The legacy ceramic industry quote — 6 to 12 weeks for a single sample — is the single biggest reason engineering teams default to metal or polymer when ceramic would actually be the right material. We built our prototype line specifically to break that cycle. Stock geometries dispatch in 48 hours. Custom prototypes ship in 7–14 days.
Lead times depend on (1) whether the geometry is in our existing tooling, (2) material grade, and (3) finishing requirements. Stock geometries ship from warehouse; custom geometries go through our prototype cell.
| Order Type | Stock | Standard Custom | Complex Custom | Production Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Time | 1–3 days | 7–10 days | 14–21 days | 21–35 days |
| Sample Quantity | 1–10 units | 1–5 units | 1–3 units | 500+ units |
| DFM Reply | N/A | 48 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours |
| Tolerance (ground) | ±0.005 mm | ±0.005 mm | ±0.005 mm | ±0.01 mm |
| Material Options | Stock grade | All | All + custom | All |
| Lot Certs | On request | Included | Included | Included |
| NDA | Not required | Available | Recommended | Standard |
Five steps, total elapsed time 7–14 days for most geometries. Every step has a named owner on our engineering team — you won't be passed between departments.
Send a STEP file (preferred), PDF, or DWG to engineering@ceramitell.com. Include material preference if you have one, target quantity, and end application. Tip: rougher info is better than no info — we'd rather see "rough sketch + concept" than wait.
Your drawing goes to a dedicated DFM engineer (named, not a queue). They check manufacturability, material fit, and tolerances. Reply within 48 hours with feedback, alternative suggestions, and material recommendations.
Same 48-hour reply includes quotation for prototype units and indicative pricing for production volumes. Quote valid for 30 days. NDA can be signed before quote if your drawing is proprietary.
On PO receipt, your part enters our prototype cell. Forming → sintering → grinding → inspection. For standard custom geometries: 7–10 days. Complex (thin walls, deep features, tight tolerance): 14–21 days.
Each prototype ships with a lot certificate (dimensional inspection, material grade verification, surface finish measurement). Standard packaging is foam-cradle inside dimensional shipping crate. DHL/FedEx Express to anywhere in 42 export markets.
Ready to submit a drawing? Email STEP/PDF/DWG to engineering@ceramitell.com, or use our quote form. We'll reply within 48 hours with DFM feedback, material recommendation, and pricing.
A US BBQ grill OEM came to us with a non-standard mounting geometry — none of the off-shelf igniters fit their new burner design. They had quotes from US-based suppliers ranging from 8–14 weeks for first prototype. We received their STEP file on a Monday, returned DFM feedback Wednesday, shipped prototype DHL on day 14. They cut their product launch timeline by 8 weeks.
Direct answers about how the prototype cell works. Email engineering@ceramitell.com with anything we haven't covered.