Shenzhen · Dongguan · Pearl River Delta
Prototype labs, CNC and molding shops, PCBA, finishing, NPI partners, test labs and the maker community of Shenzhen and Dongguan — in the order you'll need them. Gathered from public sources, with ownership and English support marked on every listing.
Every station explains what happens, what it roughly costs, how long it takes — and who in Shenzhen does it.
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Industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering. Get a real design-for-manufacturing review before you spend on tooling.
Lead2–8 weeks · 13 firmsLooks-like and works-like models: CNC, SLA, urethane casting. In Shenzhen this takes days, not weeks.
Lead3–10 days · 31 firmsBoard fab, SMT assembly, component sourcing — and Huaqiangbei for the parts you need tomorrow.
Lead1–3 weeks · 21 firmsGetting a mold made: steel grades, T1 samples, and making sure the tool is legally yours.
Lead3–6 weeks · 21 firmsThree builds with a contract manufacturer, each proving something different before mass production.
Lead6–16 weeks · 12 firmsFCC, CE, UL, CCC and battery transport — the Shenzhen labs that test and file.
Lead2–6 weeks · 9 firmsFactory audits, in-line and pre-shipment inspection, golden samples.
LeadOngoing · 12 firmsRetail boxes, inserts, manuals and labels, printed down the road from your factory.
Lead2–4 weeks · 9 firmsFreight forwarders, Hong Kong consolidation, and 3PLs that ship to your customers.
Lead1–6 weeks · 6 firmsAccelerators, IP protection, company setup and paying suppliers safely.
Orgs4 listedA hub for every process: how it works, typical cost and lead time, design mistakes to avoid, and a filtered list of shops.
数控
注塑
复模
打印
手板
钣金
压铸
硅胶
产品
检测
验货
采购Custom manufacturers that make parts and products to your design — with who owns them, how much English you'll get, and a link back to the source.
Foreign-owned, foreign-managed factory (Sofeast group) with English-speaking staff in every department
Dongguan · Chang'anEMC rectification: engineers help fix products that fail emissions tests, with lab rental for retests
Shenzhen · Bao'anDMG 5-axis and rows of 3-axis CNC in a 5,000 m² Chang'an base
Dongguan · Chang'anFirst Chinese testing and certification firm to list (ChiNext, 2009, 300012)
Shenzhen · Bao'anSister PCB and PCBA factories in the same Fuyong industrial park
Shenzhen · Bao'anBritish-owned: UK contracting company plus a licensed Shenzhen entity
Shenzhen · LonggangSwiss-listed Cicor Group's EMS plant in Dongguan
Dongguan · Dongguan (other town)Labels, nameplates and membrane switches under one roof
Shenzhen · GuangmingProprietary zinc multi-slide die casting, invented in 1936
Dongguan · DalangCan't find the right shop, or it only speaks Chinese? A sourcing agent or NPI partner can run the whole project for you.
Meetups, workshops, factory tours and festivals. There's always a next one, and it's always right here.
● Next meetup
Every Thursday · Shenzhen · Nanshan · Shenzhen's longest-running grassroots hackerspace holds an open project night every Thursday evening.
OCT-LOFT North (C2 Main Hub and LOFT Can) · Shenzhen · Nanshan
Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center · Shenzhen · Bao'an
Shenzhen
Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center · Shenzhen · Bao'an
Shenzhen
01Basics · 10 minThe custom packaging process explained for hardware founders doing their first retail box. Box structures, printing, finishes, inserts, samples, MOQs and lead times, plus the Chinese words factories use.
02Community · 10 minWhere makers and hardware founders actually meet in Shenzhen in 2026: makerspaces, the weekly hackerspace night, factory tours, incubators and the big annual events, plus what has quietly gone dormant.
03Basics · 10 minHow custom silicone parts like keypads, buttons, gaskets and seals are made, what hardness and key feel mean, compression molding vs LSR, and how to order them in Shenzhen and Dongguan.
04Choosing · 10 minThe three 3D printing processes most used for professional prototypes and small batches, explained in plain words. How each works, how the parts look and behave, and which one to choose.
Opening a mold
Commissioning a production tool (mold) from your final CAD. The point where design changes become expensive.
私模sī móPrivate mold
A tool you paid for and own; parts from it are only made for you.
手板shǒu bǎnPrototype (model)
A prototype part or model, today usually CNC-machined, 3D printed or cast, then finished.
打样dǎ yàngSampling
Making samples before a production order.
试产shì chǎnTrial / pilot production
A small production run (EVT, DVT or PVT) before mass production.
Next week's meetups, newly added companies, and one guide worth your time.