What to Look For When Choosing a Manufacturing Partner
Choosing the right manufacturing partner is crucial for developing a product of your own. Turning the finished design of your latest product into a physical item that can be packaged, sold, and used often requires the use of large-scale machinery to be handled efficiently.
Full-blown manufacturing processes differ from prototype manufacturing methods in that they are more rigidly defined and less adjustable once they have begun. To prevent issues from arising with manufacturing, it is important to pay close attention to your product’s design early on. However, your choice of manufacturing partner can prove to be just as important.
Read on to learn what makes some manufacturers a better choice for your business than others:
Capabilities
The capabilities of your chosen manufacturing partner can influence all aspects of your product’s design in addition to your business’s bottom line.
Custom machining services make it possible for a product or part to be adjusted to your unique specifications without requiring you to secure additional outsourced talent for minor modifications.
Manufacturing companies that offer this level of custom service can typically accommodate limited order sizes as well. This is especially useful if you need a single part or very few parts produced and would prefer not to have to commit to manufacturing an excessive amount of them.
Experience
Manufacturers with experience working in the exact materials you intend to use can make excellent partners, as can those who have produced parts and products similar to your own designs.
This is especially true for parts you intend to have produced through a specific plastic mold manufacturing process, such as rotational molding, blow molding, injection molding, etc.
It is also important for you to consider the materials you have in mind for your piece or product. For instance, there are many different types of plastics worth considering, including a wide range of commonly used thermoplastics. Each type has unique characteristics that can enhance or detract from the general quality of your finished part.
Pricing
Although pricing for your part’s production depends on the quantity you intend to have created, the specific manufacturing processes your chosen partner offers can directly impact your project’s overall costs to a large extent.
For larger volume, high upfront costs could prove to be best if the cost to produce individual parts decreases with time. If you only need a few parts made, then lower initial costs are likely to be a better fit. Manufacturers who specialize in the level of production you need are much better choices overall.
It is also important to factor in the level of quality control your chosen manufacturing partner offers. Great quality control may come at a higher upfront price, but the money it saves you on product recalls, defect amendments, and more can quickly make up for this.1
Handling the intricacies of your prototype manufacturing process is a lot easier to do with the help of a skilled and experienced partner. Here at Laszeray Technology, LLC, we offer flexible manufacturing services for projects of all sizes in addition to in-house tooling for design customization. We can partner with you to produce the exact product you have envisioned.
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