Many companies advertise they are available for prototype manufacturing. In comparison, there are those companies that are truly geared up for this specialized type of production. Determining if your current machining company should be involved in creating components for a prototype starts with comparing what they are offering with what other machining services are able to provide.
Certification
In specific industries, including for medical devices, in the aerospace, energy and the defense industries, it will be essential for the manufacturer of the components to be certified to the required standards. This also ensures they are providing all required documentation that will be required to obtain approval for the device before production can begin.
Minimum Order Requirement
Always verify the minimum order requirement for any prototype manufacturing service. The greatest cost per unit will be in the prototype stage. This is where the exact design specifications have to be developed by the machining company and the software design is completed.
Many companies will offer very low minimum orders, which is critical for a startup company or when the budget is a concern. Watch for companies that require a large order as this can be cost prohibitive even with lower setup costs.
Engineering Support
While the idea is in place, actually converting the concept into a fail-proof type of design and then manufacturing that component is the responsibility of the engineers at the machining company.
By talking to different precision machining services it is possible to get a feel for the level of support and service you can expect. Top machining services with experience in a specific industry can be instrumental in the quick development of the components of the prototype with fewer delays, technical problems or issues with adhering to the required standards.
Services Offered
For any type of manufacturing, including a prototype, the fewer outside companies that have to be involved the better. The more companies that are required to produce a given set of components the greater the risk of quality issues or in ensuring that parts are ready on schedule.
Look for companies for prototype development and manufacturing that can complete the component in-house and offer all the services that component requires. This will simply the manufacturing process as well as help to limit the cost of production.
In addition to just looking at the prototype manufacturing services offered, consider the technology in place by different machining companies. Those that offer full CNC machining with the latest state of the art equipment will be able to produce a single superior order or high-volume orders over companies using older equipment or using operator controlled machines or processes.
