When embarking on a product development journey, choosing the right tool manufacturer is a critical decision that can significantly impact the success of your project. At Hatch, a US-based contract manufacturing firm, we understand the importance of asking the right questions to ensure your product is developed with the highest standards of quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Below are essential questions to ask your tool manufacturers, along with insights into how Hatch approaches these considerations.
Questions to Ask Your Tool Manufacturers
1. What Does the Manufacturing Process Look Like?
Understanding the manufacturing process from start to finish is crucial. At Hatch, we begin by preparing a Design for Manufacture (DFM) review, not only considering your project goals and outlining a plan that makes the most sense for achieving them but also looking at the manufacturability and process for each of your products parts. Knowing the steps involved, from tool creation to part production, helps you anticipate timelines and ensures you are prepared for each phase.
2. How Do You Select the Material for the Tool?
Tooling material selection is vital because it directly affects cost, quality, schedule, and tool life. There are several tooling materials to choose from, each with its own set of trade-offs. At Hatch, we carefully consider these factors to select the most appropriate material, ensuring it aligns with your project’s budget and quality expectations.
3. How Is the Material for the Product Selected?
The material selection for your product is just as important as the tooling material. Careful consideration must be given of the product's function, environment, and desired appearance. Key material properties like strength, heat resistance, and chemical resistance must be evaluated alongside cost and availability. The tool is then built specifically to accommodate the chosen material, ensuring it meets the necessary standards and performance criteria.
4. How Do You Select Your Part Production Vendor?
Choosing the right vendor for part production is a complex decision that involves balancing cost, quality, quantity, and logistics. At Hatch, we employ a blend of onshore and offshore vendors, strategically selected based on their ability to meet your project’s needs. Having select vendors in regions where we have local access to onsite support ensures smooth communication, quality control, and timely delivery.
5. What Is the First Step in Getting Parts Made?
The journey from concept to production involves several critical steps. The first step is making the tool, which can be time-consuming. Once the tool is made, we produce the first-off-tool (FOT) parts. These initial parts are not expected to be perfect but are used to check and adjust the tooling. After refining the tool, T1 samples are made, followed by T2 approved parts that meet the final quality and finish standards.
6. How Do You Evaluate Part Quality?
Quality assurance is a non-negotiable aspect of product development. At Hatch, we evaluate part quality by examining several factors, including Color, Materials & Finish (CMF) of individual parts. We also create a Visual Inspection Guide Document (VIG), which defines how each part will be reviewed and the quality standards it must meet for our vendors and for our QC team. After the T2 stage, we proceed with production once the parts pass our stringent quality checks.
Selecting the right tool manufacturer involves asking the right questions to ensure that every aspect of the manufacturing process aligns with your project goals. At Hatch, we pride ourselves on our meticulous approach to tool and material selection, vendor management, and quality assurance. By partnering with a manufacturing firm that prioritizes these considerations, you can be confident that your product will be developed to the highest standards of excellence. Get in touch with our team today to learn how we can help you navigate this process for your next product.
