Most design guides assume high-volume, mass manufacturing. But when you only need 10–200 parts, your design approach should shift dramatically.
Low-volume production — for testing, pilot runs, niche products, early market entry, or bridge manufacturing — requires different decisions around materials, tooling, cost, finish, and production methods.

This is where designers can gain massive advantages by optimising early for low-volume.

1. Batch Size Changes Everything

Why 10–200 parts is a unique window

• Too small for injection moulding to be economical.

• Too large for inefficient, slow prototyping methods.

• Exactly the sweet spot for additive manufacturing, vacuum casting, and hybrid workflows.

Design implications

• You can prioritise faster iteration over complex tooling.

• Part designs can afford to be updated between batches.

• You can avoid mould splits, draft angles, ejector marks and other constraints of mass production.

• Tolerances, geometry, and features can be far more flexible.

2. Tooling Requirements Are Very Different

No need for expensive hard tooling

For low-volume, you can often avoid:

• Steel moulds

• Injection tooling

• Multi-cavity moulds

• Long lead times

What you need

• 3D printed masters for vacuum casting

• Soft tooling (silicone moulds)

• Modular jigs and fixtures made via AM

• Design considerations for castability or printability

Design Takeaway

Your design becomes tooling-light, which:

• Reduces upfront cost

• Speeds up time-to-market

• Gives freedom to experiment

3. Modular Design Becomes Your Best Friend

Low-volume manufacturing is ideal for modular products.

Why modularity wins here:

• Reduces cost by reusing standard components

• Allows easier updates to individual sections

• Helps separate cosmetic from structural elements

• Enables multi-process workflows:

  • Printed core + cast outer shell

  • Machined bracket + printed housing

Design strategies:

• Break parts into assemblies that suit different manufacturing methods

• Use standard fixings to avoid custom tooling

• Allow outer components to change without affecting internal structure

4. Materials Choices Are Broader Than You Think

In low-volume, you’re not restricted by:

• Resin availability for injection moulding

• High MOQs

• Standardised moulding grades

Instead, you can choose materials based on:

• Performance

• Aesthetics

• Cost

• Speed

• Post-processing compatibility

Examples

• SLS / MJF nylon for durable end-use parts

• SLA for cosmetic housings

• Vacuum casting resins designed to mimic:

  • ABS

  • PC

  • PP

  • Elastomers (Shore A)

Key Design Considerations

• Wall thickness variation is more forgiving

• You can choose materials for prototype → production consistency

• Colour matching and textures become post-processing decisions
  rather than moulding constraints

5. Scaling: Small Batches Are Easy to Repeat, Not Always Easy to Scale

When designing for 10–200 units, always consider:

Can this process scale to 500+ if needed?

• SLS/MJF scales well in batches

• Vacuum casting scales until mould life ends (20–25 pulls per mould)

• Machining scales with fixture optimisation

• SLA scales for cosmetic components but not high-wear parts

Design for scalable workflow:

• Shared geometries across parts

• Reduced complex internal features

• Designing “future moulding ready” versions for later mass-production

• Keeping options open to transition to injection moulding

6. Cost vs Speed: The Balancing Act

Design choices affect cost instantly

For low-volume manufacturing:

• Fewer parts = lower assembly time

• Simple geometries = faster prints

• Avoiding over-engineering = less post-processing

• Split large designs into efficient printable sections

Prioritising speed

• Think “what gets us to test or market fastest?”

• Use AM for detailed features

• Use casting for repeatability & finish

• Design with minimal supports & less finishing work

Prioritising cost

• Consolidate assemblies

• Use standard components

• Remove expensive-to-finish surfaces

• Choose materials with good print efficiency

7. When to Use AME-3D for Low-Volume Production

Ideal when you need:

• Repeatable batches

• Cosmetic-quality finishes

• Strong, proof-of-concept housings

• Elastomer or ABS-like cast components

• Rapid design iteration + full production

Your competitive advantage

AME-3D can support the entire journey:

• Concept → CAD

• Design for low-volume

• Functional prototypes

• End-use parts

• Finishing

• Short-run production with multiple processes in-house

Conclusion

Designing for low-volume production isn’t a cut-down version of designing for mass production — it’s a different discipline altogether.
When designers embrace the flexibility of AM and vacuum casting, they unlock:

• Faster development

• Lower costs

• Better design freedom

• A product that can get to market (or testing) far sooner

AME-3D sits right at the heart of that opportunity. Need help starting your project? Contact us today.