Does it sometimes feel like you need to go to the moon and back to source ‘special’ parts?
Partnering with a global supply chain specialist connects you to a robust manufacturing network, simplifying your procurement challenges, ensuring quality from certified manufacturing partners, and leveraging Vendor Managed Inventory practices to streamline your internal processes…all available on planet Earth!
When partnering with a global supply chain specialist, like TFC (an AFC Industries Company), you benefit from linking into a vast, global supply chain that delivers high quality manufactured components. One of the many advantages of a VMI partnership is easy access to high quality standard products, enabling faster design completion and quicker introduction into manufacture. But, this is not always an option and advanced engineering design often calls for bespoke solutions to facilitate innovation, maximise functional performance and deliver a higher performing solution that maintains a competitive advantage.
Custom Engineered Components, as we call them, can include a vast array of products with specific geometries, materials, finishes and function. They can be manufactured using a multitude of different processes, from castings to turned parts and moulded plastics, to name just a few. This can make it a headache just trying to find the correct manufacturer with the appropriate processes in place. It can also include ‘near’ standard parts, meaning standard product but with special features, which might be different dimensions or non-standard finishes for example, although these are often referred to as “Parts to Drawing” and usually easier to accommodate alongside standard products within a production plan.
Sourcing teams often feel at a disadvantage when their design engineering colleagues specify such components and it is a common grumble from the procurement team when they have to deal with yet another ‘special’ supplier to facilitate the supply of one extra component!
It doesn’t have to be that painful though. Manufacturers of standard products typically have the capability to supply special or custom parts as well, so being able to access an established supply chain can be a major advantage in securing cost effective quality solutions for your custom engineered components.
How do manufacturers deal with non-standard product requests? Apart from chuckling at the misfortunes of the unsuspecting would-be buyer, this is a challenge that is constantly faced by sourcing teams. On the receiving end are production teams, who are likely to favour high volume, repetitive production of the same product because it makes the process of lean manufacturing and production planning that much easier. Incorporating manufacture of non-standard products can mean changing machine set-up, new tooling, switching materials, using skilled workers and all of the production planning and scheduling headaches that come with it.
So, drop an enquiry randomly to any manufacturer for something that is a bit out of the ordinary and you’re likely, at best, to be faced with a high cost quotation and long lead time delivery…or at worst, no reply and general apathy, leading to frustration and significant time required to ensure your product can be built using something special.
That’s where VMI specialists can come to your rescue. Vendor Managed Inventory already takes the headache out of managing a large supply base, securing on-time delivery at competitive cost and without the need to manage or even communicate with the manufacturer yourself. This, of course, is most prevalent in the supply of standard products, the benefit being all about releasing the planning and supply to someone else so that you can focus on other challenges in your business and not be distracted by low value component supply. Read more about this here TFC VMI.
However, alongside VMI systems, there is always a need to provide additional product sourcing services, as a good VMI partner will act as an extension to your sourcing team. Using existing relationships and leveraging established supply with a network of global manufacturers, a VMI partner can access this level of manufacturing support without incurring the cost or apathy that would often be seen if approaching independently.
Is that all that’s required? Well, no. Your sourcing partner needs to understand the engineering complexity of designing and manufacturing components and needs to quickly be able to identify appropriate sources for the design you want to fulfil. This has to take into account quality and accreditation requirements, which is the first priority in sourcing. Having a materials laboratory to verify both material and geometry is also helpful in guaranteeing that you get exactly what you want.
Facilities like this along with industry accredited quality control processes can give you confidence that not only are you accessing a global manufacturing base but that your sourcing partner is also qualified to determine the required level of control and certification. TFC’s materials laboratory as well as its internal control procedures are independently certified to ISO9001, EN9120, AS/EN9100 and JOSCAR providing reassurance that components are sourced correctly and to the required specification.
By using an established global supply chain specialist such as TFC, you are half way to realising good quality manufacturing of your custom engineered components. Added to this is the ability to support the procurement and supply of these components directly into your manufacturing facility on an ongoing basis. They can be provided alongside a VMI system, managed separately but in effect within the same, single sourced partner that you are already benefitting from. But it doesn’t require VMI to be in place already. If Custom Engineered Components are required in volume, then they can be sourced and managed independently in their own right, either with or without VMI methodology, such as Kanban.
If your engineering team need the advantage of a custom engineered solution in some of your components, then save yourself a lot of stress, time and potentially cost by talking to a global supply chain specialist. Read more about how TFC can help with this by visiting TFC.EU.COM or get in touch by emailing to enquiries@tfc.eu.com or call us on +44(0)1435866011.
