7 Reasons to Outsource your Precision Engineering Requirements
For design or manufacturing businesses, the decision on whether to make precision engineered parts and components in-house or to outsource their production to a skilled specialist is perhaps not always straightforward.
Investment in in-house precision engineering technology is never going to be a low-cost option, but then again – depending on your stance – the issues associated with outsourcing may also be problematic.
If your company needs precision engineered components, from CNC machining to precision laser cutting, to sheet metal welding and fabrication or surface finishing, the option is always there to outsource and there are powerful arguments why you should consider going down that route.
To help you arrive at the decision that is most appropriate for your business, this article looks at some of the key reasons why you might choose to outsource your precision engineering requirements to an established 3rd party firm who are experts in their field.
Expertise on tap
Precision engineering services cover a wide range of specialities, from finishing and welding to laser cutting and CNC turning, milling and punching.
Only the largest manufacturing businesses are likely to possess all the technology and expertise in all these areas, which in themselves also require massive capital investment.
A specialist precision engineering company will be built around outsourcing and optimised to deploy both technology and the expertise of a team of experienced engineers, to deliver bespoke precision engineering solutions.
By outsourcing your precision engineering requirements, you are effectively co-opting this expertise on to your team for as long – or as short – as needed.
Improved turnaround times
Tight deadlines are part of modern business life, and meeting customer demands on budget and on time, without cutting corners or compromising quality, is always a difficult balance.
Outsourced precision engineering thus offers you benefits in two forms when it comes to speeding up turnaround times:
- First, outsourcing your precision engineering means your team is free to focus on core business and streamline your own organisation’s processes.
- Second, your business is based around delivering batch requirements on time, so they are optimised to support you.
Controllable and predictable costs
Keeping costs under control is clearly critical to any project, as not doing so can be the difference between profit and loss.
Outsourcing your precision engineering needs to an expert 3rd party firm puts you in the driving seat for delivering quality results for an agreed contractual price, providing you with a mechanism to keep the costs of your project under tight and predictable control.
On a wider basis, the fact that your business won’t need to invest in the kind of cutting-edge equipment needed to deliver precision engineering components will also keep operational and capex costs down across the board.
Access to state-of-the-art technology
In most cases, a requirement for precision engineering parts, components or products will be part of a much wider manufacturing function.
Few companies today manufacture every single manufacturing component in-house, instead preferring to outsource. The more specialised the requirement, the greater the dependence on technology and the less easy it is to maintain in-house. Keeping technology current and up to date is an overhead that is best outsourced.
A specialist precision engineering company has a vested interest in remaining at the forefront of technology developments in fields such as CNC machining, as it’s their “bread and butter”.
As well as outsourcing your requirement for parts and components to your precision engineering company, you’re also outsourcing the requirement to stay up to date with the best and latest technology and techniques.
Ability to scale
The size and type of project your business can take on will be dictated by the resources you can draw on for delivery.
If, for example, your company owns a single CNC milling or turning machine, producing smaller batches of machined parts may be possible. But manufacturing larger batches of precision engineered components end to end may be beyond your firm’s capacity.
Outsourcing your precision engineering requirements may remove the limit on the size and scale of projects your business can take on, in turn meaning that you can scale up your own manufacturing capacity.
Increased supply chain flexibility
A strong argument for outsourcing your precision engineering services to a specialist third party provider is the greater flexibility it brings to your supply chain.
For example, your own business may have different precision engineering requirements at different times, making it uneconomical to own and operate all possible precision engineering technologies in house.
Outsourcing these requirements adds flexibility to your supply chain management. Additionally, a specialist precision engineering company may have the capability to hold stock and deliver on demand, enabling your business to call on parts both to a set schedule and as required as demand dictates.
Single one stop shop service
Our final reason to outsource your precision engineering is that the right partner will have the capability to deliver all requirements “under one roof”, from initial concept through to manufacture.
The fact that all these requirements can be outsourced to a single, trusted precision engineering partner can potentially bring three benefits:
- Consistency of supply: every production or prototype component can be delivered to the same consistently high standard over the longer term;
- Reliability: each internal department of your precision engineering company (e.g. CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding and finishing) can collaborate to deliver the required end solution;
- Reduced procurement overhead: by find and partnering with a single one-stop precision engineering supplier, the time and effort involved in procurement is reduced.
Next steps
At F-Tech we understand precision engineering – how it’s done, what it can offer, and how to deliver at speed.
With our expertise we can offer consultative advice, advising clients on improvements to manufacturing processes to increase efficiency and save money.
If you need precision engineering expertise from an experienced and quality-driven partner, please contact us on 01763 247458 or via email at enquiries@ftech-precisionengineering.co.uk.
