When it comes to picking the right fabricator for your job, a big decision is being made. Choosing the correct fabricator for your project can make or break its success and eliminate a number of delays and headaches in the process. This choice should not be taken lightly and there are a number of factors to be considered.
Materials
A number of different materials are available for fabrication depending on the project that you are working on. Many fabricators work in a specific material or type of material. For instance, a fabricator may specialize in working with specifically aluminum or steel, and another fabricator may work broadly with all metal. Still, yet another company may choose to work with engineering plastics or concrete. Some fabricators may work with a broad range of different materials. A broader range of materials is not a guarantee of better quality or a perfect fit. It is important to have an idea of the materials you are wanting to use to ensure your options and choice meet your needs.
Design
As the design is one of the first stages in the fabrication and production process, it is also important to find a fabricator that fits into your design plans. Do you need a fabricator that can help you with the design phase of your project? Some do have staff and capabilities to help you from the ground up with your project. This will be helpful in ensuring that all files and such created in the process will be compatible and optimized for the production machinery.
If you are doing your design in-house, your fabricator may still have instrumentation that can assist you. Measurements or inspection can be costly for companies to acquire on their own. Also, when doing in-house design it is important to choose to work with a fabricating company that uses compatible file types and design programs. This is how you can eliminate slow and costly conversions that can cause unwanted delays and costs to be added to your timeline.
Capabilities
The capabilities of a fabricator are extremely important for your project. Not only must they be able to handle the material and design needs of your project. But they must also have the proper machinery to carry out the production of the final piece. Depending on your project, you could be needing milling, bending, cutting, etc. Also, you may be wanting them done in a specific manner like laser cutting as opposed to shear cutting. Ensuring that your fabricator can complete the desired methods is important to the project’s success and needs to be considered.
Communication and Location
Communication is key to all relationships, and the business partnership between your company and your fabricator is no different. Picking a fabricator that has contact hours that are convenient for your business and uses communication methods you prefer. Will make your project run more smoothly and comfortably. A great fabricator will also be able to talk to you about their capabilities. They will also be able to give you the timeline you can expect, and be able to give a reasonably accurate estimate of cost after hearing your needs.
Location is another key element for consideration. Choosing a fabricator that is located far from you because the cost seems lower, may actually generate a higher cost. Not only will communication be more challenging, but shipping large and/or heavy objects can be costly and slow. When choosing your fabricator costs of time and money need to be considered. Working with a local or regionally-located fabricator is often a benefit, they shouldn’t be ignored for a big name.
Here at Engineered Mechanical Systems, we would be happy to talk to you about our work and discuss how we can help you with your projects. Feel free to contact us via phone, email, or our website.