10 Questions to Ask Your Metal Parts Manufacturer

Choosing the right partner for your metal project can be a perplexing process—unless you know the right questions to ask.

Throughout the metal manufacturing process you’ll come up against many choices, but the most important is choosing a reliable metal parts manufacturer. Deciding between prospective fabricators can feel overwhelming at times because you want to make the right choice the first time to avoid costly delays—and get to work developing a strong relationship that allows you to succeed together. 

Metal fabrication is essential in industries from construction and equipment manufacturing to agriculture and aerospace. The best manufacturing partner will offer not just the technical and engineering capabilities but also cost-effectiveness, high-quality production, professional systems, streamlined logistics, and excellent communication.

We’ve pulled together a list of 10 critical questions to ask as you’re considering where to manufacture your metal parts.

What to Consider When Looking for Metal Parts Manufacturers

Innovative Metal Manufacturing Technologies

It’s an exciting time to be in the business of manufacturing metals. We’ve seen great strides in automation and computer-aided manufacturing, including innovations like CNC machining. CNC (computer numerical control) is the automation of machine instruments through the use of computers which have been programmed to execute any number of commands. Integrating this type of manufacturing increases productivity and efficiency over the long run.

You Ask: What manufacturing technology does your company have access to? 

A Sustainable Approach to Metal Parts Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry is experiencing a seismic shift thanks to artificial-intelligence-powered manufacturing systems. Part of this shift involves making metal manufacturing more sustainable, which reduces environmental impact. New processing methods eliminate the need for toxic solvents and materials, and consume far less energy than typical processing methods—along with improving efficiency. 

You Ask: What percentage of the product will be made with sustainable materials?

Experience in Metal Parts Manufacturing

A qualified metal fabricator will have plenty of experience in making the exact type of products you need. Look for a fabricator who has years—or, better, decades—of experience in your industry and an excellent track record with customers. 

You Ask: Which industries and clients have you worked with in the past? What examples or references can you provide?

Core Capabilities and Machinery List

Each metal part and product requires a different fabrication approach, process, and specialized equipment. For instance, sheet metal fabrication requires lathe, grinding, and drilling machines, while metal extrusions call for extruders. In metal stamping, which calls for raised (or sometimes flat) shapes in metal, a turret-like punching press is required. 

You Ask: How will your specialized metal fabrication equipment improve my final product?

Customization in Metal Manufacturing

One of the biggest decisions to make in metal manufacturing projects is whether to go with off-the-shelf components or custom metal fabrication solutions. Custom fabrication services allow you to go beyond the store-bought to create a customized, high-quality fit for your application, with optimized designs and tailor-made solutions. 

You Ask: What is the timeline for a custom metal fabricated product? What processes do you use to create custom metal parts?

Reputation for Quality in the Manufacturing Industry

You’re dedicated to producing top-quality products, and that means you’ll need to find a manufacturer with a reputation for quality standards to match your own. The first thing to look for are certifications that demonstrate quality processes and top-quality criteria—for instance, ISO certification, which indicates an internationally recognized seal of approval for the company’s quality standards processes.

You Ask: How do you measure and track quality performance? 

Time-Sensitive Solutions

Does the manufacturer in question have the capability to handle your project size and complexity within the time frame you have designated? Most projects are time-sensitive, and the best partner will be committed to manufacturing high-quality, cost-effective, time-sensitive solutions.

Question to ask your manufacturer: What’s the turnaround time for manufacturing projects similar in scope? 

In-House Expertise in Metal Manufacturing

Often, metal products producers will specialize in a particular type of fabrication. Look for companies with in-house expertise, engineers, and designers equipped to handle your specific metal manufacturing needs. 

You Ask: Take us through the production process—which parts of the process can be completed on site and which will need to be outsourced?

One-Stop Shop for Metal Parts Manufacturing

As you’re likely discovering, the research process for finding the best metal parts manufacturer can be quite time consuming. What other services can the potential manufacturing partner provide so you can use them for more than one project, rather than starting from scratch with researching various new vendors?

You Ask: What are your metal manufacturing specialties outside the scope of this particular project?

Impeccable Customer Service

Even the highest-tech equipment can’t make up for disappointing customer service. The best metal parts manufacturing partners will have well-trained, experienced engineers and project managers ready to answer your questions and guide you through the process. 

You Ask: Will I have a dedicated point of contact to keep me updated on project timelines and other milestones on my project? 

Looking for the best metal parts manufacturers?

As your metal parts experts, The Federal Group specializes in metal fabrication. The best products start with the best parts—and the best parts start with engineers at the top of their fields. Our expert team is knowledgeable about the latest materials, manufacturing capabilities, and processes. If you’re looking for a reliable metal parts manufacturer, we just might be a perfect fit.

Contact us to get started on a free quote for your metal fabrication project today.

Steel is an extremely valuable commodity in today’s world. This useful product has created many livelihoods and has many uses. In fact, steel is one of the most important materials in the history of our planet, but few people know many facts about the versatile material. Here are 15 facts you probably didn’t know about steel.

15 Interesting Fun Facts About Steel

1. Steel has been used for over 1,000 years. The earliest steel product is 4,000 years old. Steel has survived and thrived for many centuries. Even in ancient times, there have been examples where steel has been utilized to make the lives of people better.

2. Steel is used to make tin cans. Chances are that cold beverage you like to drink was made of steel. In fact, 200 billion tin cans are produced each year.

3. Daily steel production is astronomically high. To put things in perspective: 548 Eiffel Towers could be built with the production of steel in one day.

4. The steel industry employs a multitude of people. This industry is thriving, and it employs people from all walks of life. Over 8 million people (which is about the population of the entire country of Switzerland) work in the steel trades.

5. Modern steel is much more efficient than it used to be. The steel of today is not only much stronger than the steel of the past, but it is also about a third lighter as well.

6. Steel has been involved in the production of automobiles for almost a century. The first steel automobile came out in 1918.

7. Steel helped produce the first skyscraper. In 1885, the Home Insurance Building was created. Since then, about 50 percent of the world’s steel population has been through construction.

8. Steel is the most recycled material on earth. Steel can be recycled for up to 150 years after it is first produced. When you purchase steel, it is always recycled.

9. Despite its strength, steel roofs weigh significantly less than roofs made of asphalt, fiberglass, clay, and concrete.

10. Refrigerators made before 2001 contain over 100 pounds of steel.

11. Steel is an important material used in the production of seat belts.

12. Building the Golden Gate Bridge called for 83,000 tons of steel.

13. When it comes to home security, steel trumps other materials.

14. Did you know? Steel is one of the strongest materials in the world.

15. Every year, companies are discovering new ways to make steel an even better material. Over $10 billion has been invested in the research of a higher quality steel material.

Visit Tampa Steel and Supply for Quality Steel and Metal Supply

Are you in need of steel supplies? Look no further than the professionals at Tampa Steel and Supply. We stock an extensive list of steel products for whatever project you need to tackle. We’re proud to have served our customers for nearly four decades and are ready to assist you with your steel needs. Have questions? Give us a call today to learn more, or stop by our beautiful Tampa showroom.

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