Prototype Model Makers in Cambridge

Make the first of its kind

Complete Fabrication is a prototype model maker in Whittlesford, near Cambridge, making prototypes since 1986. We offer product design and development, SLA, Carbon DLS and FDM 3D printing, CNC machining, vacuum casting, painting and finishing, and low-volume production for medical, robotics, aerospace and consumer product teams.

Rapid prototyping. To most people, it is a prototype. To you, it is the moment your idea becomes real.
It now has weight, feel and edges. People can hold it, test it, inspect it and judge it.
It is no longer just a concept on a screen.
We make prototypes and limited-run parts with the care and precision this moment deserves.
So you can learn fast, make better decisions and move forward without losing what made the idea worth making.
Subcutaneous injection pen labeled Futura 5mg with a detached blue cap and a small glass ampoule with yellow liquid on a white surface.
Materials

Biocompatible resins and medical grade polymers

Biocompatible, sterilisable resins such as Carbon MPU 100.

Modern white and green electronic IPL hair removal device with holder charger
Printing

SLA 3D printing with 24-hour standard turnaround and no rush fees

Fast enough to test, decide and move forward.

Stainless steel Keurig coffee maker with a transparent water reservoir on a white background.
Finishing

Precision finishing, done to spec

From print to production ready in hours.

Foundation

First-of-a-kind meets real world precision

We work between a promising CAD model and a prototype that has to survive testing. Our clients are in medical devices, defence, aerospace, automotive, industrial systems, electronics, robotics and consumer products. Before any machine starts, we agree the process, material and schedule, because the wrong process usually costs more time than it saves. Forty years of model making sits behind those calls. See our full rapid prototyping services.

Get Started
Three men discussing 3D printed prototypes displayed on a table at TCT in Complete Fabrication exhibition booth.
Capability

What we build

Medical devices, aerospace parts and consumer products. Different sectors. Different demands. The same need for precision. See our model making services.
Open white and black box containing a small, sleek black and white inhaler  device inside.
Prototyping

Rapid prototyping checklist.

Built quickly, engineered properly.

DRW SAMBA II laboratory diagnostic device with a detachable circular white component featuring multiple black holes on a white background.
Manufacturing

Bridge production from 1 to 500+ units

Vacuum-cast polyurethane batches while your production tooling is being made.

Green and white Hayter Spirit lawn mower with black grass collection bag on a grey background.
Design

How we achieve speed and quality.

Designed with manufacturing, assembly and use in mind.

Confidentiality and Compliance

A first-of-a-kind project exists nowhere else, so confidentiality protocols are standard here. If your organisation needs more, we will set it up: restricted-access workspaces, password-protected file sharing, NDAs for every team member who touches the job, and full audit trails. We work regularly in regulated sectors, including medical and defence, and we plan compliance into the project from the quote stage. Documents such as SOPs, Technical Agreements and Certificates of Conformity can be built into the job if you flag them when you ask for a quote.

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FAQ

Materials, finishing and paperwork
Materials that handle the heat.
Prototypes ready for patient contact.
Paperwork that matches your standards.
Branding that stays put.
Labels cut to your spec 
Packaging that proves the concept
Heavy-duty protection for transit
CAD work that aids manufacture
Production quality without the tooling costs
Do you offer design services?
What is Complete Fabrication?

Complete Fabrication Ltd, known as CompFab, is a prototyping and low-volume manufacturing company in Whittlesford, near Cambridge. We 3D print, CNC machine, vacuum cast, paint and assemble prototypes and small batches for product designers, engineers and manufacturers.

Is CompFab the same company as Complete Fabrication Modelmakers?

Yes. The company was incorporated in 1998 as Complete Fabrication Modelmakers Ltd and renamed Complete Fabrication Ltd in 2020. CompFab is the short name we use.

How long has Complete Fabrication been in business?

Since 1986, when David Kent founded the business after an apprenticeship in modelmaking and patternmaking. The limited company was incorporated in 1998, and we have completed more than 4,850 projects. Read our history.

Who runs Complete Fabrication?

David Kent founded the company and is a director, and Tom Davies-Kent is also a director. The people you speak to are the people making your parts; see our team.

Where is Complete Fabrication based?

Unit 4B Lion Works, Station Road East, Whittlesford, Cambridge CB22 4WL. The workshop is a two-minute walk from Whittlesford Parkway station, and we deliver overnight across the UK.

How many people work at Complete Fabrication?

We have 18 people plus about four freelancers, covering 3D printing, CNC machining, vacuum casting, painting and finishing, and assembly.

What industries do you work with?

Medical devices, defence, aerospace, automotive, industrial systems, electronics, robotics and consumer products. Many of our clients are product design consultancies and medical device teams.

Is Complete Fabrication ISO certified?

Yes. We are ISO 9001 certified (certificate 7774, ISOQAR, UKAS), which covers our quality management system.

Are you a Carbon certified production partner?

Yes. We are a Carbon Certified Production Partner, listed on Carbon's website, and were the second UK company to partner with Carbon. See Carbon 3D printing.

Who have you made prototypes for?

Our case studies include casework for Cambridge Consultants, the SAMBA II diagnostic instrument for Diagnostics for the Real World, Owlstone breath analysers and working mower prototypes for Hayter. See all case studies.

Do you work with design consultancies?

Yes. Many of our clients are product design consultancies. They own the design and the client relationship; we check their CAD for manufacture and make the prototypes, trial batches and low-volume runs, under NDA. See design consultancies.

How do I get a quote?

Send your CAD file or drawing with the quantity, finish and deadline through our contact page, email info@compfab.co.uk or call +44 1223 836837. We quote fast, and if you have a deadline we will do our best to match it.

Still have questions?

Reach out and we'll answer what you need to know.

“When it comes to model making/prototyping support Complete Fabrication are one of the best companies I have ever dealt with. You can always rely on CompFab to assist with any necessary creative input and technical 'know how' required, and the service they provide is of the highest quality. CompFab is an integral part of our development process. They are professional, friendly and they never fail to deliver.”

Matt Wright,
Wright Design

Got a CAD file or a drawing?

Send it over and tell us when you need it. We will ask the awkward questions and tell you straight what is possible.

Woman in a green sports bra holding a modern, white, and blue hydration water bottle.