Prototal Norway partnered with Norwegian company Rapid Rappel to support the development and scalable production of a compact tactical egress system. By using industrial 3D printing, Prototal enabled Rapid Rappel to maintain high and consistent quality, iterate designs efficiently, and scale production quickly—without large upfront investments. The result is a proven product now gaining traction in both European and US markets.
Customer Context: Rapid Rappel
Rapid Rappel, based in Stjørdal near Trondheim, Norway, designs and manufactures compact egress systems for unplanned vertical descents. Unlike traditional rope equipment, which is often bulky and left behind, Rapid Rappel’s solution is engineered for emergency evacuations, unexpected vertical access, and rapid deployment in the field.
The system provides operators with a lightweight, reliable alternative when speed, portability, and readiness are critical.
Customer Challenge
Since 2016, Rapid Rappel has continuously refined its product through extensive prototyping and multiple design iterations. To bring the system to market and support growth, the company needed a manufacturing approach that would allow:
- High and repeatable quality
- Fast scaling of production volumes
- Design iterations without costly retooling
- Product tailoring for different sectors and use cases
- Minimal capital investment
Traditional manufacturing methods would have limited flexibility and required significant upfront costs.
The Solution: Industrial 3D Printing for Scalable Manufacturing
Prototal Norway collaborated closely with Rapid Rappel to manufacture five critical components using industrial 3D printing at Prototal’s facility in Levanger.
In this case, 3D printing was chosen not primarily for geometric complexity, but for its strategic advantages in production and product development.
Why Industrial 3D Printing was the Right Choice
Prototal used industrial 3D printing to enable:
- Rapid scaling of production without tooling
- Consistent, high-quality components
- Fast design updates and refinements
- Product customization for different operational sectors
- Reduced financial risk during growth
This approach allowed Rapid Rappel to move efficiently from development into stable, market-ready production
Prototal’s Impact: Speed, Quality, and Confidence
By partnering with Prototal, Rapid Rappel gained a reliable manufacturing partner capable of supporting both innovation and production stability.
“Partnering up with Prototal meant faster delivery times, and I could be quite confident of the high consistency in quality. This has also allowed our product to meet the highest standards of performance and reliability” – Morten Mondahl, Founder and CEO at Rapid Rappel
Results
With Prototal as its manufacturing partner, Rapid Rappel achieved:
- Scalable production without major upfront investment
- Consistent quality across all produced components
- Ongoing design improvements supported by flexible manufacturing
- Successful market entry and international expansion
After 1.5 years on the market, the Rapid Rappel system is well established in Europe and gaining traction in the United States, reinforcing the company’s position as a global leader in tactical rappel equipment.
A Manufacturing Partnership Built for Scale
This collaboration illustrates how industrial 3D printing can be used as a strategic production method, not only for prototyping but also for stable, scalable manufacturing.
By combining close technical collaboration with flexible production capacity, Prototal supported Rapid Rappel in moving efficiently from product development to market-ready production — while maintaining consistent quality and the ability to adapt the design as requirements evolved.
Looking to Scale Your Product with Confidence?
Prototal supports companies from early development through scalable production—combining speed, flexibility, and industrial-grade quality.
Contact us to explore how additive manufacturing can support your next product.
