Capabilities overview
What we can help you make
Zartman.io connects CNC, sheet metal, 3D printing, and light assembly work with trusted small shops that handle prototypes through recurring low-volume builds. Share your search request, keep files private, and get matched with community shops that already run similar materials and complexity.
Typical matches: tight-tolerance metal prototypes, formed enclosures with hardware, 3DP validation builds, and assemblies that need finishing before shipment.
Processes
Where we're strongest
These offerings cover most search requests we route today. Each card spells out the sweet spot and when you might need a different partner.
CNC machining
Multi-axis milling and turning from community shops experienced with tight-tolerance prototype and bridge builds across common alloys and plastics.
Best for
- Prototype and low-volume production parts that need quick DFM
- Aluminum, stainless, tool steels, Delrin, and similar materials
- Components with mixed milling/turning ops or secondary finishing
Not a fit when
Automotive-scale volumes, massive castings, or programs that require ITAR-only facilities.
Sheet metal & fabrication
Forming, laser cutting, and hardware installation for enclosures, brackets, and light structural parts.
Best for
- Electromechanical enclosures or brackets with multiple bends
- Gauge thicknesses through roughly 0.25 inch
- Projects that benefit from quick fixture tweaks before production
Not a fit when
Large welded structures, heavy plate fabrication, or architectural-scale assemblies.
3D printing (polymer + metal)
Selective laser sintering, MJF, and metal additive for complex geometries without tooling delays.
Best for
- Design validation parts that need fast turns
- Lightweight structures with internal channels or lattices
- Short-run spares where machining would be cost-prohibitive
Not a fit when
Mass-market consumer plastic runs or parts larger than typical desktop-sized build envelopes.
Assembly & finishing
Light assembly, bead blast, anodize, chem film, paint, and inspection — handled by shops that see your project through to shipment.
Best for
- Pilot builds that need hardware install or insert seating
- Subassemblies that benefit from pre-fit testing
- Parts that need cosmetic finishing alongside functional checks
Not a fit when
Full contract manufacturing lines or highly regulated electronics assembly.
Tolerances & envelopes
Approximate ranges so you can sanity-check fit
These ranges help you check fit before submitting. If you're near an edge, send the request anyway — we'll flag it early if the job needs a different shop.
- CNC envelopes
- Tight-tolerance prototype and low-volume parts up to roughly 24" x 24" x 12".
- Sheet metal
- Formed panels and brackets up to ~36" in the longest dimension.
- 3D printing
- Polymer and metal builds up to about a 12" cube with fine features near 0.010".
- Typical quantities
- Single prototypes through recurring low/medium production releases.
- Complexity sweet spot
- Multi-op parts that need shop-level DFM collaboration, not commodity catalog work.
Larger parts welcome for review—we'll flag if they need a different bench.
What we don't do (yet)
If your search request looks like this, we'll recommend other options
We'd rather be upfront than waste your time. If you send something in this category we'll still try to point you toward the right shop, even if it's outside our community.
- Large welded structures, heavy plate frames, or massive castings.
- Automotive- or aerospace-certified production that requires dedicated lines or ITAR-only facilities.
- Exotic materials that need bespoke sourcing (e.g., beryllium, Hastelloy) on tight turnarounds.
- High-volume consumer plastics or stampings where tooling amortization drives the whole business case.
How matching works
Same flow as the homepage—just zoomed in on capabilities
We keep our community private, curated, and human-supported so search requests land with the right shops the first time.
Capacity-aware shop matching
We match your search request with a small bench of trusted shops based on who has the right equipment and capacity right now — no auctions, no race-to-the-bottom blast lists.
Private routing
Only the shops we’ve matched to your project. Nothing goes on a public job board or blast list — your files stay private until you choose to share them.
Hands-on monitoring
We keep an eye on activity in your workspace. If something goes sideways, we step in — whether that means nudging the shop or bringing in another one from the community.