Die cutting is extremely valuable in or modern world, and custom die cutting is even more valuable as companies stretch the envelope and their demands grow in regards to their die cutting needs. Custom die cutting needs can include flat bed die cutting, rotary die cutting, matched metal die cutting, and steel rule die cutting. Not all fabricators and manufacturers can meet custom needs in all of these categories, so before you choose your manufacturer, make sure that they can actually meet your needs.
Have you a new design concept that you need to see go to manufacturing. Look for a manufacturer that can help you take your concept turn it into a design, engineer the process, develop the custom die cutting process and then manufacturer your product at the best possible prices.
There are only a handful of companies that can handle all stages of development. This is especially true when it comes to medical, law enforcement, aerospace, or military industries, which are the three main industries that seek out custom die cutting on a regular basis. For example, Baril Corp is one of those manufacturers that have built themselves a stellar reputation within the industry. When you are looking for a manufacturer that can meet your die cutting needs whether custom or standard, you should be looking at the past history of the company and how well they are able to meet their commitments on time and on budget.
Project costs are always important, but the larger the project the more important they become and so when choosing a manufacturer it is a good idea to confirm through past history that the manufacturer is able to live up to their expectations. Just a few cents per item on production costs can have a huge impact on a large manufacturing order, so you want to know that the manufacturer you are dealing with has a history of being accurate with the costs they present to clients.
Teamwork is always important in manufacturing, but actually never has it been more important than when you are working with custom die cutting. It is to your advantage when the professionals and staff at the manufacturing level work with you as team players, because this is the way you will see the most cohesion in your project, and you will know that your best interests are always being looked after. This is a win-win for your company, where you are getting the best expertise and those involved are relating in acting always with your best interests in mind, but you are not having to face the costs of having such a team on your own payroll.
For the most part, all converters are able to do straight forward high volume die cutting, but not all converters shine at custom die cutting, because this is much more complex and requires an entirely different skill set in order to complete these projects. You want to make sure you seek out a manufacture that offers a ‘can do’ attitude and that will work around any obstacles that arise, rather than just stopping or looking to you for all the answers. This is also where teamwork will shine.
The military, medical, law enforcement, and aeronautics industry relies on accuracy in the manufacturing of their products. Take for example, the military where just the tiniest of inaccuracies could be the difference between life and death. The same goes for the aeronautic or medical industry. Precision instruments are just that precision driven, and so you need to be able to depend on the manufacturer you choose to be able to meet your very precise needs at all times.
Every manufacturer should be able to provide you with relevant information such as their die tolerance, die blade specifications, and the maximum size of their cutting blades, whether they have registration pins available. This is important information in choosing the right manufacturer. Other information you might want to collect includes average turnaround time, average delay time, average down time, and hours that the team is available to meet with to work out any bugs that might arise.
By having all of this information in advance, it makes it much easier to eliminate manufacturers that will not meet your needs and to compare the manufacturers that potentially could meet your needs, to find the best choice for your company. Knowing the manufacturer’s workmanship warranty and product material warranty is also important to know as well as the grade of the materials that will be used in your manufacturing project.
If a manufacturer offers a reduced price but uses inferior materials then they are not the best choice. If a manufacture does not stand behind defects then they may not be your best choice. This is why it is so important to have these questions answered prior to committing yourself – first you will be able to make the best choice for your company, and second you will not have any surprises after you have entered into the contract. You should never make any assumptions, as things can be vastly different between companies.
Custom die cutting will continue to grow as demands for new products continues to grow. When you look for a manufacturer look for one that takes a ‘quality by design’ manufacturing approach, using state of art inspection systems, and with a ISO 14644 Class 7 clean room, and that are ISO 13485:2003 and ISO 9001:2008 certified and an environmental viable bioburden monitoring system. These are important components along with a manufacture that grows a work environment that is detail focused to ensure they are in conformance with all processes and protocols.
Some manufacturers, like Baril, have earned themselves a reputation in the industry as a first choice in partners when custom die cutting needs are required. When products or components that you need manufactured are key to saving lives, you want to know that precision is as important to the manufacturer as it is to you. You want o know you can count on it!
