RapidMade is an American 3D-printing, engineering and additive-manufacturing firm based in Oregon. It serves businesses in manufacturing, architecture, construction, advertising, medicine and art. The woman-owned firm was founded in 2011 by Renee Eaton, Mark Eaton and Micah Chaban. The business is based in Portland, Oregon with a regional office outside Baltimore, Maryland.
RapidMade has an in-house engineering team that provides 3D printing, 3D scanning, and rapid prototyping services as well as low volume or small batch additive and traditional manufacturing services. Clients use these services to make products, parts, prototypes, patterns, tools, molds, and models. Additive manufacturing enables the company to create parts that are no longer being manufactured and those that cannot be created through traditional methods; such as replacing old prison door locks for the Oregon Department of Corrections after the original door manufacturer went out of business. Another common application is for designers to create limited runs of models or prototypes for their projects.
RapidMade also makes custom medical models to improve patient education, surgical training, and planning. A cancer research institute asked RapidMade to print out an exact replica of a section of a patient’s lung. The model included flexible veins and arteries that could be maneuvered around. RapidMade emphasizes community partnerships. The founders view their work as a form of locavore manufacturing, cutting down on the need for off-shoring production. Using advanced technology to design and make novel products has also influenced the company’s values and led to some unique projects, such as creating a payload container that allowed Ninkasi Brewing to make history by launching live yeast strains into space.