Block and appearance models, working prototypes and display models, made, painted and assembled in our own workshop since 1986. ISO 9001 certified.
Complete Fabrication has been making models for product designers and engineers since 1986, from our workshop in Whittlesford, near Cambridge. We make block and appearance models for design reviews, looks-like and works-like prototypes, and full-size display and exhibition models. That can be one piece or a short run.
Every model is made, painted and assembled in our own workshop by the people you talk to. We are ISO 9001 certified (certificate 7774), and NDAs are standard.
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Models that look exactly like the finished product, for design reviews, photography and investor meetings. For Wright Design's Blackfin Mobile push-to-talk handset, we built an investor model on our high-resolution SLA machines. Our CAD engineers split it into components for clean colour breaks and added an internal cavity so it weighed the right amount. We then hand finished and painted the parts and CNC machined the acrylic screen.
Looks-like, works-like models with mechanisms, inserts and electronics fitted, ready for user trials and sign-off. For Hayter we made two fully working lawn mowers, one petrol and one electric, from CNC-machined parts in the correct materials. We painted them in production colours, and they cut grass.
Full-size models built to be seen. For a maker of replacement heart valves, we grew clear, sectioned hearts on our SLA machine to show each valve position, set inside three full-size CNC-machined acrylic figures. For the Argos catalogue, we made photography-ready kitchen appliance display models from CNC-machined and SLA parts, finished, assembled and branded in-house to a fixed deadline.
Quick, accurate models for handling and ergonomic tests, made early enough to change the design.
Models don't have to be one-offs. We made a series of large sculptures for an artist in two sizes, 80 cm and 40 cm, painted in exactly matched Pantone colours: 6 to 8 of the larger and 10 to 15 of the smaller. For Meridian Audio, the 8K loudspeaker cabinets started as one prototype pair and became hundreds of cabinets over many years.
Model making means using the right process for each part, then finishing them so they look like one product.
| Process | What it does for a model | Key figures | More |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLA 3D printing | Fine detail, smooth surfaces, clear parts, master patterns | ±0.15 mm; 24-hour standard turnaround; single parts up to 450 × 450 × 450 mm | SLA 3D printing |
| CNC machining | Parts in the real material: aluminium, steels, acrylic, PEEK and engineering plastics | ±0.10 mm; 3 days for most work, 24-hour rush available | CNC machining |
| Vacuum casting | Several identical models in self-coloured polyurethane | Batches of 10 to 500 | Vacuum casting |
| Carbon DLS | Tough, functional parts | Batches of up to 1,000 small parts, no tooling | Carbon DLS |
| Large-format FDM | Big models, or big parts joined in sections | Builds up to 800 × 800 × 1,000 mm | Large format 3D printing |
| Painting and finishing | Colour matched to Pantone, RAL or your sample; VDI textures, metallic and soft-touch finishes | Two in-house spray booths and our own paint mixing system | Painting and finishing |
We can also copper- or nickel-plate SLA parts up to about a 150 mm cube, polish clear parts to a water-clear finish, bond in threaded inserts and cast silicone gaskets.
Machines get parts made quickly, but a good model needs more than that. It needs to know how tight a fit should be to feel right, how much resistance a clip needs, and where to split a part so the colour breaks are clean. Our model makers combine digital processes with traditional hand skills such as smoothing, filling, painting and assembly, so the finished model matches what you designed.
You talk directly to the team building your model. Details that matter, such as how a button feels, how a lid closes or the exact shade of a finish, go straight to the person making it.
We build models for industrial design and engineering consultancies that need a reliable workshop behind them. See how we work with design consultancies.
“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
A model shows what a product will look like: its shape, size, colour and finish. A prototype also has to work, whether that's moving parts, a mechanism or fitted electronics. We make both, and often a mix of the two.
Yes. Our design development team can turn a sketch or drawing into CAD for manufacture. If you already have CAD, we work straight from it.
Yes. We mix all colours in-house and match them to Pantone, RAL or a physical sample, with gloss, matte, metallic, soft-touch or textured finishes.
It depends on the size, the processes and the finish. SLA parts are turned around in 24 hours as standard, and painting or polishing adds at least a day. We give you a delivery date with the quote.
Yes. We make anything from a single model to short runs, using vacuum casting or batch 3D printing for identical parts.
Yes. We make models for product teams across the UK, with overnight delivery to all areas of the UK.
Yes. NDAs are standard, and we can set up restricted access and password-protected file sharing if your project needs it.
Tell us what you are making and what the model has to do. We'll help you choose the right route and get the first parts moving.
Contact us · +44 1223 836837 · info@compfab.co.uk
