When you’re in need of custom rubber or plastic parts, the right information can help you ensure that your company receives the right components for your applications. Factors such as your budget, estimated annual usage, and other details play important roles in allowing a custom rubber and plastic parts supplier like Timco Rubber to cost out the best-possible part solution for your needs and provide a quote for your project.
As a result, design files like 2D prints and 3D CAD files are a great way to provide a supplier with the information it needs to offer quotes for manufactured parts. Here’s why having a 2D print and a 3D CAD helps both you and your supplier.
Why it’s Good to Provide Prints and CAD Files for Part Quotation
They Eliminate Unnecessary Guesswork
When a supplier goes to cost out a mold, and extrusion die, or any other form of tooling, there are several factors that play into that initial quote, such as the total amount of material required. By having a print, it spells out the exact parameters of that part in very clear terms. Without it, the supplier is left to guess about the overall function of a part and the specific dimensions required for that component. As a result, the quote may not be as exact as it could be with more information.
In addition, a print or CAD file should contain tolerances in terms of what’s an acceptable part. This framework gives the supplier the right information to understand what’s an acceptable part and adjust the quote as necessary so that both sides are on the same page when it comes time to manufacture parts.
They Help Identify Potential Part Issues or Recommendations
Another major advantage of prints and CAD files is that they can allow suppliers to notice potential problem areas or follow-up questions before you receive a quote. For example, the listed tolerances found on a print may not be in line with the materials needed for rubber or plastic parts. Unlike materials like metal of wood, rubber moves and bounces. This means part tolerances geared toward these other materials may not be realistic for rubber and plastic compounds. Having these tolerances up front will allow a supplier to understand customer expectations and discuss any potential problems before starting the project.
Access to a print or CAD file can also a knowledgeable supplier to make certain compound recommendations for your part during the quoting phase. Whether it’s due to environmental, tolerance, or other considerations, a supplier may suggest a more appropriate compound for your needs and budget. This will allow them to base their quote on this recommendation right away. Access to a CAD file also opens up the possibility for custom rubber part prototyping. It may not be part of the quote, but prototyping will allow you to test out parts in a quick, cost-effective manner before you invest in a larger quantities of rubber components.
They Save Time
Perhaps the biggest benefit of having prints or CAD files available right away is that the lack of a file can delay the start of a project. There’s a lot of math involved to cost out a part. A print or CAD file provides the information required to determine piece price, compound price, and other factors that impact your quote. This means that if you don’t have a print or CAD file available, it can take time to determine all the information needed to quote a project.
Depending on the complexity of the part itself, a supplier may be able to create a print in house and send that print to you for review. If it’s right, you can sign off and send it back so that both parties have documentation. This process still takes time, even with minimal revisions. A complex molded part, a CAD file may be essential. In this scenario, the supplier may be able to make one for a fee. Regardless of who makes the CAD file, the process of having an outside company make a print or a CAD file after you submitted a request for a quote is a time-consuming process that will make you wait even longer for a quote.
Turn to Timco for Your Custom Rubber and Plastic Parts
While prints and CAD files are extremely helpful for manufacturing custom parts, they’re not the only form of information. Whether you have these files or not, we’ll ask the questions necessary to learn key details like the function of the part, the intended environment, and more. Once we identify any factors that may affect your application’s performance, we can recommend the best, most economical compound for that part.
If a print of CAD file isn’t a realistic option, there are other ways that we can help limit any delays. We can examine example parts to identify potential issues and make suggestions for how to better manufacture them or decrease the cost by altering different attributes of the part. Even a sketch of the part with dimensions is helpful. A sketch can help us visualize your part while dimensions like height, width, and length give us a starting point to limit any delays before we deliver a quote.
Need a quote for quality, cost-effective custom rubber or plastic parts? Give us a call at 800-969-6242 or contact us online today to talk to one of our experts about how Timco can help your business.
