There are a number of different factors to consider when you’re trying to choose a metal stamping vendor. A number of these specialist suppliers have sprung up over the last several decades, which makes the selection process a little more difficult. However, by following the guidelines below, you should be able to choose a reliable metal stamping vendor that’s right for your company.
Supplier Capacity
One of the first things you should think about in choosing a metal stamping vendor is their overall capacity. Some vendors will only deal with a very large volume customers, and if you happen to be a relatively small business or possibly even an individual inventor, you may have difficulty finding the right partner for your needs. When considering the capacity of a potential partner, you should ask a metal stamping vendor candidate what their primary performance capacity generally is. After this, you should ask if the project you have in mind is a good fit for their specific capacity level.
Capabilities and Services
One of the most important things you can find out about a potential metal stamping vendor candidate is what their specific capabilities and services are. Stamping of course will be one of their capabilities, but can they also do coining, piercing, shallow draw stamping, progressive stamping, and any other process of interest to you? As you can see, it’s very important to understand exactly which kind of services are provided by a metal stamping company, especially since some companies offer ancillary services which can lower delivery costs and turnaround time.
Some good questions to ask of your metal stamping candidate would be whether or not they have the capabilities to meet the requirements of the project you have in mind, as well as what specific services they offer which might benefit your company in general. Next, you should find out what their material capabilities are, and whether they are using the most current EdgeCam and AutoCAD software. Finally, be sure to find out what the testing procedures are for material hardness, as well as their procedures for non-destructive testing and destructive testing.
Track Record of Deliveries
Another important thing to find out about your metal stamping vendor is what their track record is for deliveries. Any really good metal stamping vendor will be able to provide documentation to you which shows that they meet the deadline requirements of their clientele. You should ask to see this documentation, rather than just accept their assurances of meeting deadlines, and you should ask about their policy for providing on-time deliveries, in the event that there might be supply chain disruptions.
High-Quality Practices
Probably one of the things you should be most concerned about with your metal stamping vendor candidate is their commitment to producing high-quality goods. Any good vendor who is committed to quality production will have programs in place which can help accomplish that, for instance process controls, capacity studies, and various quality assurance programs.
To find out more specifics about their commitment to high quality, you should ask if they’re aware of the industry standards which apply to the manufacturing for the parts you want made. You should also inquire about how often they perform maintenance on their tooling, as well as how they test the parts produced in their facility. It would be good to know how they document the results of their quality testing, as well as the specific kinds of quality assurance measures which are in place, so as to minimize defects and prevent mistakes.
Velocity Metalworks is recognized as a valued partner in the metal stamping industry for our strong Tool Design and Build competency. This, combined with our metal stamping capacity, precision machining services, and EDM capability make us a full service provider that can deliver value in your tooling and stamping needs. Contact us today to see how we can help you work even better.
