How Snapfab launched a brand powered by best-in-class technology
Manufacturing veterans were launching a new contract manufacturing brand starting with low volume injection molding. White labeled platforms were too slow and too generic. Tau9 partnered with Snapfab to codevelop a custom customer portal in 4 months, and the first customer ordered within a week of launch.
Customer
Snapfab
Industry
Contract Manufacturing
Timeline
4 months to launch
70%
Monthly Revenue Growth
<3 sec
Quote + 3D render time
5 clicks
Upload to paid checkout
THE CHALLENGE
Off-the-shelf quoting platforms didn't fit
Snapfab is a new contract manufacturing operation founded by industry veterans with deep manufacturing expertise.
Snapfab evaluated multiple white-labeled instant quoting platforms. The problems were consistent: pricing logic couldn't be tailored to their specific cost structure and DFM checks. The platforms were built as generic SaaS to serve many factories, which meant they carried complexity and features Snapfab didn't need. That bloat made them slow. Render and calculation times of 10+ seconds. Checkout flows with too many steps.
THE SOLUTION
Custom-built from the factory floor up
Tau9 embedded with Snapfab's team to understand their exact quoting logic, DFM requirements, and customer experience goals. Rather than adapting a generic platform, we codeveloped a purpose-fit customer portal from scratch, pared down to exactly what matters for Snapfab's business.
The result: a customer uploads a 3D model, selects their part specifications, and gets an instant price and 3D preview of their part. The full flow from landing on snapfab.com to checkout takes under a minute and as few as 5 clicks. Quoting and rendering completes in under 3 seconds.
Built into the platform is a DFM review chat and custom file repository where Snapfab's manufacturing engineers communicate directly with the customer about design changes (draft angles, wall thickness, undercuts) with files attached in-context. No more emailing slide decks back and forth. Snapfab's customers see the part, the order, and the conversation in one place.
THE RESULTS
First order within a week. 70% MoM growth.
Snapfab launched the platform and received their first paid customer order within a week. In the six months since launch, the brand has grown revenue 70% month-over-month.
Snapfab and Tau9 have established a long-term partnership centered around product and technology codevelopment. Snapfab is leveraging the codeveloped technology to expand its offerings and drive operational workflow efficiencies.
“These guys are a pleasure to work with. Insane responsiveness and detail orientation. They ask the right questions, and they build software that solves our exact problems. I can't recommend them enough.”
Rich Stump — President, Snapfab
WHY THE PARTNERSHIP WORKED
Custom beats generic when the ROI is there
Generic quoting platforms are built to serve many shops. That means they carry features and complexity that slow things down for any individual customer. By building purpose-fit software for one factory's exact needs, Tau9 delivered a faster, simpler experience that directly drove revenue growth.
The engagement model matters too. Tau9 spent time on-site understanding the quoting logic, the DFM checks that matter, and the customer journey Snapfab wanted to create. That immersion translated into a product that felt native to the business, not bolted on.
Custom manufacturing software.
Results in weeks, not years.