Your Guide to Finding the Right Heavy Machining Company
There are over 17,000 machine shops in the United States alone so it is understandable that finding the right heavy machining partner may seem like an overwhelming task. There are various factors to consider when selecting a machining company so it is crucial that OEMs do their homework to identify the right one. In the end, you are not simply looking for a supplier, you are looking for a proven machining partner, like ABS, that has over 50 years of experience and can help your business grow. Below are some questions to help guide you to the right heavy machining company.
- Does the Partner Offer Design Services?: the design step is typically where the greatest efficiencies are achieved – the result being time and cost savings. Thus, it is crucial for OEMs to understand the design services offered by potential machining companies. Will they collaborate with you to offer design insight and recommendations based on their own experience and knowledge of industry best practices – or simply hand you the final design? Also, OEMs should strongly consider partnering with a company that values and has experience with Design for Manufacturing; this means the design and manufacturing teams are integrated to allow manufacturability issues to be identified and addressed during the design process – saving significant development time and money, and avoiding costly issues during manufacturing.
- Is the Quality Management Program Robust?: quality products are important and OEMs must ensure a partner is providing a reliable and dependable process. You must select a partner that provides high-quality parts and that stands behind their offerings. Additionally, you should have a discussion with potential partners on risk tolerance to ensure you are aligned. OEMs also need to ensure potential machining partners have quality professionals integrated within the entire manufacturing process. At ABS, quality is the key driver and is an integral part of every process we undertake, and our quality team works hand in hand with our manufacturing and engineering teams to ensure quality is part of every decision we make.
- What Solutions are Offered?: not all machine shops offer the same solutions. You need to be clear on the requirements for your project and if a potential partner offers solutions that meet your needs. Keep in mind that partners with a broad range of offerings are better positioned to provide support as your business grows over time. Additionally, ensure potential partners are using advanced technologies such as CNC machining and 5-axis machining. Generally speaking, the use of state-of-the-art equipment leads to higher quality and more consistent machined parts. ABS is known for its capital investment initiatives in order to provide customers with the most advanced facilities and technologies. Additionally, ABS maintains a massive fleet of machinery comprised of dozens of duplicate pieces of equipment. This redundancy allows ABS to offer unparalleled versatility, nimbly adjusting operations as necessary to accommodate fluctuations in customer needs.
Looking for a proven heavy machining company you can trust?
Contact the team at ABS to learn about our state-of-the-art facilities and advanced machining solutions.
- Can the Machine Shop Meet Your Specifications?: most OEMs have unique and specific part specifications and it is important that potential machining partners understand and comply with those specifications. Simply put, there is a heavy machining company available that can fabricate your part without significant specification sacrifices. Partners should readily collaborate with OEMs, providing alternatives to specification challenges as well as design suggestions to save time and money. If this collaboration is not happening, you have not found the right machining company.
- What is the Projected Turnaround Time?: there are many factors that impact the turnaround time for a given machining project including part complexity and machine shop work load. Very early in the discussions with potential machining companies, OEMs should clearly state the required timeline to ensure the partner has capacity. There is no need to continue discussions with a potential vendor who cannot meet your time constraints. The best approach to finding the right heavy machining company is to select a partner that produces high quality parts at a reasonable cost and timeframe.
- Are Value-Added Operations Available?: it is important to understand if the heavy machining partner offers value-add services beyond fabrication. For example, in addition to fabrication services, ABS offers assembly of machinery and sub-assemblies. Secondary operations offer significant value for OEMs such as streamlining production schedules, improving the consistency and reliability of the final product, and minimizing the number of suppliers involved in the manufacturing process. All of these steps improve efficiency - saving OEMs time, resources, and money.
ABS – Your Trusted Machining Partner
Established in 1971, ABS Machining has grown to become the recognized global leader in large 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.
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