Introduction
Sheet metal is one of the most commonly used materials in manufacturing. The properties of sheet metal, such as its malleability, hardness and durability make it ideal for many applications.
Sheet metal can be used to manufacture a wide range of products including automotive components, appliances and packaging. Sheet metal is also an efficient material because it requires less energy than other materials such as plastic or wood. However, despite its many uses and benefits there is still room for improvement in terms of cost reduction when manufacturing sheet metal parts yourself or working with your supplier
In-house production
In-house production is a great way to save costs, but it’s not for everyone.
If you’re not sure whether in-house production is right for you, ask yourself these questions:
- Are my parts complex?
- Do I have the expertise to produce this part myself?
- Do I need large volumes of production to make in-house manufacturing cost effective?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then outsource your parts!
Automation
Automation is the use of machines to perform work that would otherwise be done by people. Automation can reduce the cost of production by increasing efficiency and reducing the need for human labor. Automation can also increase quality and consistency. For example, if you’re producing parts on an assembly line, automation could mean replacing human workers with automated machine tools that quickly and accurately assemble thousands of parts per day (versus one or two per hour).
Material choice
You can reduce the costs of your manufactured parts by using less expensive materials. However, it’s important to consider durability and recyclability when choosing which material to use for a product.
For example, a plastic that’s cheaper than steel might seem like an obvious choice for a particular manufacturing process. But if you’re manufacturing parts that will require maintenance over time and/or are difficult to dispose of safely, then it may make more sense to use steel instead—even though it requires more labor and therefore costs more money upfront. In addition, the material thickness can play a big part.
Is 3mm necessary? Would 2mm be strong enough? Generally, the thinner you go, the cheaper the raw material will be.
Standardisation
The first way to reduce cost is standardisation.
Standardisation reduces the number of parts required and the number of tools required by workers, which means that it’s easier to train new employees, there’s less need for documentation, inventory management is simplified and quality control is easier.
Minimum order quantity and unit cost
You can save money by reducing the minimum order quantity (MOQ) on your manufactured parts. To help you understand how to save money, you must know the difference between MOQ and unit cost.
The unit cost refers to the price that a company charges for one unit of product or service. Unit cost includes all costs associated with designing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing a product or service.
The minimum order quantity (MOQ) refers to the number of units that need to be purchased at one time in order for an item to be produced by a manufacturer at all. The MOQ serves as a safety net for manufacturers who create products that might not sell well enough if they were sold in smaller volumes but still want some assurance that they will get paid for their work by providing them some revenue from sales before they even produce anything yet–which helps protect both sides from losing money too quickly if things don’t go according to plan (like if there’s little demand).
Supplier cooperation
One of the best ways to save money is by working with a supplier that can meet your needs in terms of price, quality and delivery.
Here are some things you should look for when choosing a supplier:
- The ability to provide quotations quickly.
- A track record of delivering on time.
- Good quality products at a reasonable cost.
- A warranty or guarantee if applicable (this will reduce costs over time).
- Technical support if needed (for example, to repair equipment if it breaks down).
Conclusion
We hope that this article has given you some insight into how to save money on sheet metal manufacture.
We know that these tips can be helpful for reducing costs in your own business, but it’s also important to remember that they are only effective when combined with knowledge of how each process works—in other words, don’t forget about the basics! If you want help making sure your parts are being manufactured correctly and keeping costs low at the same time, contact us now.
