Prototal Prosilas achieves IATF 16949 certification

A new milestone in additive manufacturing

What is the IATF 16949 certification?

The IATF 16949 certification is an international quality management standard specifically developed for the automotive sector. It is based on the ISO 9001 standard, with additional requirements designed to meet the specific needs of the automotive industry.

The goals include:

• Quality and reliability in production processes and finished products.
• Reduction of variations and waste in manufacturing processes.
• Defect prevention and supply chain optimization.
• Continuous improvement to meet the needs of customers and partners.

This standard is recognized globally and represents an essential requirement for all companies operating in the automotive supply chain.

Why is it important for Prosilas?

As one of the largest additive manufacturing centers in Europe, our goal is to deliver innovative and high-quality solutions. The IATF 16949 certification:

• Strengthens our role as a reliable partner for automotive manufacturers, ensuring that our processes meet the highest quality standards.
• Opens new collaboration opportunities with customers and suppliers in the automotive sector worldwide.
• Demonstrates our commitment to innovation and sustainability, which are core values for Prosilas.

How we achieved this milestone

The journey to obtaining the IATF 16949 certification required teamwork, professionalism, and a strong dedication from our entire team. It began with a thorough analysis and optimization of internal processes to ensure that every production phase met the required standards. Continuous training was provided to staff, ensuring they possessed up-to-date technical skills focused on quality. Finally, a comprehensive quality management system was implemented, fostering traceability and transparency throughout the production cycle by documenting, monitoring, and optimizing every step for maximum efficiency and quality assurance.

Benefits for our customers

For our customers, the IATF 16949 certification is an additional guarantee of our commitment to excellence.

Partnering with a certified company means relying on:

• High-quality products, manufactured according to rigorous standards.
• Increased reliability and traceability in production processes.
• Reduced delivery times, thanks to optimized processes and efficient supply chain management.
• Innovative and sustainable solutions, at the forefront of additive manufacturing.

Looking to the future

This significant achievement is just the beginning of a journey that will see us playing an increasingly prominent role in the automotive sector and beyond. The IATF 16949 certification drives us to continue innovating, improving, and delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations.

A step forward toward excellence in additive manufacturing.

Thank you to everyone who made this success possible: our team, our partners, and our customers, who inspire us every day to reach new levels of quality and innovation.

For any information info@prosilas.com

One to ONE MILLION STARTS

The 3D printing sector is experiencing extraordinary growth, with an expected annual rate of 20.8% until 2027. This progress reflects a profound change in production processes: traditional manufacturing, often anchored to consolidated techniques, is having to face increasingly complex challenges. Innovation cycles are getting shorter, while customization demands are constantly increasing.

In this scenario, 3D printing offers a unique opportunity: transforming an initial idea, a prototype, into a product that can be replicated on a large scale, from one to millions of specimens. It is the perfect synthesis of scalability and versatility: starting with a single iteration to refine the design and, once perfection has been achieved, moving on to seamless series production. This ability to adapt makes 3D printing a revolutionary tool in the product development landscape.

With over 750 printing material options available on the market, you can create prototypes and finished products with specific technical characteristics that seemed unattainable just a few years ago. It’s not just about reducing costs or development times, but about redefining every phase of the production process.

Let’s think, for example, about the complexity of the designs required or the levels of customization desired. Here, 3D printing shines: its versatility allows you to abandon traditional manufacturing restrictions. But there is a cost to consider. We are not just talking about machines and materials, but also about the human resources and skills necessary to embrace a new production paradigm. It’s an investment, sure, but the long-term benefits can far outweigh the initial expenses.

And then there’s time. The development of a complete product takes 22 months on average, but well-structured planning can shorten design cycles. The key phases — initial prototyping, advanced prototyping and production — become stages of a journey where each iteration represents a step towards perfection.

CUSTOMER STORY

An emblematic example is represented by the Perma Padel case, an innovative startup which, with the support of Prosilas and Prototal Damvig, has redesigned the padel racket to make it recyclable and sustainable without compromising its performance.

Thanks to 3D printing, several prototypes were developed in record time, perfecting the design and demonstrating that innovation and sustainability can coexist.

Rapid Prototyping as the Core of Creativity

If there is a time when 3D printing demonstrates its full potential, it is during prototyping. This process is not just a technical step, but the beating heart of innovation. The ability to create, test and refine a design in just hours is a quiet revolution that is transforming the way we conceive new products.
Imagine a creative routine where a CAD model comes to life during the day, then is printed overnight and tested the following morning. This continuous cycle not only accelerates development times, but also fuels a constant dialogue between designers and product, driving rapid and significant improvements.

The prototypes themselves become protagonists. From simple proof-of-concept concepts to aesthetic models that explore ergonomics, up to functional versions that simulate the properties of the final product. Each prototype tells a story, a stage in an evolution towards innovation.

Rethinking the Supply Chain

3D printing is not just a technology, but a transformative force for the entire supply chain. Reducing physical inventories thanks to a digital warehouse, printing specific components on-demand, decentralizing production closer to end customers: all this translates into significant savings and unprecedented responsiveness.

This approach is particularly powerful in spare parts management. Where once huge warehouses were needed to store supplies, today a digital file ready for printing is enough. It is a radical simplification that does not compromise quality, but rather increases operational efficiency.

Choose the right supplier 

Prosilas accompanies companies in this transformation, offering an integrated approach that combines advanced technology, quality certifications and specialized skills.

With a fleet of 13 SLS machines, we guarantee constant production capacity, ideal for tackling the challenges of customization and scalable production. Each project is supported by a highly specialized technical team, which offers tailor-made consultancy to optimize production processes and choose the most suitable printing materials.

Quality is at the center of our work: our metrology laboratories carry out rigorous checks to verify that each component meets the highest standards. Every step of the process is taken care of down to the smallest detail, offering companies a path towards modern, success-oriented production.

Furthermore, Prosilas is proud to offer quality, environmental, IATF and TISAX certifications (under certification), ensuring that each solution complies with the highest regulatory and sustainability requirements

Through a balanced approach, which combines technological innovation and compliance with standards, we can not only overcome the challenges of the present, but pave the way for a more agile, personalized and sustainable production future.

If you want to accelerate your projects and turn your ideas into reality, our team is here to support you. With Prosilas, the future has already begun.

Digital Scalability in Production: A Guide for companies towards sustainable growth

In the ever-evolving landscape of the manufacturing sector, the ability to adapt and grow flexibly has become a key factor for success.

In this scenario, Digital Scalable Production emerges as a winning strategy for companies leveraging 3D printing services, offering numerous advantages in terms of competitiveness and sustainability