There is a lot that happens in the CNC machining world, many steps both big and small that happen between creating a prototype to a fully produced part. Nowadays, there are so many choices an organization has when it comes to a number of those steps. However, inserting a middle man into the process between prototyping and production can pose a very serious risk to your project and the final product you end up with. What seems like a good deal upfront can leave you starting from scratch if you’re not extremely careful. Not sure what we’re talking about? Let’s take a closer look.
It Might Look Like Savings
One of the largest reasons people choose to work with multiple partners from prototype to production is because of perceived cost savings and reduced turnaround time. Upfront, saving cash and getting your product faster might seem like a no-brainer win. Unfortunately, what you’re sacrificing for those two gains is often not worth it. There’s a chance that those savings could very quickly become sunk costs when you have to start from the beginning again.
Know What You Need
Middle men make it imperative that you have every single aspect of your project dialed in and ready to be communicated over and over and over again. What’s more, you may have to learn the communication nuances of each partner you’re working with. Though it would be nice to assume that specs and project briefs will be deciphered by everyone the exact same way, the likelihood of that actually happening is incredibly small. When inserting middle men into the process, you have to communicate – and then re-communicate what you need, how you need it, and when you need it many times before you receive that final product.
In CNC Quality is Paramount
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over our decades of experience it’s this – when it comes to CNC machining, quality matters. Above all else, quality. Matters. The quality of materials used in the production process, the quality of the attention paid to details that can make or break the final product – it all matters far and away above the rest. When you work with a production partner that appears to save money and time upfront, you are almost always sacrificing quality. And in this industry, sacrificed quality can sometimes be as good as starting from square one. In the end, you spend even more and wait even longer than you would have if you had chosen a production partner that could get it right the first time.
Advantages of Prototype to Production
Over the years, we’ve watched many people have to suffer the middle man effect to their project’s detriment. It’s why we developed our Prototype to Production process. The efficiencies we created within this process save you time and money without costing you quality. We save time by knowing the project from prototyping through production. No knowledge has to be passed on or re-communicated. Because we see the project from start to finish, we have the benefit of a steady, clear stream of communication with you as well as stringent quality assurance that is applied every step of the way.
Finding a partner that you can trust to take your project from prototype to production isn’t always easy, but if you take the time upfront to understand the specialization of any potential partners, you can save much more money and time than you would by utilizing a “middle man” in every project. Want to learn more about the SpecMaster Prototype to Production process? Give us a call today.