Terms of Service

These terms apply to quotes, orders and deliveries for prototyping and low-volume manufacturing. They sit alongside the written quote for your job; where the two differ, the quote prevails.

1. Scope of service

We provide engineering review, sourcing and project management for prototypes and low-volume parts. Manufacturing is carried out by ISO-certified partner factories in Dongguan & Shenzhen. We are responsible for the review, the specification passed to production, the schedule and the inspection record — not for the ownership or operation of the factory floor.

We do not provide design services, structural certification, regulatory approval or legal advice. The drawing you supply remains your design; our DFM notes are recommendations, and the decision to change a design stays with you.

2. Quotes and validity

A formal quote is issued after an engineer has reviewed the files. Quotes are valid for 30 days from the date of issue, unless the quote states otherwise. After that period, material prices, exchange rates and factory capacity may have changed and the job will be re-quoted.

A quote is based on the revision of the drawing received at the time of quoting. Changes to the model, the material, the finish, the tolerance class or the quantity may change the price and the lead time, and will be confirmed in writing before production continues.

3. Orders and payment

• An order is accepted when we confirm it in writing and, where a deposit applies, the deposit is received.
• Production orders are quoted at 50% deposit with the balance due before shipment, unless the quote states other terms.
• Orders under US$2,000 may be paid by card or PayPal; larger orders by bank transfer.
• Shipping terms are stated on the quote (EXW, FOB, CIF or DDP). Duties and taxes follow the stated term.
• Bank charges on the sending side are the customer’s responsibility unless agreed otherwise.

4. Lead times and delays

Lead times are quoted in working days and start when the drawing is approved and the deposit is received. They include standard inspection but exclude shipping transit time and customs clearance.

If a delay is likely, we tell you before the quoted date passes, with the reason and a revised date. Delays caused by incomplete or changing files, late approval, customer-supplied material, or events outside reasonable control extend the lead time accordingly. Where a delay is caused by us, we will discuss a remedy in good faith, which may include prioritised rework or a partial refund of the order value attributable to the delay.

5. Quality, inspection and rework

Parts are inspected against the drawing supplied. Unless stated otherwise, general tolerances follow DIN/ISO 2768-m. Critical features are measured with a CMM, and the inspection record can ship with the order.

If a dimension is out of tolerance, or an assembly does not fit, because of our process, the part is remade or refunded at our cost. Claims should be raised within 14 days of delivery, with the part and the inspection record available for review. We may ask for photographs or the return of the part before agreeing a remedy.

We are not responsible for a deviation that follows from the drawing itself, from a tolerance class the drawing specifies, from material you supplied, or from a design that our DFM notes advised against and that was produced as drawn at your written instruction.

6. Intellectual property and drawings

You retain all rights to the designs, drawings and technical data you send. You confirm that you have the right to have the part manufactured and that the design does not knowingly infringe a third party’s rights.

We claim no ownership of your design and will not use it for another customer, for a portfolio, or for any purpose other than your order. The inspection data, photographs and process notes we create for your job may be used to fulfil the order and to support a warranty claim.

7. Confidentiality

We treat drawings and technical files as confidential by default. An NDA can be signed before the first file is opened, using your template or ours. Files are shared with the partner factory only as needed to manufacture the part, and are deleted on the schedule described in our Privacy Policy — 90 days after the project closes, or earlier on written request.

8. Limitation of liability

Our liability for a defective part is limited to the value of the affected order line — remake, repair or refund at our option. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, including lost profit, lost production, recall costs or penalties, except where the law does not allow that limitation.

Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

9. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction], and the courts of [Jurisdiction] have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, unless a mandatory consumer protection rule in your country provides otherwise.

10. Changes and contact

We may update these terms from time to time; the version in force for your order is the one published when the order was accepted. Questions about a specific order should go to hello@solveproto.com. Business hours are Mon–Sat 09:00–18:00 GMT+8.