The Value of Secondary Services for Heavy Fabrications
Secondary services, or value-added operations as they are often called, refers to services performed after a part is machined. These operations are common for heavy fabrication projects and nearly every machined part requires one or more of these services. Examples of secondary services performed by some machine shops include welding, kitting, assembly, and inspection.
When partnering with a single-source provider, like ABS, secondary services become an extension of the production process. This approach provides customers with a complete manufacturing solution, providing value by minimizing the number of vendors involved in the heavy fabrication and enhancing product quality. Single-source providers that offer various secondary services streamline manufacturing with continuous production line flow that reduces disruptions and improves efficiency - saving OEMs time and money.
Since every step in the manufacturing process builds upon the next, it is cost-effective to partner with a supplier, like ABS, that can start and end the project with you – from the concept and design phase through production and final assembly steps. At ABS, our precision CNC machining is complimented by our range of secondary services including welding, kitting, assembly, and inspection. ABS offers OEMs a one-stop-shop that strengthens their supply chain.
Why Secondary Services Make Sense for Heavy Fabrications
There are many advantages to secondary services, especially for heavy fabrications. Each of the benefits below results in manufacturing efficiencies, saving OEMs money, time and resources.
- Faster Speed to Market: secondary services offer OEMs a greater degree of control and minimize the risk of supply chain or process disruptions. Delays are avoided since OEMs no longer need to manage production and logistics schedules across multiple vendors – which is especially advantageous for heavy fabrications that are challenging to transport. These services streamline the production line, especially when combined with automation, allowing manufacturing to run seamlessly from CNC machining through fabrication and assembly as well as the necessary testing and inspections along the way. These services add efficiencies that result in decreased lead times and allow for quicker speed to market. For these reasons, as well as those noted below, secondary services save time and money - and make good business sense.
- Enhanced Product Quality: regarding quality, secondary services performed by the machining partner often result in higher consistency and reliability of the end product. Fewer vendors handling the product also eliminates the potential for a quality dispute between vendors. Lastly, since product flow is continuous and there is minimal “down-time” in between machining and the various secondary services, production moves faster and less inventory is required.
- Improved Communications: by consolidating your production and secondary services into a single supplier, your points of contact decrease from several to one. This allows for a central, more customized level of support. This will also inevitably improve and simplify your supplier communications, resulting in a better final product.
Looking for a proven machine shop that provides secondary services for heavy fabrications?
Contact ABS today to learn about our value-added secondary services such as assembly, welding, kitting, and inspection.
ABS Secondary Services
Since 1971, ABS has utilized the latest technology coupled with our highly skilled team to serve our clients. ABS has grown to become the recognized global leader in large machining, fabrication, and assembly for OEMs. Our team has the capability to produce parts without limitation to size – something that distinguishes us from the competition. In addition to our world class precision machining, we offer a range of secondary services. Below are more details on some of our secondary services including welding, kitting, assembly, and quality inspections.
Welding
Welding is an integral aspect of most heavy fabrications. Our welders are certified by CWB/AWS and ASME, and are fully trained on flux-core, gas metal, submerge arc, tig and stick electrode welding techniques. Individual customer requirements are followed and enforced in conjunction with our in-house certified weld inspectors. (CWI Level 2's). Additionally, complementing our hot wire tig cladding cells, our large installation of advanced sub-arc cladding cells allows us to offer heavy deposit welding of, Inconel 625, stainless steel and steel-on-steel applications. Visit our website for more details about ABS’ welding services for heavy fabrications as well as our robotic welding cells.
Kitting
Kitting is the process of collecting and organizing separate but related parts for future use in the manufacturing of a product. Kits may be stored until needed on the manufacturing assembly line or delivered directly to OEMs. There are many advantages to kitting such as improved productivity and faster delivery times as kits can be quickly retrieved when necessary. The use of kits also allows assembly line personnel to focus on more value-added tasks rather than searching in inventory for parts. Lastly, incorporating automation into the kitting process delivers even higher efficiency gains that result in more time and cost savings.
Kitting must occur where the part inventory resides so it makes sense to partner with a machine shop, like ABS, that can provide kitting as well as manufacturing. Additionally, for OEMs that rely on a contract manufacturer, pushing kitting to them is a natural step since kitting is the immediate upstream operation from assembly.
Mechanical Assembly
You will save both time and money if you choose our mechanical assembly service for your project. For every machining assembly project, a customized assembling procedure is developed to meet or exceed customer expectations. ABS offers extensive milling, turning, welding and assembly capabilities, all supported by professional management systems and state-of-the-art equipment with dedicated quality control.
We assemble custom products and help reduce your overall assembling cost for heavy fabrications based on your specifications. OEMs using our contract assembly services can lower their overall production costs as well as reduce lead-time to market. If you’re looking for a machining partner that you can trust for high quality and on-time delivery, ABS is your best choice. In addition to assembly, our sub- and final part assembly services include:
- Load Testing
- Function Testing
- Priming, painting and coating or parts and assemblies.
- Testing components using mechanical, electrical and NDT testing
- Onsite inspection including X-Ray, LPI, MPI
Quality Inspections
Our commitment at ABS is to provide continuous improvement and customer satisfaction with every service we offer. We achieve this by assuring that our processes, operations and employees all operate under the ISO 9001:2015 system of quality management. Reliable and repeatable inspection results for heavy fabrications are assured with highly experienced dedicated QC staff and comprehensive quality procedures, using state-of-the-art CMM technology in a purposely built QC room. Quality is part of our culture and not an afterthought. Using a strict quality control process, advanced technology, and a highly skilled experienced team, we are able to produce precision products that are second to none along with a professional and personalized level of service.
About ABS
Established in 1971, ABS Machining has grown to become the recognized global leader in large CNC machining, fabrication, and assembly for OEMs. The key to our success has been exceptional people, unparalleled facilities, and an unwavering commitment to quality. Our people are experts in their given field. Their expertise is matched only by their passion for serving our clients. We continue to invest in our people with education programs, cross training and in our internal accredited apprenticeship center.
Our facilities are state-of-the-art and we are equipped to serve our client’s requirements in:
Our massive fleet of machines and automated welding systems has delivered solutions to the most technically challenging projects. Our commitment to maintaining unparalleled facilities is evidenced by our renowned continuous capital reinvestment initiatives. Our commitment to quality goes well beyond our ISO 9001:2015 Registration. From the inception of all programs, ABS quality professionals work closely with each customer to ensure all their unique requirements are met or exceeded. It is this commitment that has positioned ABS as a strategic supplier to leading OEMs worldwide.
Contact us today to see how we can help with your machining project, or give us a call at 1-844-227-6224.
Machining Articles
CNC MACHINING · FABRICATION · ASSEMBLY
Precision Machining ↓
ABS offers a unique combination of medium to high volume production machining and welding services.
80 Large Advanced CNC Machine Tools
ABS is one of the largest and most advanced manufacturing companies in North America.
6 Plants with lifting capacity up to 160 Tons
The ABS 5-Axis machining department has been built from the ground up with our customers’ needs in mind.
Centrifugal and Turbo Machined Impellers
Fabrication & Quality Assurance ↓
Heavy Fabrication Mig, Tig, Flux Core, Sub Arc
Mig, Tig, Flux Core, Sub Arc
Inconel 625 Hotwire Tig
Inconel 625 Hotwire Tig
Quality Assurance & Control
Quality Assurance & Control