Search for a manufacturing partner: the case of reliable lead times and consistent quality
“What really stood out with Rototip was how connected they are to the entire production process. They took full responsibility from the start, making sure everything worked.”
Jan-Jelle, R&D Project Manager
Lead-time as short as
7 days
Most Used Service
CNC Machining
R&D Order
2.000+ parts
Large Offshore Contractor in the Netherlands
HQ
Netherlands
Industry
Maritime
Company Size
11-50
This company is a leading offshore contractor specializing in advanced engineering solutions for the maritime industry. Their expertise includes the development of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), designed to enhance offshore operations by improving safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. With a strong focus on innovation and precision, they require high-quality, custom-manufactured parts to support their R&D and low-volume production needs.
When Local Manufacturing Couldn't Keep Up with R&D’s Pace
Before partnering with Rototip, the company relied solely on local suppliers to source parts. While the quality and finishing met expectations, lead times posed a significant challenge. Local manufacturers were overloaded with work, causing delays that ranged from four weeks to as long as six months.
For a company advancing rapidly through product development, prolonged lead times weren’t just an inconvenience; they directly impacted the R&D team’s ability to iterate and improve. Prototyping isn’t just about getting a part made, it’s about keeping engineering and production in sync. The entire process depends on being able to test, learn, and refine the design fast. If parts are delayed, the whole process slows down. Progress stalls, deadlines slip, and the project gets put aside, well, forcing the team to take excessive coffee breaks.
How Rototip Helped
The company needed a manufacturing partner that could match their development pace. In their search for alternatives, they tested multiple suppliers simultaneously, including Rototip and a large digital manufacturing marketplace.
For this company, getting high-quality parts wasn’t the only challenge; managing production with minimal delays and rework was just as critical. Rototip provided CNC machining, sheet fabrication, and assembly services, ensuring each part met exact specifications. But beyond production, we handled quality inspections in-house, maintained clear project timelines, and kept their team informed at every step. This hands-on approach meant fewer surprises, less time spent chasing updates, and a smoother path from prototype to final product.
Rototip took ownership of challenges, and that showed the difference from all other manufacturers. If an issue arose, it wasn’t left for the company to resolve alone. Rototip worked collaboratively to address problems, prevent future complications, and ensure uninterrupted project momentum.
As Jan-Jelle stated, one key difference stood out and led the company shifting more and more orders to Rototip:
“We quickly realized that working with Rototip felt different. It wasn’t just about ordering parts. We could tell Rototip was truly connected to the entireIy to the production process. Every update send by our account executive were detailed, they were personally making sure things were right. That level of attention gave us real peace of mind. That gave us confidence that even if something went wrong, we could trust Rototip to catch it and act fast because they were already one step ahead.”
A Key Difference: Who Owns the Problem?
When testing capabilities of Rototip and a large digital manufacturing marketplace side by side, Jan-Jelle noticed a critical difference. With the digital manufacturing marketplace, if a part had an issue, the response was simply, “Okay, we’ll reproduce it.” However, with every remake, we kept having the same discrepancies.
This raised a question: was the digital manufacturing marketplace actually identifying the root cause, or were they just going back to the same factory, doing the same thing, and hoping for a different result? Over time, it became clear; there was no real learning process, just repeated errors and lost time.
How about revisiting local manufacturing shops
Turning to a local manufacturing shop might seem like a solution, but it comes with its own set backs. While proximity can help, long lead times, limited capacity, or inconsistent communication can still lead to delays and uncertainty. The real issue isn’t just where manufacturing happens, it’s how problems are handled when they arise.
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Rototip offered a completely different experience. If something wasn’t right with any given part, it wasn’t just reprocessed and shipped, it was investigated. The issue was identified, communicated, and actually resolved before moving forward. That’s how Rototip has a 97% first-time-right delivery score and what made a huge difference for Jan-Jelle. It wasn’t just about replacing bad parts; it was about preventing those issues from happening again, saving time and avoiding the frustration of endless back-and-forth and reworks.
Over time, this level of ownership provided certainty, not just in the parts delivered but in the entire production process. With each project, it became clearer: Rototip wasn’t just another supplier in the rotation. They cared as much about getting things right as Jan-Jelle’s own team did. This hands-on, problem-solving approach strengthened their supply chain, making it more reliable than ever.
From Prototyping to Production
Step 1
Upload your files
Click Get Quote and submit your design files for review. Customize your quote request as needed. Alternatively, send us an email with all the files, if you are having a busy day.
Step 2
Review offer and order
Get a quick and transparent quote in 2 hours based on your specific requirements. Order the parts with our manufacturability study and quality control protocol generated for your parts.
Step 3
Production starts in hours
Our team initiates the process with suitable machines, ensuring precision and efficiency. The production process is regularly monitored by our engineers.
Step 4
Quality and process control
Intense quality checks are conducted to guarantee that every part meets your standards. All quality control processes are documented and shared with you.
Step 5
Packaging and delivery
We handle the packaging and shipment with the same attention as in manufacturing. Within Europe, deliveries can be as fast as 24 hours.
Step 6
Post-delivery follow-ups
Your customer representative is there to help with any questions or other needs during and after the process. Feel free to contact us at any time.
No Surprises: Full Transparency from Quote to Delivery
For this large offshore company, clear and proactive communication wasn’t just a nice-to-have; it was essential. Managing complex projects meant no time to chase suppliers for updates or wonder where things stood. That’s where Rototip made a real difference. From day one, the team provided updates without overwhelming details, keeping Jan-Jelle and his team informed at the right moments. Progress updates arrived when needed, and any questions or concerns were handled quickly and clearly, ensuring smooth collaboration every step of the way.
Reliable lead times
Regular updates
Quality control
“When you use an online manufacturing platform, there’s no personal touch. You just upload files, get a price, and hit order. But if something goes wrong? If there’s a mistake? You want someone to reach out to help you. With Rototip, we get a different service as you put communication at the core of everything.”
🔹 Real communication: A team that actually listens and responds
🔹 True accountability: When mistakes happen, they’re solved
🔹 A real partnership: Not just a supplier, but a trusted extension of their team
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"Rototip didn’t just manufacture parts, they took ownership of the entire process. That gave us the confidence to focus on the bigger picture. In the end, it’s not about who owns the machines. It’s about who owns the problem."
Jan-Jelle, R&D Manager
Key Project: Urgent R&D Prototype with 52 Parts and No Time to Waste
The Challenge
For a recent prototype, the R&D team needed 19 unique articles assembled into a complete system. This meant manufacturing 52 individual components, each with tight tolerances, all requiring high-precision CNC machining within a strict three-week window.
Local suppliers weren’t an option due to long lead times, and digital manufacturing platforms lacked the reliability needed for such a complex assembly. There was no room for delays, miscommunication, or quality issues. Every component had to be manufactured, checked, and assembled flawlessly to keep the project on track.
The solution
From the start, Rototip’s engineers conducted a thorough Design for Manufacturability (DfM) review to catch potential issues early, before they could cause real problems. Behind the scenes, the team monitored progress in real time. If a machine setup finished early, production moved immediately to the next step. If an operator encountered a challenge, Rototip’s engineers stepped in to solve it on the spot.
Throughout the three-week sprint, regular production updates kept the R&D team informed and confident, ensuring smooth execution from start to finish.
The Outcome
By shifting more custom part orders to Rototip, the company quickly became comfortable with the process, relying on us from start to finish. As one of their engineers shared, “Production updates every other day were key to our success. Knowing that Rototip was on track motivated our entire team to keep everything else moving.”
✅ All 52 parts manufactured, quality-controlled, and delivered within 3 weeks
✅ Full transparency and communication from start to finish
✅ Seamless collaboration between design, production, and assembly
