Project snapshot: a UK manufacturer of recycling and material sorting equipment needed a stainless steel fabrication partner for 316L hoppers, guards and control enclosures. Over 14 months the project moved from a single trial order to a quarterly release schedule, with lead time reduced by 35% and first-pass yield raised from 88% to 98.5%.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Industry | Recycling and material sorting equipment |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Company size | Mid-sized OEM, 120 to 150 staff |
| Parts in scope | 316L hoppers, side guards, control cabinets, mounting frames |
| Annual volume | Around 2400 fabricated assemblies |
| Service used | OEM sheet metal fabrication, welding, powder coating, kitting |
The client had been buying fabricated 316L parts from a local UK subcontractor. Three issues kept repeating. First, delivery slipped: quoted at 8 weeks, actual delivery ran to 12 weeks in peak season, which pushed machine assembly dates and forced expensive overtime. Second, weld quality was inconsistent. Hoppers that must hold liquid were failing leak tests on roughly one unit in eight, and rework had to be done after powder coating, which meant stripping, re-welding and recoating. Third, dimensional drift appeared on multi-part assemblies: brackets that passed inspection individually would not line up on the assembly line, because each part had been made from a different drawing revision.
Cost per part looked acceptable on paper, but the true cost including rework, line stoppage and air freight for urgent replacement parts was far higher than the purchase price suggested.
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Average lead time | 12 weeks | 7.5 weeks |
| First-pass yield | 88% | 98.5% |
| Leak test failures per batch | 12 units | Fewer than 1 unit |
| Rework and recoating cost | Baseline | Down 42% |
| Emergency air freight events | 5 per year | 0 in 14 months |
| Assembly fit-up complaints | Recurring | None since batch 2 |
"The difference is predictability. We stopped building buffer stock to protect our assembly line, because the parts arrive when promised and they fit the first time," said the client's purchasing manager. "The DFM notes in the first quote paid for themselves in the first three batches."
Three things made the difference: fixtures instead of skill-dependent welding, one locked drawing revision across every batch, and inspection data shipped with the parts so the client could verify rather than guess, and a single English speaking engineer accountable for the account.
We fabricate 304 and 316L parts for recycling equipment, food machinery, medical housings and water treatment systems. Send your drawing with material, thickness, finish and annual quantity, and our engineering team will reply with a costed quotation and DFM notes within 12 working hours.
Project snapshot: a UK manufacturer of recycling and material sorting equipment needed a stainless steel fabrication partner for 316L hoppers, guards and control enclosures. Over 14 months the project moved from a single trial order to a quarterly release schedule, with lead time reduced by 35% and first-pass yield raised from 88% to 98.5%.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Industry | Recycling and material sorting equipment |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Company size | Mid-sized OEM, 120 to 150 staff |
| Parts in scope | 316L hoppers, side guards, control cabinets, mounting frames |
| Annual volume | Around 2400 fabricated assemblies |
| Service used | OEM sheet metal fabrication, welding, powder coating, kitting |
The client had been buying fabricated 316L parts from a local UK subcontractor. Three issues kept repeating. First, delivery slipped: quoted at 8 weeks, actual delivery ran to 12 weeks in peak season, which pushed machine assembly dates and forced expensive overtime. Second, weld quality was inconsistent. Hoppers that must hold liquid were failing leak tests on roughly one unit in eight, and rework had to be done after powder coating, which meant stripping, re-welding and recoating. Third, dimensional drift appeared on multi-part assemblies: brackets that passed inspection individually would not line up on the assembly line, because each part had been made from a different drawing revision.
Cost per part looked acceptable on paper, but the true cost including rework, line stoppage and air freight for urgent replacement parts was far higher than the purchase price suggested.
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Average lead time | 12 weeks | 7.5 weeks |
| First-pass yield | 88% | 98.5% |
| Leak test failures per batch | 12 units | Fewer than 1 unit |
| Rework and recoating cost | Baseline | Down 42% |
| Emergency air freight events | 5 per year | 0 in 14 months |
| Assembly fit-up complaints | Recurring | None since batch 2 |
"The difference is predictability. We stopped building buffer stock to protect our assembly line, because the parts arrive when promised and they fit the first time," said the client's purchasing manager. "The DFM notes in the first quote paid for themselves in the first three batches."
Three things made the difference: fixtures instead of skill-dependent welding, one locked drawing revision across every batch, and inspection data shipped with the parts so the client could verify rather than guess, and a single English speaking engineer accountable for the account.
We fabricate 304 and 316L parts for recycling equipment, food machinery, medical housings and water treatment systems. Send your drawing with material, thickness, finish and annual quantity, and our engineering team will reply with a costed quotation and DFM notes within 12 working hours.
