When machinery breaks down and the part you need is difficult or impossible to find, your business could be put on hold. Most precision machine shops are reluctant to go through the process of milling one small part, and instead will give you a deal if you order a lot versus one piece. Some older non-standard machinery requires obscure replacement parts. In some cases when the equipment is outdated, creating a new prototype part for replacement can kill two birds with one stone so to speak. Just a few design adjustments can help to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the old machinery that is being repaired. The problem may be in finding precision machine shops that provide high quality and affordable services and are willing to fill small lot orders without breaking the bank.
What to Look For in a Precision Machine Shop
When browsing through the variety of shops that manufacture custom parts, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, check on the reputation of the company and the quality of their work. Most customers are happy to rate the services that they received. You can usually find this information online in customer review searches for the company, or through the Better Business Bureau. Shops that have been in business for several years are your best bet. Fly by night shops don’t stay around long, but those that are still in existence after several years are usually still in business because they provide what customers want.
The best precision machine shops will have state of the art equipment and skilled design engineers that can help you complete the design of a prototype part for CNC prototyping and manufacture. Request a quote to ensure that the costs are reasonable. You may want to compare prices along with reputations before you make your final decision. Sometimes it pays to go with the shop that provides high quality services over one that has poor ratings and slightly lower prices.
Jifco Products Inc. specializes in the manufacture of prototypes in both metals and plastics. They offer small lot production with reasonable costs. They have been in business for over 70 years and have established a solid reputation for providing high quality in both products and services. The company motto is “no job is too small.” Jifco Products is a leader in precision machine shops. For more information, you can visit the website at jifcoproducts.com.
