There’s nothing new or mysterious about “just-in-time” or JIT manufacturing. The idea has been around since the 1970s, and all it means is that you receive what you need, just when you need it -- hence the popular term just-in-time delivery.
Yet, when it first came into practice, it shook up[...]
Maintaining inventory of what a customer needs for production, and nothing more, is a delicate and complicated balance. As inventory ages, it can depreciate to a level that no longer adds value for the producer. This is especially true in metal forming processes.
For manufacturers who require a continuous flow of custom roll forming, late shipments and stock outages can negatively impact sales and make it difficult to compete in today’s global marketplace. To limit the possibility of such headaches, OEM often choose between multisourcing vs.[...]
Are you looking for a high-capacity manufacturing partner? Those are everywhere, even in the niche world of roll formed parts. But how many of those possess the agility of a small business?
OEM projects can be hectic. The nuances of why raw materials cost a specific amount are probably not something you think of often. Your main concerns are likely lead time, reliability, quality, satisfying your customer, and controlling overall costs. But when it comes to that last one … wouldn’t[...]
Just roll forming isn’t very valuable to you. You can do just roll forming in-house. To be competitive, a manufacturer has to offer value throughout your supply chain, from beginning to end of the project.
While it's certainly niche, roll forming is still like any other metal manufacturing process. A little collaborative engineering and a lot of lean manufacturing practices equal mutual success.
We’ve talked about roll forming costs in our prior articles, Factors That Affect Roll Forming Costs and How to Reduce Roll Forming Costs. Today, we’re looking at the total cost of ownership, not just the price of your parts.
Using “pull production” rather than “push production” -- meaning, using a demand-driven approach rather than a supply-driven approach -- is a manufacturing philosophy that’s existed for decades at this point. In an industry like metal roll forming, “pull production” means everything from raw[...]
Customers don't ask for much. All they want is the right product at the right price, delivered on time and free from defects. That doesn't seem unreasonable, but many manufacturers struggle to hit all four points simultaneously. Hitting all four on a consistent basis is harder still.
