Customer-facing
Custom fabrication agreement
Production specification, materials, timeline, payment milestones, quality acceptance criteria, IP ownership of design files, and cancellation terms for in-progress orders.
Small fabricators and makers — vendor agreements, material sourcing terms, payment milestones, quality standards, and sublease arrangements for shared shop space. Free.
Free. No registration. No card. No catch.
What makes light manufacturing contracts different
Light manufacturing contracts need to address both sides: the customer-facing side (what you're building, delivery timelines, quality acceptance, payment milestones) and the supply side (materials sourcing, vendor reliability, cost escalation). Add shared workshop or sublease arrangements and you've got a set of legal needs that generic templates completely miss.
Production specification and acceptance criteria. Material sourcing responsibility. Cost escalation clause for raw materials. Quality inspection rights. Delivery timeline with delay penalty or grace period. IP ownership of design files and tooling. Sublease terms for shared shop space with equipment use rights.
Custom fabrication order, contract manufacturing agreement, material supply agreement, production retainer, shared workshop sublease, and co-maker space agreement.
BizDraft asks about what you're making, who supplies materials, how quality is accepted, payment structure (milestones or on delivery), and whether shared space is involved.
The light manufacturing stack
Generate per order type. Every production job starts with a signed agreement.
Customer-facing
Production specification, materials, timeline, payment milestones, quality acceptance criteria, IP ownership of design files, and cancellation terms for in-progress orders.
Contract mfg
Ongoing production for a client brand. Volume, pricing, lead time, quality standards, inspection rights, IP ownership (client owns the design), and tooling ownership.
Supply
Regular supply of raw materials or components. Pricing, delivery schedule, quality standards, lead time, substitution rights for equivalent materials, and force majeure.
Space
Sublease of shared fabrication or maker space. Permitted use, equipment access and maintenance responsibilities, safety rules, hours of access, and termination notice.
NDA
For sharing product designs, formulations, or production processes with a manufacturer or supplier before the main agreement is signed.
Common deal types
Custom order
Single custom piece or prototype. Fabrication agreement with production spec, 50% deposit, final payment on delivery, and acceptance criteria for the completed piece.
Production run
Producing a defined quantity of a product. Contract manufacturing agreement with unit price, total volume, lead time, quality inspection, and milestone payments.
Recurring
Regular production of a client brand's product. Monthly or per-batch pricing, volume commitment, lead time, quality standards, and 60-day termination notice.
Supply
Regular delivery of materials (metals, composites, components). Supply agreement with pricing, delivery schedule, quality standards, and cost escalation clause.
Space share
Subleasing part of a fabrication shop. Sublease with equipment use rights, maintenance responsibilities, permitted materials, safety requirements, and access hours.
The light manufacturing risk map
Client rejects delivered goods claiming they don't meet spec. Fix: quality acceptance criteria defined in the agreement before production begins, with an inspection process and defined remedy for non-conforming goods.
Raw material prices spike between quote and production. Fix: material cost escalation clause — fixed price for a defined period, then cost-plus with client approval above a threshold percentage.
Client cancels the order after you've sourced materials and started production. Fix: cancellation clause for in-progress orders — client pays for materials purchased and work completed to date.
Who owns the CAD files, tooling, or production drawings created for the job? Fix: IP clause specifying that client-provided designs remain client property; designs created by you for the client transfer on full payment.
Another maker in your shared shop damages your equipment or is injured. Fix: sublease agreement with equipment use responsibility, liability allocation, and insurance requirements for each occupant.
Your flow with BizDraft
Custom order, batch production, supply deal, sublease — BizDraft shapes the agreement around your work.
Production spec, materials, payment milestones, quality criteria, IP ownership, cancellation terms.
Adjust quality acceptance criteria, material cost terms, or IP clauses inline before downloading.
Word or PDF. E-sign and collect deposit before ordering materials or cutting anything. Done in five minutes.
Free. Built for how fabrication and manufacturing work actually runs.
Draft your agreement