Xometry Helps Global Tech Company With Fast Prototyping, Specialty Material Sourcing for Data Centers
A leading technology company found a total supply chain solution with Xometry when it needed to create dozens of prototype parts for AI data center rack enclosures.
As global data center capacity is projected to double by 2030, technology providers are racing to deploy hardware that can handle unprecedented thermal and electrical loads. Faced with the challenge of prototyping rack enclosures and other AI data center components made of highly conductive metals, a leading global technology company turned to Xometry. With its expansive global network of manufacturing suppliers, Xometry was able to provide all the necessary processes and materials on one platform.
The Challenge: Specialty Materials and Prototype Bottlenecks
The data center solutions provider faced a significant hurdle in the development of custom rack enclosures for its high-performance housings. To meet the demands of modern computing, these racks require enclosures manufactured from top-of-the-line heat-conducting metals to manage thermal output effectively. In addition to being made from copper, the CNC-machined rack parts are also plated in gold or silver to increase their conductivity. This multi-step process, plus the fact that the order required additional sheet metal and 3D-printed parts, meant the customer lacked the internal capacity to produce the parts in-house. Without a reliable way to source the necessary materials and manufacture the parts, the company's timeline for scaling its data center offerings was at risk of stalling.
The Solution: A One-Stop Shop for Precision Manufacturing
Xometry addressed these complexities by serving as a "supply-chain-as-a-service" partner, providing a single platform to source every component. Leveraging its global network, Xometry delivered a multi-process solution that included:
- Precision manufacturing: A mix of CNC-machined components, 3D-printed prototypes, and custom-cut sheet metal
- Specialty material sourcing: Xometry sourced copper 101, a high-conductivity alloy, and managed the secondary finishing processes — including gold and silver plating — to further enhance the performance of the final parts
- Future-proofing: Xometry is currently working to secure copper with a Residual Resistivity Ratio (RRR) of 100, a high-purity material that is ideal for superconducting applications. Thanks to Xometry’s integrated project management, the customer will be able to transition to RRR 100 copper seamlessly once the supply is finalized.
The Results: Seamlessly Scale From Prototype to Production
By utilizing Xometry’s total supply chain solution, the technology company has gained the agility to prototype and iterate on its designs with unmatched speed. The customer ordered 70 prototype parts between May 2025 and May 2026, tweaking each design slightly to test different configurations and plating material thicknesses.
As the customer prepares to move from the prototype phase to full-scale production, Xometry’s on-demand capacity — spanning over 20 manufacturing processes and thousands of global suppliers — ensures a seamless transition. Xometry works with hundreds of data center original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and is uniquely positioned to help the industry’s top suppliers meet the growing demand for precision-engineered components, ensuring the backbone of the digital world remains resilient and scalable.