Category: Manufacturing

What Projects Need CNC Manufacturing?

CNC Machining, Manufacturing
M&M Automatic Haas CNC Turning Machine

When you’re making plans for your next production or prototype project, you may be wondering where you’ll get the custom parts you need to manufacture your products, or generally what projects need CNC manufacturing? That’s where a company like M&M Automatic Products comes into the picture. Providing high-quality parts—such as screw machine components—on time is our speciality. The next time you’re planning out your next product, consider if it will need CNC manufacturing.

Production Projects with Custom Parts

When you need to keep costs down and still receive your custom screw machine parts on time—which could include nozzles, fasteners, spacers, connectors, seals, or precision shafts, contact M&M Automatic Products. We know that the custom parts you need can’t always be manufactured in a cost-effective way at your own site, so that’s why we specialize in making custom screws, bolts, and much more. We have produced custom parts for industries all over the board—we have served clients in the aerospace, automotive, restaurant, and medical industry, plus countless others. When you’re selecting a CNC manufacturer, hone in on the quality of parts used, how the prices compare to competitors, and how fast of turnaround is available. Whether you’re looking for custom machined parts (bushings, spacers, connectors), custom parts made of metal, brass, steel, or a custom machining and screw machine shop, know that M&M can produce the parts you need.

Prototype Projects and Screw Machining

Custom parts are often a necessity for prototype projects. You may not be sure exactly what parts are needed for your prototype—that’s when it’s time to get in touch with a CNC manufacturer. Regardless of the complexity or variety of materials required, the right CNC manufacturer will work with you to transform your prototype to production. CNC milling machines at M&M Automatic Products are capable of running multiple types of materials, including carbon alloys, aluminum, brass, stainless steel, and plastics. Even if you don’t have all the details of your prototype project finalized, a good CNC manufacturer will help you narrow down your best material options that fit within your budget. With M&M CNC manufacturing, you can purchase custom pieces for your prototype. Prototype projects typically require 100–1,000 pieces. Take advantage of working with a company that can not only work with you to develop your ideal prototype, but can work with you if you want to start larger-scale production of custom parts. Because we work with clients of all sizes, you can enjoy the seamless transition of taking your prototype to production because we will already understand your needs and project parameters.

Whom to Entrust Your Production or Prototype Project?

Whether you’re ready for a large scale production of custom parts, or looking to start out with a prototype project, be particular about the CNC manufacturing you partner with for your project. Here at M&M Automatic, we understand the need for your project to stay on cost. We offer the lowest and most competitive pricing possible for your custom parts, and are flexible to the turnaround time you need to complete everything on time. Learn more about how to select a CNC manufacturer. If you’re ready to work with a cost-efficient and knowledgeable CNC manufacturer, request a quote today for your project.

How to Select a CNC Machining Company

CNC Machining, Manufacturing
How to Select a CNC Machining Company

When selecting a CNC machining company for your project, it’s essential to do your research and be willing to make some phone calls in order to choose the company that’s best suited for your needs. Take a look at the tips below on how to select a CNC machining company.

1. Examples of Previous Work are Available

Whatever the project is that you have in mind, you likely have a blueprint of the parts that need to be produced. In turn, your CNC machining company will use that blueprint to create a prototype for you to approve. Take note of the quality of the prototype, and ask for examples of their work for other clients. You probably have a budget in mind for your parts production, so ensure that the quality of the CNC machining company’s previous work are up to your standards and expectations. Ask for customer testimonials, and consider reaching out to previous clients to get first-hand reviews of their work, and to know if they were pleased.

2. Use the Prototype Process to Gauge the CNC Machining Company

Throughout the process of communicating your design, you not only want a product that meets your company’s standards and stays within budget, you also want to partner with a CNC machining company that is easy to work with on a project. Use the prototype process to gauge how easy it is to communicate with them, if they listen to your needs, if they stick to deadlines, and overall—do you enjoy working together? If the CNC machining company meets your needs through the prototype process, they’re more likely to be a good fit when you’re sorting out large orders with them.

3. Is the CNC Machining Company Flexible to Your Needs?

When you’re wondering how to select a CNC machining company, look for one that is flexible to your changing needs, deadlines, and budget. Work with a company that will help you understand which materials are best suited to your project, and are willing to try something new in order to meet your quality standards. Be wary of companies that get bogged down by process logistics. A good CNC machining company understands that expedited orders are sometimes necessary and will work with you to get you the parts you need on your schedule.

4. Work with an Experienced CNC Machining Company

The length of time the CNC machining company has been in business is a testament to how well their products and services met their customers’ needs. Look for a CNC machining company that thoroughly understands your request, and has years of service under their belt. Working with an experienced CNC machining company will ensure that you receive exactly what you want and to the quality standards you expect.

If you’re interested in working with a CNC machining company with 20 years of experience, and is focused on providing you the high-quality parts for your business needs, contact us today. Take a look at the offer below to learn even more about what to look for in a CNC machining company.

Top Manufacturing Cost-Reduction Strategies to Try Today

Manufacturing
M&M Automatic Turning Machine

No matter what industry you’re in, manufacturing parts (internally or outsourced) can take a big toll on a company’s budget. Thankfully, there are experts that have been in the industry for decades now that know what it takes to keep your costs low and your profit high. Try these cost-reduction strategies to keep your manufacturing costs at bay.

Improve Your Process

From overhead costs (if you’re manufacturing internally) to forgetting to solidify a process of working with another company to stay in-budget and on time (if outsourcing manufacturing), there are many ways that companies get tripped up, costing them in the long run.

If you have the resources to produce your own parts, keeping a close eye on your overhead costs, such as building costs, administrative costs, storage costs, etc.. Re-evaluate regularly to reduce the amount of unnecessary money going out.

On the other hand, if you need to outsource your manufacturing, setting a clear, defined plan and design will reduce the amount of time that you spend going back and forth with the manufacturing company and making changes during billed time. Also having a point-person is essential to making sure everything stays on task.

Manufacture in Bulk

There can be many benefits to blanket orders, but the biggest benefit is that your labor costs of either manufacturing internally or the costs of hiring an external manufacturing company to manufacture your parts or components will significantly decrease. From an internal standpoint, all your time, resources and staff will be used at one time instead of spread across multiple time frames, and you get the same benefit when outsourcing, reducing startup time and labor which only adds to the bottom line.

Rethink Your Materials

Some materials like titanium or steel cost more to purchase and can take more time to manufacture with than other materials like polymers or certain alloys. Reworking your manufacturing design to substitute more cost-effective materials, while still maintaining the integrity and strength of your parts is one of the best ways to cut manufacturing costs.

Work With a Qualified Manufacturing Team

Let’s face it – whether you manufacture in-house or outsource, a lot of time, energy and resources can and have been wasted by utilizing a team that is not equipped for the job. To solve this, it’s crucial to either have the right trained machinists and engineers in place to efficiently and cost-effectively manufacture in-house or make sure you do your research first to ensure that you choose the right company that is going to fit your specific needs.

What are the Different Types of Manufacturing Entities: Toll, Contract, Full-Fledged

Contract Machining, Manufacturing
M&M Automatic Manufacturing Floor

When you outsource your contract manufacturing, you typically are faced with determining which one of three types of manufacturing entities will fit your manufacturing needs. Depending on your circumstances and project requirements, you’ll want to evaluate if you’ll need a toll manufacturer, contract manufacturer or full-fledged manufacturer.

Toll Manufacturer

Materials, goods, inventory and selling risks are assumed by the organization that hires a toll manufacturing company (you in this case). Under this type of situation, the toll manufacturer provides the plant, machinery and labor force to manufacture parts, and you must provide all materials and goods necessary for manufacturing. You also would hold ownership of all intangible assets such as patents and designs and assumes all selling risks.

You can count on paying a toll manufacturer on a routine basis.

Contract Manufacturer

This type of manufacturer is the body that owns the plant and machinery and provides the labor to operate the machinery – similar to a toll manufacturer. You would have access to the company’s resources (plant, machinery and machinists) to make your parts and components, and you ultimately assume the risk of selling the goods. Similarly, a contract manufacturer would also be paid on a routine basis.

What makes contract manufacturers different from toll manufacturers is that they source and supply the materials necessary to manufacture the parts.

Full-Fledged Manufacturer

A full-fledge manufacturer is the most involved of the three types. This company is responsible for providing the space, machinery and team to manufacture the parts, as well as, all materials and goods necessary for production. Ultimately, this type of manufacturer assumes all risks associated with selling the products and has rights to intangible assets such as designs and patents.

How to Speed up Manufacturing Processes When Outsourcing

Manufacturing
M&M Automatic Machine Sparks

The manufacturing industry relies heavily on deadlines both from a customer perspective as well as an outsourced manufacturing company perspective. Here are some tips we’ve come up with over the years to help you speed up the manufacturing process so you can meet your deadlines more efficiently and get your products into your customer’s hands faster.

Tips for Speeding up the Manufacturing Process

Maximize Your RFQ Information

The more information that you disclose when you request a quote from a manufacturing company, the less time the company has to spend asking questions and you answering questions to get all the necessary information to produce an accurate quote.

Avoid Solidworks Document Formats

More often than not, when a design is submitted from Solidworks, it lacks the proper dimensions to quote the project. When you submit your RFQ, make sure you include your dimensions in your design, otherwise the manufacturing company will spend more time getting that information from you further delaying the quoting and manufacturing process.

Communicate Timelines

Simple, but important – clearly communicating your timeline is crucial to getting your parts into your hands when you need them. Whether you’re in need of an expedited timeline or not, when you’re up-front and clear about when you need your parts, the manufacturing company can readily meet and often exceed those deadlines.

Supply Materials

Ordering materials to use in the manufacturing process is a normal, daily activity for outsourced manufacturing companies, but one that can take a lot of time. If you are able supply the materials you would like to use for your parts, it could shave a lot of preliminary, set-up time off speeding up your manufacturing.

If you aren’t sure what materials to use, this article might be helpful »

Provide the Right Gauges

Every part is unique and often requires speciality gauges in order to ensure that the parts are exact to specifications. Instead of relying on the manufacturing company to order the necessary gauges to test your parts, provide your own gauges from the start to further speed up the process.

From supplying the right information in your RFQ to providing the materials you need to manufacture your parts with, there are a variety of ways you can help expedite the manufacturing process to get your parts into your hands quicker.