10 Questions Metal Stampers Should Be Prepared to Answer

The following article is provided by ToolandDieing.com

I came across an interesting article which appears to be from the point of view of a metal stamping companies' customer:

Competition from offshore metal stamping and declines in demand due to the recession has wreaked havoc on domestic metal stamping suppliers in the last few years. With a declining base of financially solvent metal stampers, OEMs find themselves struggling to find suppliers who they can transition their business to quickly and efficiently.

Here are 10 questions you should ask in finding the right metal stamping supplier

1. Does the new metal stamping supplier have the tools available to serve me; press tonnage, capacity, and quality systems and standards?

2. Ask for samples of their capability including value added services such as welding, finishing, or assembly.

3. Does the supplier have experience in managing both domestic and offshore tooling sources? Ask for specific examples.

4. Is the metal stamping supplier financially sound? While their answer is important to hear, make sure to have a Standards and Poor Stability Rating Report in hand to validate their answer.

5. Tell me about the workforce from people on the floor to the engineers involved?

6. Will they work to improve my current total cost of manufacturability?

7. Can they demonstrate the ability to help improve inventory turns and cash flow?

8. Explain the importance of quality and repeatability to current needs; cost and output are highly affected by how precise each part must be. Can the supplier meet these requirements?

9. What are some R&D efforts done recently in terms of improving and sustaining the company- especially in the area of metal stamping? This question can be taken one step further to: Can the supplier partner with us on research and development projects?

10. Most importantly, can I tour the facility to see examples of in-process tools and parts produced?

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