The Overboat, A Flying Watercraft Built With Xometry

Black Tea Motorbikes, a Munich-based startup founded in 2020, builds retro-inspired electric Café Racer motorcycles with production in Bavaria. With Xometry's sheet metal fabrication and CNC machining, they produce complex multi-bend frame components requiring tight design tolerances. Parts are ordered in small batches of 20 units, enabling flexible production scheduling and optimized cash flow.

Warwick Moto, a University of Warwick student team, is developing Aurora, an electric superbike for Isle of Man TT. With Xometry's 5-axis CNC machining, they produced aluminum nodes for an industry-first carbon tube subframe housing an electric inverter. The 1.3kg subframe weighs 1.5kg less than standard parts, achieved through over 100 design iterations and FEA analysis.

Xometry has provided us with great support in the CNC manufacturing of our MCU prototype enclosures … ensuring the right high-quality parts are delivered to the right location in record times on a very direct and personal basis.

We obtained around 3200 sheet metal parts and they were perfectly within tolerance. As a student team supplied entirely by partnerships, we were especially satisfied with the cost-quality ratio provided by Xometry.

Our development process begins with extensive brainstorming of potential shapes and sealing methods. 3D printing plays a key role at this stage, allowing us to quickly test different designs before determining the final production materials. Since the final materials are too costly and time-consuming for early prototype stages, we focus on creating small-scale test models in-house, then produce large prototypes through Xometry to ensure convenience and accuracy.

In the past, developing non-standard devices was always complicated by the issue of tolerance matching between externally purchased standard parts and custom-machined components. Xometry's one-stop solution perfectly solved this pain point: they not only handled the complex metal 3D printing and sourcing of components but also delivered a finished product that had undergone precision assembly and adjustment. What we received was a functionally ready component that met our precision requirements. This efficient and worry-free delivery experience is exactly what R&D personnel need.

The Horological Society continuously balances its respect for traditional craftsmanship with an openness to modern innovation. One such innovation is the use of 3D printing, which has become an invaluable tool for prototyping clock components in plastic. By sourcing high-quality 3D-printed parts through Xometry, we should be able to test designs efficiently before committing to metal production. This approach allows us to refine intricate mechanisms like gear assemblies with minimal waste and cost.

We were pleasantly surprised by Xometry’s cost performance, production speed and product quality. We have encountered manufacturers with lower quoted prices before, but we gave up after initial contact.

Such suppliers end up costing far more time negotiating part details and following up on constant delivery delays, resulting in a much higher comprehensive cost in the end. Reliable quality control and fully traceable order progress greatly reduce communication overhead — this is our most genuine experience working with Xometry.

Xometry’s high-quality and fast delivery exceeded our original expectations. We inspected the components right after unboxing and were genuinely impressed. This was our first time using an on-demand manufacturing platform for custom production. The whole process was smooth with timely response. They solved our problems efficiently and removed all worries for our subsequent custom design work.

For the physical prototype, I selected Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) using PA12 nylon. This combination offered the durability and dimensional accuracy I needed, while being light enough to preserve the model’s integrity and strong enough to handle repeated use. I ordered the parts through Xometry’s on-demand manufacturing service, which allowed me to test my designs without investing in a printer or tooling—a crucial advantage when working with small volumes and evolving prototypes.

UCL Racing's Mars Rover team developed an airless flexible wheel for the European Rover Challenge, competing on a simulated Martian surface. With Xometry's SLS 3D printing and engineering feedback, they produced six wheels from EOS TPU 1301 (Shore 86A) with a radial honeycomb lattice structure. The final design meets 220mm diameter and 120N load requirements, featuring symmetric tread pattern and integrated motor mount.

Emiel, an aerospace engineering graduate and creator of "The Practical Engineer" YouTube channel, built two magnetic coupling prototypes: magnet-to-magnet and magnet-to-copper using eddy currents. With Xometry's laser cutting service, he sourced copper plates of 3mm and 6mm thickness, discovering that the copper version enables smooth, self-regulating, non-contact torque transfer with 8mm gap capability.