When to Use Bridge Production Instead of MIM

Metal Injection Molding (MIM) is a powerful manufacturing process — high volume, low cost per part, and great material properties. But MIM comes with one unavoidable reality: tooling.

And in today’s manufacturing environment, tooling can be expensive, time-consuming, and limiting.

So what do you do when MIM isn’t quite ready — but you still need production-quality metal parts?

That’s where bridge production steps in.

The Case for MIM — Eventually

MIM is often the right choice when:

Your volume is high (typically 10,000+ parts/year)
Your design is locked
You’re ready to invest in tooling
Your timelines can handle 8–12+ week lead times

But what if just one of those things isn’t true?

The Problem with Committing Too Early

Tooling costs for MIM can range from $10K to $100K+ depending on part complexity. And once you’ve tooled up, your design is locked in. If you’re still iterating — or unsure of long-term demand — that investment can backfire.

In 2025, we’re seeing more companies held up by:

Unpredictable demand forecasts
Long tooling timelines
Tariff-driven supplier shifts
Early-stage program needs (e.g., pilot runs or validation batches)

Bridge Production: Your Smart First Step

Bridge production allows you to:

Get 500–10,000 high-quality, production-grade metal parts fast
Skip tooling entirely
Start with a flexible design and update as needed
Prove demand, pass testing, or hit milestones before committing to MIM

It’s the best of both worlds: fast enough to hit your deadlines, and flexible enough to adjust before scaling.

From Bridge to MIM — With Support
At 3DEO, we help companies bridge to MIM the right way. Our parts are made using Intelligent Layering® — a proprietary additive process that delivers high-quality, production-grade parts without tooling. When the time comes to move to MIM, we support the transition with DfAM guidance and supplier handoff.