High-Mix, Low-Volume
Making complex metal products in small quantities proves to be challenging for many manufacturers. It is not easy to deliver a broad range of sophisticated products under pressure. It explains why so many manufacturers prefer to outsource high-mix, low-volume manufacturing to professionals. The best brand for this type of work in the region is none other than Contract Manufacturing Specialists of Michigan.
The trend of outsourcing is an understandable one. Job shops invest in the processes that enable them to meet the stringent regulatory requirements while delivering products to the market quickly. These manufacturers maintain high-quality standards while shrinking the costs of operation. More specialized processes and smaller quantities tend to create additional room for error. Lower quantities call for more frequent changeovers in the product line that can result in costly and inefficient utilization of labor and equipment in the product runs.
The best way to cushion yourself is by outsourcing the fabrication processes to the right job shop. The companies will give you the best services at the least cost. Contract manufacturers focus on their core competencies of innovative research and development, service, and design. No wonder there is a rise in outsourcing metal fabrication. It makes a lot of business sense to leave this work in the hands of professionals. The challenge could be how to choose the right high-mix, low-mix supplier for your needs. When you make the wrong choice, it can trigger hefty and unexpected manufacturing costs. Besides, poor product quality can result in a loss of clients. Here are some of the things that will help you to choose the best HMLV experts.
Define Your Expectations Clearly
Define and document the procedure that you expect the manufacturer to follow and the expected performance. You should also stipulate the system that you will use to evaluate the system of the supplier. This due diligence will pay off as it will make sure that the product you are outsourcing will be assembled well and that they will be delivered on time.
Select a committer of individuals that represent R&D, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, sales, marketing, finance, and regulatory affairs. Since you have already made the decision to outsource, the role of the committee should be choosing the very best supplier. Choose a service according to its expertise and customer service. The committee should choose the criteria for judging all the prospective suppliers. The most important thing is to choose engineers who will deliver the best quality products. The other important criteria are the compliance of the job shop with the regulatory requirements. Only choose a company that meets these key capabilities and qualities.
Choosing the right contract manufacturer requires a lot of time and you may need to travel to the manufacturer to inspect the facility. The committee should visit several suppliers to single out the ones that have the state-of-art facilities, meet deadlines, attention to quality, flexibility, and manufacturing capabilities. The committee members may be unable to handle all their regular responsibilities during this time. Therefore, it creates enough time for them to offer the best when choosing an HMLV professional.
The Technologies of the Prospective Supplier Should Mirror Your Own
This explains why you need to do a plant tour of the job shop. You will be able to compare that your product requires and your specific needs. Because you are looking for a long-term partner, the prospect should have the required technical capabilities, flexibility, that do match your requirements.
For instance, the best HMLV professionals must have the ability to change over product requirements and quickly converting assembly lines and add capacity that accommodates a greater volume. Engineering order changes are real hence you need to get a company that will promptly make changes without affecting the schedules and costs significantly. The best manufacturers use Lean concepts like maximum flexibility, efficiency, discipline 5S and cross-training, and standardization. The best contract manufacturer uses fast prototyping phases that enable the engineer to quickly perfect the products. The company can eliminate common production glitches by using the same machine to build prototypes and make finished products.
The best company will give you feedback during product development when changes are less costly or easier to implement. Some suppliers can help you find alternate parts and shorten the build cycles. Ask the supplier for examples of similar that he has done for other customers. Let the contractor explain to you how he has handled some of the challenges that come with metal fabrication. It will give you insights on his approach to sensitive issues and problems.
Quality is the Top Priority
Determine if the quality that the supplier offers is sufficient to manufacture the products that you want. Do a quick analysis to identify the gap between your quality and the capability of the company to deliver. It will also help you to test the final product. Test the supplier fully and don’t accept a failure rate of even 1%. Go for one that has a strong track record in regulatory compliance as it a critical indicator of quality. The company should give you documentation that it complies with ISO certification and FDA regulations. Personnel is another important indicator because the firm should attract and retain the best people. A company that is committed to quality has consistent training of its people at its heart.
Get to understand the turnover rate of the company and avoid the ones that have a high turnover. You need to get one that has high labor retention and low turnover. The contract manufacturer has to set and maintain rigorous quality standards for all the facilities in their location.
Active Partnership
You have to determine whether the contract manufacturer will actively partner with you as you introduce the products in the market. In other cases, you may want the job shop to simply build the design. Whatever that you decide on, make sure you capture the true capabilities of the supplier. It will help you prevent inefficient manufacturing as this can destroy customer relations and kill the product.
Modern contract manufacturers handle an increasing number of fabricated product requests. These companies are at the forefront of high mix, low volume manufacturing. These experts make a great mix of products than ever before. The manufacturers have developed industry-specific manufacturing processes and can manufacture several metal products. There are some manufacturers who are willing to help you introduce your products to the market apart from producing it.
Determine how the Manufacturer Ensures Business Continuity and Reliability
The company should have the capacity to keep the production continuing at all the time. Look at the quality assurance system that the manufacturer has in place and the relationship it has with the distributors and suppliers. He should also have an enterprise resource planning system for identifying and correcting bottlenecks. You want to make sure that your order will not delay because of factors that are either internal or external to the firm.
Don’t Just Purchase on Price
Most people who want to outsource high-mix, low-volume manufacturing make this mistake. Even though the cost is an important consideration, quality supersedes it. Users prefer high-quality products even if they will cost them slightly higher. Also, look at the total cost of trading with the manufacturer. It is also looking for the one that offers topnotch efficiency and minimal risk.
Therefore, don’t allow the temptation of going for the least expensive supplier to take control over you. The company should have the right knowledge and experience. Check at the rate of return of the company and the percentage of products that are launched on budget and on time. Go for one who launches on time is over 90% and a rate of return that is lower than 5%. These tips will help you to get the best contract manufacturing experts in the region. One of the brands that will not let you down is Contract Manufacturing Specialists of Michigan.
Given the quality of staff and equipment that we have, you can be sure of getting the best rates from our brand. To benefit from our services, feel free to call us today. We have a team that is ready to give you the best services all the time.
Our core offerings and services at Contract Manufacturing Specialists of Michigan includes, but is not limited to, the following below:
We service multiple cities throughout the state of Michigan. We provide all the services listed above, and much more in every city throughout Michigan.
If you don’t see your city listed or a specific service listed, don’t worry. All you have to do is contact us by either giving us a call or filling out our online contact form. Then we’ll discover what are some of the top solutions for you, your business, and executing a solid solution.
