Outsourcing any type of fabrication work can be a cost saving benefit to a manufacturing company. It is also a way to use metal fabrication specialists to complete some or all of the machining, assembly, finishing and required for a job, freeing up your in-house team to increase production.
The challenge with many large or small Original Equipment Manufacturers is to keep up with the technology required for CNC machining and precision cutting. This technology is not only costly, but it also requires trained machinists and fabricators for operation. By turning this over to companies specializing in these services, everything will be done according to your specifications and requirements.
Choosing the Company
Not all metal fabrication companies are the same. To help in selecting the right company from a list of available services, take the time to consider what you required. Some important considerations can include:
* Types of processes required (drilling, sawing, machining, etc.)
* The need for CNC machining
* The requirement for plasma or precision laser cutting
* Assembly of parts by the fabricator
* Pre-finishing and finishing of the metal
The more specific you are when discussing your needs, the more accurate the company can be in providing an estimate for the project.
Project Development Support
In addition, many of the best metal fabrication companies will provide their own project development services. This gives the opportunity for the project to be supported throughout the design stage to the development of the prototype and then onto production.
With this support by the fabricator, it may be possible to evaluate and consider different metals, different fabrication processes and even how to streamline production of the parts and components.
Not only can this be instrumental in cutting the cost per unit of production, but it can also eliminate the risk of errors or omissions by your in-house team. They may not have the extensive fabrication expertise to notice small issues that can cost money, but the fabrication specialists will.
