bridge
| Option | Best for | Tooling cost | Per-unit cost | Lead time to first part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MJF / SLS | ≤ 5,000 nylon parts | 0 | Medium | 5-10 days |
| Soft (aluminum) tooling | 1,000 - 25,000 parts | Low | Low-medium | 2-3 weeks |
| Cast urethane (RTV) | ≤ 200 parts | Low | High | 1-2 weeks |
| CNC machining | ≤ 1,000 metal parts | 0 | Medium-high | 3-7 days |
| Hard tooling (steel) | 25,000+ parts | High | Lowest | 6-10 weeks |
Designing for the bridge
The cleanest bridge is one where the part design is robust to multiple processes. Wall uniformity, draft, and tolerance choices that make sense for both CNC and injection molding mean you can switch without redesign. The Uretyco platform highlights process-portable designs.
Tooling migration risks
Moving from soft to hard tooling is rarely a clean copy. The hard tool runs faster, sees more shear, and may surface problems the soft tool hid. Plan for a first-article inspection round on the new tool, and budget a few iterations of tooling rework before shipping production.
Each tooling change usually triggers re-validation in regulated industries (medical, automotive). Plan PPAP submission cycles into the bridge timeline, not just the manufacturing cycles.
How Uretyco supports the bridge
On the platform you can request bridge production explicitly: short tooling investment, fast first parts, and an option to migrate to hard tooling later with the same supplier. The transition is tracked as a single project; pricing for the next stage is visible upfront.
- Quote both stages on the same project (soft + hard tooling).
- Lock the supplier across stages where possible to retain process knowledge.
- Run first-article inspection between stages, not just at the end.
- Plan a small overlap of stocked parts so demand never goes unfilled.
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