How can you pinpoint a superior precision machining partner? It starts with checking out what happens behind shop doors. Ask them about the following critical aspects of their business….
Is Their Shop’s Equipment The Right Fit For Your Parts?
Machine shops are often tasked with machining cast parts to ensure that they meet requirements for shape, design, and accuracy. If you have a complex part and the shop has old machines, they are probably not a good fit for you. If you have a simple part and the shop only has high tech equipment, they are probably not a good fit for you. Inspecting the equipment of a partner for your precision machining parts is a crucial consideration.
Look For Industry Expertise And Experience
When you are considering a machining supplier, their capabilities are only part of the story. Partnering with an organization that has a deep understanding of your industry, including applicable standards, will help your project succeed. If the potential supplier has worked on machined parts for other customers like yourself, they quickly understand how to navigate challenges during the machining process. They can also provide recommendations on how to improve part manufacturability.
Evaluate Lead Times
Another critical factor to examine when choosing precision machining services is lead times. Basically, you want to know whether a manufacturing partner can machine and deliver a part within your required timeframe. In most cases, quality machine shops will list their usual turnaround times; however, these vary based on the scale and complexity of your manufacturing job.
Consider Communication
Not too long ago, finding a manufacturing service partner involved combing through phone books, making calls, and collecting cost estimates. And there’s also the obvious language barrier with international precision manufacturing companies. Finding the right partner could therefore be very time-consuming. Today, however, thanks to advances in computer technology, communication is easier than ever. You could reach out to 20 rapid prototyping services in under an hour for quotes if you needed to.
Check For Certifications
When looking at a precision machine shop website look for the company’s certifications. AS9100 is a widely adopted and standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry. It was released in October, 1999, by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the European Association of Aerospace Industries. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is the integrated management of main business processes, often in real time and mediated by software and technology. ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system. The ITAR has a requirement for any company that manufactures and/or exports defense articles to register with them. Defense articles may include any hardware, technical data, and/or services related to an item that has been manufactured or modified for a military application. A superior precision machine shop will be able to put any prospective customer at ease by demonstration that thy have rock-solid processes in place and will be able to show their certification.
Check Out The Digital Capabilities
You will want to evaluate what technologies and systems they offer. This is important for several reasons. For one, if your part requires five-axis CNC machining, there is no point in starting discussions with a service that only has three-axis machines. Instead, check the service’s machine roster, usually listed on websites, to ensure they have the manufacturing equipment you need. How robust is the shop’s cybersecurity? Do they work with an IT company? The right precision machining partner will have taken careful steps to ensure customer data is protected at all times. Do they have a professional email address? Is their website easy to navigate? These are all green flags for taking the next step.
Kept Relationships
