Deviations and Exceptions

At Vista Industrial Products, we always fabricate to print. If a part cannot be fabricated to print, we note deviations during the quote process and list them as exceptions and or conditions on the quote letter. This means we can fabricate to print with some approval of these exceptions; otherwise, we will no bid. These exceptions are also known as deviations after approval. We review prints thoroughly by confirming all materials are available. This includes material types, hardware and finishes to keep things simple. This is basic information has to be defined to allow for any company to quote.

A common mistake is calling out the correct material type. For a Formed Aluminum Sheet Metal Part, an example of this mistake is calling 6061-T6 as the material type. This material will always crack and some engineers do not know this. We would by default deviate from this material and provide the following exception.

“Quoting this part using Al 5052-H32.”

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How To Speed Up An RFQ

In Manufacturing time is crucial when sending in a Request for Quote, therefore; you should always submit your request with the proper documentation to speed up the process.

First, you must understand the basic information needed to provide a quote. This information will be required by any manufacturer which is the following.

  • Full Dimensional Prints
    • Material Type
    • Material Thickness
  • Finish call out such as paint or powder.
  • Quantity

With one of these details missing, it is technically impossible to provide a quote. More information about RFQs can be found here.

Now since you understand the basic information needed for an RFQ. The following items are critical details to provide an accurate quote in a timely manner.

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How to Properly Annotate Part Marking on a Drawing

Types of Part Marking

There are many types of part marking available depending of the functionality, durability, and longevity of the marking. Here are some types of part marking that are most commonly used:

  • Ink Stamping: Often used for simple markings of letters and numbers using one or two colors like part numbers, manufacturing date, cage codes, serial numbers, etc.
  • Silkscreen: Often used for with an artwork file that can be used with multiple colors for fonts, images, words, and designs link logos, aesthetic design, functionality identification, warning identification, etc.
  • Laser cutting: Often used for a permanent marking and contemporary design like logos, and esthetic design.
  • Emboss: Often used for a more permanent marking with an aesthetic appeal like logo design and part numbers.
  • Laser etch: Often used for more durability for a marking that is to be more permanent, but also has a different type of aesthetics since it’s etched in the metal.

Part marking can be used for part identification, logos, aesthetic design, functionality identification, warning identification, and more. No matter the reason for the part marking, it is crucial to have the part marking information properly annotated on the drawings. Continue reading

Configuration Management: When to Change Part Numbers and Revisions

For today’s blog post, we will be discussing the importance of when to change part numbers and revisions on manufacturing drawings. This is a major part of engineering change control and maintaining the proper documentation based on the minor and major changes made. Before we get started, it is important to mention that this blog is not meant as a “how to” of maintaining documentation and engineering change control. Many OEMs and companies maintain their document control based on their own system of rules of configuration or interchangeability (when to change part numbers, how to properly roll revisions, what letters and numbers to use, etc.). Continue reading

The Importance of CAD Models in Manufacturing

CAD (computer-aided design) models have changed the way the manufacturing industry designs and manufactures parts. There’s no doubt that since CAD technology, there has been a huge turning point for the better. Before CAD, designers used paper, pencils, rulers, compasses, and other tools to go about their drafting. It was cumbersome, time consuming, and a nuisance at times especially when there were changes being made to the design. Continue reading