CNC Machining: 3 Easy Tips to Reduce Lead Time

Look into important factors like choosing the right materials, machine, vendor and the readiness of your program.

Tips to find ways for your CNC machining Quote and Order processes to work better and more efficiently.

Review multiple factors for you to consider when putting together a CNC RFQ package and process for best results.

Have an Important Project on Deck? These are some Key Factors for Consideration that can Influence CNC Machining Lead Times

Getting quality CNC machined parts in your hands quickly is something we do every day for our customers at REV A MFG. While the overall part size and geometry of your part can be big factors for CNC machining lead times, being aware of what other factors can be influential in subtractive manufacturing process can help the timeliness of getting finished parts back to you as fast as possible.

3 Easy Tips & Tricks for Reducing CNC Lead Times

For a project to move quickly from start to finish, designers, machinists, and project managers need to understand the best ways to work together. By being aware of efficiencies, you can reduce the time it takes to get parts in hand and this can be all be done without losing quality or precision.

Whether you are getting your parts cut down the street, or using a shop with local capabilities and global reach when you need it like REV A MFG, clear communication is the best way. Doing your best to effectively communicate your design is the how.

Effective Manufacturing Drawings for Production Manufacturing

When your expectations are high for the end results, the work put in communicating your part geometry and design intent goes a long way. How you articulate your part requirements is paramount. Ensure that your part and assembly drawings are thoroughly and correctly dimensioned, toleranced, annotated and with any details that need explaining are provided when it comes to complex geometries and their engineered intent.

Thorough RFQ Packages in help for Reducing Leadtime CNC

While creating a great RFQ package can sometimes be tedious, it is a critical part in setting the stage for your vendor and the time it takes should be considered by you and your team as time well spent. Having a standardized approach across all of your work offers a chance for your vendors to understand your particular style of communication and makes it easier for you to operate as your body of work increases through your career. We know you are a badass, your RFQ packages can really help you shine.

Tip #2 - Optimized Supplier Communication

Communication problems and misunderstandings often cause delays and mistakes in projects. Clear communication is key to achieving successful results within your supply chain.

Creating good relationships with CNC machining partners and keeping open communication during the entire project helps finish on time, reduce mistakes, and makes the manufacturing process smoother and more efficient.

Effective Communication & Collaboration with your Vendor

Effective teamwork begins with checking the design details together. This helps everyone involved know the design goals and how it can be produced. Using online review tools to share designs, get feedback, and watch progress in real-time with a Project Manager at REV A MFG can be hugely beneficial. Our PM team has years of manufacturing experience, many of them having come from the shop floor themselves.

Video calls are a great option to help everyone quickly get on the same page with design, material choices, and any potential manufacturing issues. This approach can reduce misunderstandings and cuts down on potential Engineering Change Orders later. Our knowledge of manufacturability can offer important ideas that stop costly delays due to design changes. This is very important for custom parts that have tight tolerances or unique shapes. Close teamwork will lead to better results.

Effective project management is very important for finishing CNC machining projects on time. We prefer to take a collaborative approach to managing projects from the outset in defining your priorities for the project. Managing our collective expectations and these factors well can absolutely help shorten lead times. There are many things we are considering when reviewing your projects. Here are a few insights for your consideration so that we can take the collaborative approach and discuss our options:

 - Plays a big role in overall lead times in CNC machining. This includes the time needed to secure the workpiece, load the program, adjust the tools, and do test runs. To make setup times shorter, we need better processes and skilled operators. Improving setups by using standard fixturing systems, offline programming, and planned downtime for maintenance of equipment. This ensures production runs smoothly and helps speed up the delivery of production parts.

 - As you know, a key part of a successful program involves choosing the right material for your application. This choice will affect the cost and lead time of a project. It is important to consider options like wear resistance and tensile strength to to ensure peak performance from your parts. Some materials may have unique setup requirements. These requirements can impact cutting speeds and possibly how quickly tools can wear out. For example, aluminum is easy to work with and allows you cut faster than harder metals like stainless steel. Choosing materials that are easy to procure can speed up production. If you need special or hard-to-find materials, there could be some sourcing delays. Another reason to work closely with your CNC machining partner: we can help you understand material lead times and suggest other options if needed.

 - Multiple setups, undercuts and milling time are all factors that we review when quoting your designs. The quality of your CAD file as well as design manufacturability are also important considerations at this point.

 - Timely access to the right CNC machine is very important for meeting your project deadlines. When machines are available, it can help reduce lead times and us talking about your requirements in advance for a wide range of applications which can help with machine planning. Finding a CNC machining partner that has many machines and plenty of capacity can help prevent delays, especially for complex parts that need multi-axis machining.

With all of these discussion points in mind, keeping an open line of communication with manufacturing partners builds a mutual trust and can help address any unexpected challenges quickly. By creating a teamwork-focused environment, issues can be solved early, reducing delays and boosting the chances of project success.

We are well versed in helping companies launch successful CNC programs for both Prototype and Production needs. Our machining capabilities can be leveraged to assist in bringing your program to life. Please 

 or reach out to us with a phone call in advance of your program being ready to 

Want to really dive deep into the topic of Supplier Quality? Check out this great article from 

How can design complexity impact CNC machining lead times?

In product development, the overall size, shape and design of parts can greatly impact how long the CNC machining production process takes. Complex designs often need more detailed machining processes, materials with unique properties and timing. They may also require special tools but these can be identified at the early stage of a program during the RFQ process. All these factors can potentially raise the production time for CNC parts.

Looking to reduce lead times in CNC machining? Discover effective strategies for optimizing your manufacturing processes.

Lead Time Reduction Strategies for CNC Machining

This blog shares a complete checklist that covers quality, cost, delivery, rules, and more.

You will learn how to make your evaluations better, use technology smartly, and build strong supplier relationships.

Find out common mistakes to skip, so you can choose the best suppliers for your needs.

Get the tools for you and your procurement teams to improve your buying process and support lasting business growth.

Are you on the hunt for a good Production Manufacturing resource? Have you ever found that searching for the right supplier for a Production source for CNC Machining, Injection Tooling and Molding or Additive Manufacturing has been difficult? It really doesn’t need to be.

Doing proper evaluations for current manufacturing suppliers is key for great supplier relationship management. In this post, we will discuss how smart teams can choose better suppliers, create strong partnerships, and keep supply chains running smoothly. Are you ready to honestly assess your supply chain? We believe that 

 could be a great resource for you, and we will provide a clear and objective summary for you to consider us and others by within this exercise.


Understanding Supplier Evaluation: A Fundamental Overview


Supplier evaluation is important for making sure the companies you work with are great. It involves checking their 

 by assessing their quality, delivery, and how well the company fits your specific needs.

Typically Lead Time, Price and Quality are your three main considerations in any given opportunity but vetting your suppliers in advance of a specific opportunity is always a great exercise to run through. You should think of supplier evaluation like checking references before hiring someone. You wouldn't pick a supplier without looking into their background. By doing regular evaluations, you allow for 

. This helps you prevent any potential future issues, build strong manufacturing partnerships, and keep your purchasing prowess and skills sharp.

 
The Role of Manufacturing Supplier Evaluation in Business Success

 
Now, you may be asking, "How does supplier evaluation affect my profits?" The answer is straightforward. A strong 

When you pay close attention to your suppliers, you can better manage risks in your 

. Consider the impact of late deliveries, poor quality, or your chosen supplier having their own supply chain problems can really disrupt your operations.

The good news is that regular supplier evaluations alert you to problems early. They serve as an early warning system, helping you find possible issues before they turn into big troubles.


Differentiating Between Price and Value in Supplier Selection

We pretty much all love a good deal, right? But when choosing a supplier in the past, you have likely had the experience where your cheapest alternative has not always turned out to be the best choice. Of course it’s easy to focus only on price, but ignoring the hidden costs can absolutely bring you real problems down the line in your contract management.

To make informed choices, we must look beyond just the numbers. Yes, cost is a very important factor, but looking at other factors, like trustworthiness, how the vendor communicates, and their promise to ethical sourcing very much matters. Considering these other factors objectively as a part of your score within evaluations can help to show you the real value they can provide.

Crafting Your Supplier Evaluation Checklist


Ready to roll up your sleeves and create your very own 

supplier performance evaluation checklist

? It's easier than you think! A handy tool you can utilize is a 

. This allows you to score potential partners on the criteria that matter most to your business.


Here's a simple framework to get you started:


Identifying Critical Performance Indicators


Now that you have your scorecard ready, it’s time to choose your VIPs – your most important key performance indicators (KPIs). What is THE most important thing and the key considerations overall for your team to be looking at in this project? These are the key metrics that help you measure a supplier's success.


To find your KPIs, think about which parts of your supplier evaluation process can show how your vendors performance can affect your operations the most. Is it on-time delivery? Is it product quality? Or is it how quickly they respond to your needs?


Here are some examples to get you started:

: This shows the percentage of orders delivered on or before the scheduled date.

: This measures the percentage of products or services that don’t meet your quality standards.

: This tracks how long it takes for a supplier to fulfill an order from the time you place it to when it arrives at your home.

: Do they provide all of the Prototyping, Production and post-processing services that you need for this project.

: This indicates how happy you are with the supplier's communication and overall performance.

By setting clear performance levels and ambitious (but realistic) performance goals for each KPI, you will have a good way to measure supplier performance through good supplier evaluations.

Prioritizing Factors: From Reliability to Innovation


When looking at supplier evaluations, some factors matter more than others. It depends on your industry, business goals, and company culture. You need to find the right mix for your company and project needs.


Here are some supplier management factors you might focus on when checking out potential suppliers:

: It is very important to have a supplier who is consistent and dependable. Can you trust them to keep their promises all the time? Do they measure themselves and their vendors on-time performance?

: If your product requires high-quality products or services, it's vital that the supplier is committed to quality assurance excellence.

: Finding a supplier that offers good pricing without affecting quality is usually a main focus.

: For manufacturing companies that want to stay ahead, it is crucial for a supplier to bring modern methodologies and use the latest manufacturing technologies where it makes sense to the shop floor and within the project management teams. They should also be able to adjust accordingly to changes in the market.


Now that you know what to look for, let’s set up a simple 

. Do you remember that useful checklist we made? This will help you stay consistent and compare suppliers fairly. Also, remember that assessing suppliers is not a one-time event! Focus on 

 through qualitative assessments and by planning regular check-ins and feedback meetings with your suppliers.


Steps to Streamline Supplier Assessments


Ready to make your supplier assessments easy? Here’s a simple plan to help you get going:

: Start by collecting all the important information about your potential suppliers. This can include their website, marketing materials, client reviews, and industry reports. Don’t hesitate to ask them directly with a questionnaire for specific details.
2. 

: Use your set evaluation criteria (don’t forget that checklist) to carefully assess each supplier and give them scores based on how they perform.
3. 

: After choosing your top candidates, have detailed talks with them about their Production Methodologies and if they offer Design for Manufacturability (DFM) Reports. This lets you learn more about their strengths, answer any questions, and understand their company culture and communication style better.
4. 

: Based on your assessments, pick the supplier that fits your business needs most. After you make your choice, gather your team to discuss what you learned.

These straightforward steps will help you create a clear and actionable plan to keep your procurement process moving forward.


In conclusion, evaluating suppliers is important for the success and growth of any business. By looking closely at quality, compliance, capacity, and innovation, you can make the evaluation process smoother and build strong partnerships with your suppliers. Be sure to choose key performance indicators, prioritize the important factors, and use technology to stay efficient. Be aware of common mistakes, and always try to create an evaluation process that has a good understanding of your vendor and matches your business goals. Smaller businesses can see great benefits by having a good supplier evaluation plan. This can lead to growth, new ideas, and long-term success. So we hope that you will consider REV A MFG as a potential resource for your product development needs in both Prototyping and Production. Please visit our website for all of our offerings at 

 and if you have questions for us, or need help with supplier evaluations, feel free to ask!


What are the top criteria for evaluating suppliers?


Top evaluation criteria are quality control measures, reliable delivery times, strong financial health, and great customer service. These factors help make sure a supplier can always meet your needs.


How often should supplier evaluations be conducted?

 varies based on your industry and what you need. To have a strong 

, plan for regular checks. These checks can be done every three months, twice a year, or once a year. This helps keep your 


Can small businesses benefit from a structured supplier evaluation
process?

 to make smart choices. This process can lower risks and help create better connections with 

 for an RFQ at quote@revamfg.com or by phone at 760-650-8758

Enhance your supplier evaluation process with our comprehensive checklist.
Streamline your assessments for better decision-making.

Field Notes