Modern procurement of drawing parts
Manufacturing for Research and Development
FACTUREE manufactures individual parts, prototypes, and small production runs for research and development. Over 2,000 certified partners, all processes and materials, confidentially and with complete documentation.
Certifications
AS 9100 |
ISO 14001 & ISO 27001 Material Certificates 3.1 in accordance with EN 10204 | Traceability
Industry Certifications About Partners: ISO 13485 | EN 9100 | IATF 16949
Why FACTUREE Is Your Partner for Research and Development
In research and development, every component counts. A test setup is often on hold until the very last part arrives. FACTUREE is your ISO 9001-certified manufacturing partner for individual parts, measuring devices, sample holders, components for microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip applications, as well as vacuum components. For large-scale research facilities such as CERN, we also supply safety-critical components with complete material traceability.
FACTUREE complements your mechanical workshop in education and research when you lack capacity, machinery, or time. We handle procurement so your team can focus on experiments and results.
Your advantages at a glance:
- Contractual partner with full liability: As your sole contractual partner, we bear full responsibility. We are not an intermediary, but a direct, auditable supplier. You have one point of contact instead of many suppliers.
- Cost-effective starting at a quantity of 1: In research and prototype development, one-off items are the norm. Our network manufactures individual parts, test prototypes, and small production runs at fair prices.
- Get to your appointments quickly: Measurement campaigns, beam times, and project milestones cannot be rescheduled. We deliver individual parts and test samples quickly so that your setup is ready on time.
- Special Materials: Whether it's stainless steel for ultra-high vacuum, titanium, or copper: We also source rare materials, complete with material certificates.
- Addition to the mechanical workshop: Is your shop running at full capacity? Are you missing a process such as 5-axis milling, laser cutting, or metal 3D printing? If so, FACTUREE can manufacture the parts that your shop can’t produce on its own.
- Data security & IP protection: Have your results not yet been published or patented? We follow the ISO 27001 standards and remove your name from all data. This ensures that manufacturing partners never find out which institute or project they are producing for.
- From a prototype to a pilot plant: Our manufacturing capacity grows with your project, and the quality remains the same. From the very first component to small-batch production for pilot plants, you won’t need to find a new supplier.
Your certified manufacturing expertise from a single source
Applications in Research and Development
FACTUREE manufactures components for laboratories, test setups, and large-scale research facilities—ranging from measuring devices to vacuum components and shielding. Here you will find a selection of components that you can have manufactured by FACTUREE.
Measurement Technology & Test Setups
- Measuring and Calibration Devices Custom-Made to Drawings
- Sample Holders & Sample Carriers
- Sensor Housings & Base Plates for Test Stands
- Prototypes, Functional Models, and Wind Tunnel Models
Vacuum & High-Vacuum Technology
- Vacuum Components for High and Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV)
- Custom flanges manufactured to drawings, e.g., as ISO-KF flanges in accordance with DIN 28403 / ISO 2861 or with CF flange connections for high vacuum
- Housing for Vacuum Feedthroughs
- Stainless Steel Chamber Parts & Mounts
Optics & Photonics
- Optomechanics: Optics Holders, Lens Holders, and Mirror Mounts
- Adapter plates & holders for optical benches (e.g., an optical bench)
- Black anodized parts to prevent stray light
- Enclosures for Laser and Camera Systems
Radiation Protection & Large-Scale Research
- Steel shielding, e.g., for neutron shielding
- Large-format steel plates & pipes, including installation
- Detector and accelerator components as per drawing
- Racks & Support Structures for Experiments
Components for Fusion Research at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
- Customer: Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP), Garching and Greifswald
- Industry: Research / Fusion Research
- Relevance for: Large-Scale Research | Energy Technology | Public Sector Clients
- Performance: CNC-machined custom parts, support structures, step plates, and assembly tools made of aluminum and stainless steel for retrofitting work on a fusion facility
Challenge: Many Custom Parts in the Public Procurement Process
The IPP is one of the largest centers for fusion research in Europe. For renovation work on the world’s largest stellarator-type fusion facility, the Assembly Engineering Department needed a wide variety of components: assembly tools, support structures, step plates, custom parts for scaffolding, and components made of aluminum and stainless steel. As a public institution, the IPP was required to solicit multiple bids in accordance with applicable procurement regulations. Consequently, they needed a supplier who could provide quotes quickly and reliably meet deadlines.
Solution: Fast Quotes and One-Stop Manufacturing
FACTUREE prepared the quotes within one to two days and handled the manufacturing of all parts through its own network, ranging from CNC-machined components to sheet metal parts. This gave the IPP a single point of contact instead of dealing with many individual suppliers, and quality was ensured through the ISO 9001-certified quality management system.
Result
- Quote within 1–2 days, in accordance with the public procurement process
- 100 % On-time delivery for all shipments
- All custom parts for the conversion work from a single source
- Reducing the workload on the assembly team in terms of procurement and coordination
Applicability to Research and Public Contracting Authorities
The project demonstrates how FACTUREE supports research institutes and public institutions that procure goods and services in accordance with public procurement law. Whether universities, large-scale research facilities, or government agencies, FACTUREE provides quick, comparable quotes and delivers reliably by the agreed-upon deadline.
Our Manufacturing Processes
A One-Stop Shop for All Research and Development Processes
FACTUREE offers the right manufacturing process for every component in your test setup. These include 5-axis-milled sample holders, turned vacuum components, laser-cut shielding plates, and additively manufactured functional models. Tolerances as tight as 0.01 mm and complex geometries are included.
Materials
Our Materials for Research and Development
In research, the material often determines whether an experiment will succeed. FACTUREE processes both standard and specialty materials for laboratory and large-scale research. We select each material based on the requirements of your experiment: vacuum compatibility, strength, thermal conductivity, or radiation resistance. You can find an overview of selected materials here.
Frequently requested materials
Stainless steels
Stainless steel is one of the key components used in vacuum chambers, flanges, and mounts for high- and ultra-high-vacuum applications. Austenitic grades are corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, and largely non-magnetic.
Frequently requested:
- 1.4301 (304)
- 1.4404 (316L)
- 1.4429 (316LN)
- 1.4435
- and much more.
Aluminum alloys
Aluminum is lightweight, easy to machine, and an excellent heat conductor. It is suitable for base plates, optomechanical components, housings, and mounts, and is often black anodized to prevent stray light.
Frequently requested:
- EN AW-6082
- EN AW-7075
- EN AW-5083
- and much more.
Special Materials
For special requirements, we also source rare materials:
- Oxygen-free copper for thermal conductivity and high-frequency applications
- Titanium for lightweight and non-magnetic parts
- Invar for optical components with low thermal expansion
- Nickel-based alloys for high temperatures
Frequently requested:
- Copper Cu-OFE (CW009A)
- Titanium Grade 2 / Grade 5
- Invar (1.3912)
- Inconel 718
- and much more.
Engineering plastics
Engineering plastics are electrically insulating, lightweight, and, in some cases, suitable for use in a vacuum. PEEK is suitable as an insulator in a vacuum, while PTFE is suitable for chemically demanding environments.
Frequently requested:
- PEEK
- PTFE
- POM
- PA6
- and much more.
Surface treatments
Our Surfaces for Research and Development
In research, a surface often needs to do more than just protect against corrosion. FACTUREE selects the appropriate treatment for each material and test and delivers your components ready for installation—all from a single source.
Frequently requested surface treatments
Vacuum & Purity
- Electropolishing – smooth stainless steel surfaces that emit minimal outgassing and are easy to clean
- Pickling & Passivation – Clean, Corrosion-Resistant Stainless Steel Parts
- Glass bead blasting – uniform, matte surfaces
Optics & Electrical Systems
- Black Anodizing – Corrosion Protection and Reduced Stray Light in Optical Assemblies
- Chemical nickel plating—a uniform, wear-resistant coating, even on complex geometries
- Gold Plating & Silver Plating – Good Electrical Conductivity for Contacts and High-Frequency Applications
- Chromating / Passivation – Conductive Corrosion Protection for Aluminum
Coatings & Painting
- Powder Coating & Liquid Painting – for frames, shields, and large components
- Hard Anodizing – Wear-Resistant Surfaces for Moving Parts
Heat Treatment
- Stress-relief annealing – dimensionally stable components for precise measurement setups
- Heat Treatment & Hardening – for Parts Subject to High Stresses
Labeling
- Laser Marking – Serial Numbers and Data Matrix Codes for Traceability
- Laser Engraving – Scales, Position Marks, and Part Numbers
Your applications in safe hands
Quality, safety and compliance
In research, every component must be traceable, as measurement results depend on it. FACTUREE manufactures components for research institutes, universities, and development departments in the medical technology, aerospace, energy, automotive, and large-scale research sectors. Our partners bring the necessary certifications and many years of experience to the table.
- Certifications: FACTUREE is certified to DIN EN ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Our manufacturing partners hold industry-specific certifications such as ISO 13485, EN 9100, and IATF 16949.
- Traceability: Every component is traceable from the material batch through to delivery.
- References: You will receive 3.1 material certificates, measurement reports, and initial sample test reports, as well as declarations regarding RoHS and REACH.
- Manufacturing in Compliance with Standards: We manufacture exactly according to your drawings, including tolerances, fits, and your specifications for cleaning and packaging.
- Confidentiality: We will remove your name from all drawings and enter into NDAs with all manufacturing partners. This ensures that unpublished results remain protected.
- Framework Agreements: For recurring needs, you can count on stable prices and dedicated contacts.
Contact person
Our experts for your requirements
FACTUREE combines the speed of digital procurement with the technical expertise of in-house specialists. We conduct a technical review of your drawings and, upon request, recommend the most cost-effective manufacturing process. Even when dealing with specialty materials or unusual geometries, we find the right manufacturer to ensure that all components are perfectly matched.
Our specialists understand the requirements of laboratories and large-scale research facilities: tight tolerances, vacuum-compatible materials, and comprehensive documentation. They support you every step of the way, from the very first component to the delivery of your small production run. This means you have a single point of contact with genuine manufacturing expertise.
Billy Schulz
Head of Operations
schulz@facturee.de
Tel: +49(0) 30 629 3939-0
Kevin Gering
Key Account Manager
keving.gering@facturee.de
Phone: +49(0) 30 629 3939-o
What our customers ask
Frequently Asked Questions About Manufacturing for Research and Development
What components does FACTUREE manufacture for research and development?
Does FACTUREE also manufacture individual parts, even in quantities as small as 1?
For which research institutions has FACTUREE already manufactured products?
For example, FACTUREE has manufactured components for CERN in Geneva. For the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, FACTUREE supplied approximately 5 metric tons of steel pipes and steel plates. These components were used for neutron shielding.
The contract included raw materials, machining, painting, assembly, and delivery. For the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, FACTUREE supplied approximately 5 metric tons of steel tubes and steel plates. These components were used for neutron shielding. The order included raw materials, machining, painting, assembly, and delivery. Read the CERN case study here.
Which materials are suitable for ultra-high vacuum?
Austenitic stainless steels such as 1.4404 or 1.4429, aluminum, and oxygen-free copper have proven to be suitable. PEEK is a suitable insulator. Materials that outgas heavily, such as zinc-containing brass or many standard plastics, are unsuitable. Electropolished surfaces further reduce outgassing.
Can FACTUREE manufacture measuring devices and sample holders based on drawings?
Yes, we manufacture measuring fixtures, specimen holders, and specimen carriers made of aluminum, stainless steel, or plastic. We manufacture them according to your drawings. Upon request, we provide a measurement report. Learn more about CNC milling at FACTUREE here.
How quickly will I receive individual parts and prototypes?
Does FACTUREE also provide services to colleges and universities and to educational and research institutions?
Can FACTUREE complement our institute's mechanical workshop?
3D printing or CNC machining—which is better for functional models?
What tolerances are possible?
Through our network, we manufacture CNC parts with tolerances as tight as 0.01 mm. We produce parts to fit your specifications based on your drawings, and can provide a measurement report upon request. You can calculate fits using our fit calculator.
How does FACTUREE protect unpublished results?
We will remove your name from all drawings. We enter into NDAs with all manufacturing partners. We comply with ISO 27001 standards. Upon request, we will sign an NDA with you in advance.
What materials does FACTUREE process for research and development?
Frequently asked questions:
- Stainless steel (1.4404, 1.4429, 1.4435)
- Aluminum (EN AW-6082, 7075, 5083)
- Copper (Cu-OFE), Titanium, and Invar
- Plastics such as PEEK, PTFE, and POM
Please always specify the material using its full standard designation. Here you'll find all the materials available at FACTUREE.
Does FACTUREE offer electropolishing and other surface treatments as a one-stop service?
Yes, FACTUREE coordinates surface treatments such as electropolishing, anodizing, electroless nickel plating, and gold plating through a single request. You will receive standardized test reports for these treatments. Click here to see all the surface treatments available at FACTUREE.
Can FACTUREE also manufacture small batches for pilot plants?
Yes, FACTUREE supports you without the need for new suppliers. We handle everything from the first individual parts all the way through to mass production. Small-batch production for test and pilot plants is also possible. Learn more here about mass production and framework agreements at FACTUREE.