← Manufacturing InsightsLogistics & fulfillment / By Evan Hayes

Logistics & fulfillment

Shipping at any scale.

From a single prototype to a full production run, Xeon NC manufactures it all — and ships it all. Small parcel, LTL freight, or full truckload, we match the right mode, packaging, and carrier to your order so it arrives intact and on budget.

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Long-exposure light trails running down the center aisle of a large logistics warehouse
01 Small parcel02 LTL freight03 Full truckload04 One workflow

The package / Onshape packing concept

Packaging,
designed like a part.

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Exploded Onshape model of a carton: a lid, foam end blocks, and a separator around a blue formed bracket, above a pad and the carton base
Lid, end blocks, separator, part, base. Because the part's geometry and material are already known, the package around it can be sized and specified the same way the part was.
01 / Separate

Isolate every part.

Parts are nested and separated so edges, bends, and finishes never rub in transit.

02 / Protect

Brace the load.

Pads and blocks hold the parts in place inside the carton or crate.

03 / Size

Calculate, don't guess.

Packaged weight and dimensions come from the part data, keeping dimensional weight down.

An illustrative packing concept modeled in Onshape. Actual packaging is chosen per order.

01 / One shop, every scale

Making the part is only half the job.

Getting it to your dock — undamaged, on time, and without overpaying for freight — is the other half. At Xeon NC, both happen under one roof.

Because we manufacture across the full range — one-off prototypes through high-volume production — we ship across the full range too. The same order data that drives the laser and press brake also feeds our shipping logic: part geometry, material, weight, and packaging all flow into one controlled workflow that picks the smartest way to get your parts to you.

1 part
Smallest order we ship
3 modes
Parcel, LTL, truckload
1
Workflow from CAD to carrier
0
Re-sourcing as you scale
02 / The shipping spectrum

Three modes. Chosen per order.

There's no single "right" way to ship metal — it depends on how much you're moving and how far. We work across three modes and choose between them on every order.

Matching the mode to the order
ModeBest forWhy it works
Small parcelPrototypes and low volume: single parts and small batches that fit in a box.Ground or expedited courier. The fastest, most economical path for prototypes.
LTL freightProduction, palletized: too big for parcel, not enough to fill a trailer.You share the truck, and the cost, with other freight.
Full truckloadHigh-volume production runs bound for one destination.A dedicated trailer: lowest cost per part at volume, direct transit, minimal handling.
Xeon NC illustration: a US map and line drawings of a box truck, titled Shipping logic at any scale
Shipping logic / One controlled workflowOrder data, part geometry, material, weight, packaging, and carrier logic, all feeding one process.

One workflow, the right mode. The mode that ships your order is the one that's genuinely best for it, not just whatever's easiest.

03 / Small parcel

Prototypes, at bench speed.

When you're iterating on a design or ordering a handful of parts, speed and simplicity win. Small-parcel shipping via standard ground or expedited courier gets a prototype to your bench quickly, without freight overhead.

A labeled cardboard carton riding a roller conveyor between warehouse shelves
Small parcel / Door-to-doorTracked, fast, and priced per package: the right fit for low quantities.
  • Best forOne-off prototypes, first articles, and small batches that fit safely in a carton.
  • Why it worksDoor-to-door tracking, fast transit, and per-package pricing that makes sense for low quantities.
  • ProtectedParts are deburred, separated, and packed so edges and finishes survive the trip.
04 / LTL freight

Production, palletized.

Once an order outgrows a parcel — heavier batches, larger parts, or multiple boxes that belong on a pallet — LTL (less-than-truckload) freight takes over. Your shipment rides alongside other freight, so you only pay for the space and weight you use.

A crate of finished laser-cut and formed parts with Xeon NC paperwork, on a pallet in front of a TRUMPF TruBend 5170 press brake
Palletized / A real Xeon NC orderFinished parts laid out, separated, and crated on a pallet, ready to leave the shop floor.
  • Best forProduction quantities that fill one or several pallets, but not a whole trailer.
  • Why it worksPalletized handling protects the parts, and shared trailer space keeps cost well below a dedicated truck.
  • PredictableFreight class, zone, and transit time are known up front. See where your destination falls on the LTL shipping zones map.
05 / Full truckload

High volume. The trailer is yours.

For large production runs, a dedicated truckload is the most efficient way to move parts. The trailer is yours end to end, which means the lowest cost per part at volume, the least handling, and direct point-to-point transit.

Illustration of a blue Xeon building with loading docks and delivery trucks in a snowy landscape
Illustration / Dock to destinationNo terminal transfers, fewer touches, one trailer from our dock to yours.
  • Best forHigh-volume orders and recurring production releases bound for a single destination.
  • Why it worksNo terminal transfers, fewer touches, and the best rate per pound once you're filling a trailer.
  • ScalableAs your volumes grow, the shipping plan grows with them — no change of supplier required.
06 / How we optimize

The savings are in the details.

Choosing parcel, LTL, or truckload is only the start. Because shipping is wired into the same platform that runs the shop, the details are handled with the same precision as the parts themselves.

Line drawing of formed parts nested into a compact stack, with dimensioned top and side views of the packed layout
Packing / Nested and dimensionedParts nested into the smallest safe footprint. The packed size is drawn from the geometry, so it's known before anything is boxed.
  • Weight & dimensions from the partGeometry and material are already known, so packaged weight and size are calculated, not guessed.
  • Smart packagingParts are nested, separated, and crated to protect edges, bends, and finishes while minimizing dimensional weight.
  • Carrier & mode logicThe workflow compares modes and carriers against your destination zone to balance cost against lead time.
  • ConsolidationMultiple parts or line items are combined into the fewest, safest shipments wherever it lowers cost.

The goal: parts that arrive intact, on schedule, and at the lowest defensible freight cost for the scale you're ordering at.

07 / Prototype to production

One partner, from the first box to a full trailer.

The advantage of manufacturing and shipping at every scale under one roof is continuity. Prototype with us today, scale to production next quarter, and grow into truckload volumes — all without re-sourcing, re-qualifying parts, or rebuilding a supply chain.

Illustrative production rampParcel LTL TruckloadSame shop / same parts / no re-sourcing
  1. Prototype.A first article ships small parcel to your bench.
  2. Production.Approved parts move to palletized LTL as quantities grow.
  3. Volume.Recurring releases to one destination fill a dedicated trailer.

The parts stay consistent because the shop stays the same. The freight scales with you because the shipping logic was built to.

Planning a production ramp? Tell us your projected volumes and destinations in your quote and we'll map the most cost-effective shipping path from your first prototype through full production.

Whatever volume you're at, we can manufacture it — and optimize how it gets to you.

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