When you have an idea for a product that can disrupt the industry, you need to work with a fabricator that can help you design and manufacture your product to be the best. When you are up against traditional models, you have to prove yourself. If your product isn't designed well, your attempt to gain market share may fall flat.
A manufacturer of tool staging systems for mechanics was facing an issue like this. They designed a product that would increase the efficiency of mechanics and potentially increase the profitability of companies that employ them. The tool staging system was fabricated from sheet metal; however, it wasn't appropriately designed for sheet metal. The fabricator they worked with was welding parts together that shouldn't have been, and they didn't have the in-house capabilities to do all the forming requirements. These problems impacted the quality of the system.
The company decided to turn to Herold Precision Metals (HPM) to redesign the tool staging system because of its engineering reputation and use of design for manufacturability and assembly (DFMA) principles. In addition, HPM could perform the full assembly while removing some of the costs.
Starting in Reverse
The engineers at HPM had no blueprints to work with and had to reverse engineer every component of the system. In doing so, HPM made changes in the system that improved its quality and made assembly easier for both HPM and the end-user.
Because HPM has additional forming capabilities that the prior fabricator didn't have, HPM could simplify the design by combining components into one, eliminating steps during assembly. The engineers changed the design to join the components with rivets instead of welding, thinned out gauges, and changed materials to lower the costs. In addition, they stiffened the doors so they would close easier.
The tool staging system is available in two sizes. HPM engineers designed the systems with interchangeable parts between the models, which reduced the total number of parts needed as well as manufacturing time.
Once they improved the quality and reduced manufacturing times, HPM engineers moved on to improving the overall look. HPM worked with its paint house to have all the metal components powder coated, providing a durable, high-quality finish that resonated with the customer's brand. To further enhance the brand equity, the team incorporated the customer logo outside and on some internal surfaces.
More Than a Fabricator
As a full-service metal fabricator, HPM also builds the systems subassembly and packages the product for shipping. Its 110,000 square foot facility allows it to stage and warehouse projects, so its customers don't have to. The customer sends their order to HPM, and HPM ships it to the end-user. This service provides excellent value in time and money to the company.
Working with HPM has allowed the customer to go from struggling with a subpar product to showcasing a high-quality, visually appealing tool staging system that stands out from others on the market. In addition, HPM has reduced the cost of manufacturing the system and removed the hassle and time associated with the assembly, packaging, and shipping from the customer.
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