Transforming a concept into a high-quality sheet metal product requires the right fabrication partner on your side. Going from a rapid prototype to high-volume production requires a set of key steps for your fabrication partner to carry out, and it’s important to choose a strategic fabrication shop capable of ensuring top efficiency and top quality throughout their processes. Choosing a partner with rapid capabilities, efficient processes, and value-packed offerings will allow you to save time and money while beating the competition in quality.
Read on to explore our top tips for choosing the best partner for your needs and how Metal Works, Inc. can help.
Key Steps for Going From a Rapid Prototype to High-Volume Production
The sheet metal fabrication process is divided into several stages, and it’s important to ensure that your fabrication partner is equipped to carry out each with ease.
Design
The design stage is critical to prepare your product for success. During this step, you and your fabrication partner will prepare a part design that meets your precise requirements and strategically prepares for the manufacturing process. With the right fabrication partner dedicated to designing for manufacturability (DFM) and cost savings, you can save time and money.
When choosing a fabrication facility, pay attention to the design practices they follow and the equipment they use. In order to achieve the highest quality results when going from a rapid prototype to high-volume production, your fabrication facility must have strong quality control and offer design guidance to minimize flaws from the beginning.
At Metal Works, Inc., we practice rigorous quality control at every stage. We’re committed to using the best DFM practices to reduce part cost, save time, and ensure high-quality production with reduced errors. Our expert team dedicates our efforts at the beginning to ensure the highest quality end result.
Prototyping
After you determine your part’s design, you can use prototyping services to review a tangible model of it before beginning large-scale production. Choosing a fabrication facility with rapid prototyping capabilities empowers you to move forward and finalize your prototype faster. With slow prototyping processes, you could be left waiting weeks or longer to review your prototype, and if there are any edits to make before entering production, this could delay the process even further.
Don’t settle for stalled prototyping — turn to our team instead. At Metal Works, Inc., we specialize in rapid prototyping services, delivering premium prototypes within as little as one to three days. We also utilize automation tools to speed up our processes and boost accuracy. When you partner with us, you can count on high-quality prototypes in tight timelines, helping you save time and money while moving on to fabrication faster without cutting quality.
Fabrication
When evaluating fabrication facilities, consider whether they have the capabilities to meet your needs. If your part is complex or requires multiple fabrication processes to finish it, ensuring each step can be handled under one roof will save you money and allow for enhanced quality control at every stage.
At Metal Works, Inc., we strive to serve our customers with comprehensive support and offer a wide range of services to bring your vision to life. From laser-cutting to welding to forming and more, we have comprehensive capabilities to complete your project with precisely the services you require.
Machining
From CNC machining and milling to welding and more, the machining stage is filled with the key steps that transform your design into a high-quality product ready to serve your customers. The right partner will offer the services you require in order to complete your product. When you partner with a facility that can handle everything you need in-house, you can eliminate extra steps in the production process to save time — and money.
Secondary Services
After fabrication, your product may require secondary services to get it ready for market, including hardware installation, assembly, painting and finishing, and more. With the right fabrication partner, you can finish out your product under one roof. This prevents you from having to find a separate partner to cover secondary services and empowers you to finalize your product in a faster, more cost-effective way.
At Metal Works, Inc., we’re proud to offer a range of secondary services. Whether you require assembly, hardware application, painting, or even inventory management, we have the capabilities to handle your needs in-house and get your product to market faster.
Contact Metal Works, Inc. to Go From a Rapid Prototype to High-Volume Production with Confidence
When you require swift, comprehensive sheet metal services, you can count on Metal Works, Inc. at every stage. We offer an extensive range of services to help you transform your sheet metal part concepts into high-quality high-volume production runs.
In the beginning, we’ll help you determine the best design to save money and time while setting you up for success. Next, we’ll complete a high-quality prototype within a tight timeline, allowing you to review your design hands-on and make adjustments before we enter production. We’ll use our broad capabilities to go from prototype to production, including fabrication, laser cutting, and more. Need secondary services to finish out your project? We’re ready to help with high-quality assembly, painting, inventory management, and more.
We’ve helped customers from a range of industries go from a rapid prototype to high-volume production and get their products on the market faster without compromising quality. Whether you require high-quality sheet metal parts for the industrial sector or you need premium parts for electronics, commercial goods, or more, we’re here to help.
Contact us today to leverage our advanced, comprehensive capabilities and take your concept to market in its highest quality form.
