Protolabs Robotics Revenue More Than Doubles as Demand for Rapid Manufacturing Grows

Key Points

• Protolabs said revenue from robotics customers more than doubled in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025.
• The company provides rapid prototyping and low-volume production services for robotics components, including grippers, sensors, enclosures, gears, motor mounts, and structural parts.
• Protolabs said certain parts can be produced in as fast as one day, helping robotics teams move quickly from design revisions to testing.
• The company combines its own manufacturing facilities with Protolabs Network, a group of vetted manufacturing partners.
• Protolabs will showcase its robotics manufacturing capabilities at RoboBusiness 2026 in Santa Clara, California, on October 20–21.

Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB) said demand from robotics companies is growing rapidly, with revenue from its robotics customers more than doubling in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025. The company said its digital manufacturing services help robotics developers move from product concepts to real-world testing and production with rapid, on-demand manufacturing support.

Protolabs Helps Robotics Companies Speed Up Product Development

Robotics developers often need to build, test, redesign, and retest components quickly as products move toward commercial deployment. Protolabs said its high-mix, low-volume manufacturing model helps companies shorten those development cycles.

The company said parts can be available in as fast as one day, allowing engineering teams to move from a design revision to testing without lengthy production delays. This approach is designed to support companies working toward aggressive product-launch timelines.

3D Printing and CNC Machining Support Robotics Components

Protolabs supports the manufacturing of a wide range of robotics components, including grippers, sensor systems, enclosures, gears, motor mounts, structural parts, and specialized tools.

Robotics companies use the company’s 3D-printing services to produce parts quickly during development. Protolabs offers flexible materials including TPU, TPV, and silicone, allowing teams to test and revise designs as product requirements change.

The company also provides CNC machining for structural components and other parts using lightweight metals and engineering plastics. Protolabs said its services can include extensive secondary operations as needed.

Flexible Materials Can Improve Robot Testing and Safety

Protolabs said its engineers work with robotics companies to make components safer during testing and development. By changing designs and using softer or more flexible materials where appropriate, companies can help parts withstand impacts and reduce the risk of damage or injury as robots are used more often in real-world environments.

The company said advances in physical AI are moving robotics beyond scripted automation toward more adaptive and generalizable behavior. That shift increases the need for fast prototyping and manufacturing flexibility.

Protolabs Combines Its Factories With Supplier Network Capacity

Protolabs provides manufacturing through its owned factories and through Protolabs Network, a group of vetted manufacturing partners. The company said this combination gives robotics companies access to broader prototyping and low-volume production capabilities.

The company also said it uses a multilayered approach to protect customer information and intellectual property. Its described safeguards include encryption, access controls, auditing and logging, and system hardening for projects manufactured either in its facilities or through its network partners.

Protolabs Will Exhibit at RoboBusiness 2026

Protolabs will exhibit at RoboBusiness 2026, scheduled for October 20–21 in Santa Clara, California. Attendees can visit the company at booth No. 411 to learn about its rapid prototyping and end-use production services for robotics developers.