As the design and manufacturing industry continues to experience welcomed changes, product lifespan, manufacturing cycle and turnaround times have become greatly reduced. Year on year, manufacturers continue to push out several updates and versions of new and existing brands, promising exciting upgrades that almost immediately crash the demand for previous versions. This has consequently led to fewer and fewer mass production and more consideration for low-volume manufacturing.
What Is Low Volume Production?
Low-volume manufacturing is a specialized service that offers full production-quality parts but in volumes ranging from a single piece to a few thousand pieces. It’s ideal for moving an idea from the concept stage through prototyping, and from there as a bridge to full volume production.
Benefits Of Low Volume Production
• Cost Savings
Low-volume manufacturing may range from 1 to 10000 units of production parts. This volume of products will usually be affordable for even the smallest businesses in the industry. Low-volume manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing and CNC milling can help designers to cut the cost associated with general overheads in mass production, and also offers flexibility, allowing for simple changes in design to be made without forfeiting huge investments.
• Budget-friendly
Most mass production factories usually have a minimum order quantity. This is the quantity below which they won’t run your production at a profitable margin. Low-volume manufacturing helps most emerging businesses to manage their budget, ensuring that avoidable costs are not incurred on the general overheads that mass production will demand. With low-volume manufacturing, there will be lower labor demands, lesser power consumption and significantly lesser material waste.
Most mass production techniques will require the production of tools, molds and dyes that can take days and weeks to become ready; these molds and tools are also very expensive to produce and correct should the need for correction arise.
• Gives start-up businesses faster entry into markets
Low-volume production has helped many businesses level the playing field as it offers a route to quick market entry. Low-volume manufacturing can help start-ups quickly deploy their products into emerging markets to drive trial and steal market share early. Without low-volume manufacturing techniques, many small and medium businesses may not stand a chance in emerging markets.
• Bridge production
Low-volume manufacturing can have immense benefits even for established businesses. In times where quick manufacturing is required to bridge supply deficit, low-volume techniques are commonly used to meet up with production needs and shorten the time to make quick delivery.
Today, low-volume manufacturing can be employed to meet tight timelines and stringent budgets using cost-effective techniques such as 3D printing and CNC machining. Many businesses can benefit from the efficiency and cost-advantage that low-volume manufacturing offers.
Low-Volume CNC Production
Low volume production is considered to be a specialized service because most manufacturers don’t want to do it. Their assembly lines and supply chains are optimized for large production volumes that leverage economies of scale. There is nothing wrong with that approach, because it’s the best way to ensure the lowest cost per piece. However, it usually requires large minimum order volumes and a commitment to expensive tooling.
But what is a product developer to do if you want to start off with CNC product volumes on the low end, from one part to one thousand? That’s where we can help.
CNC machining is usually used for 1-1000 of a prototype, especially for metal parts in low volume manufacturing. The advantages: fast lead time, low cost, accurate, stable quality, etc. CNC machining gives the production of parts with complexity in a short time and also reducing the cost.
Why Choose DFM Rapid?
Our company is a leading provider of low volume CNC machining services. With years of experience and a commitment to excellence, we have established ourselves as a reliable and trusted partner for businesses and individuals in need of custom components and parts. Our advanced CNC machines and skilled technicians allow us to provide high-precision, high-quality machining solutions for a wide range of industries, including electronics, medical, and automotive.
Whether you need a single part for a prototype or a small batch of custom components, we have the experience and capability to meet your needs. Our streamlined processes and efficient workflow ensure that we can deliver your parts quickly and at competitive prices, without sacrificing quality.
At DFM Rapid, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We understand the importance of timely and effective communication, and our dedicated customer service team is always available to answer your questions and provide support throughout the machining process.
If you’re in need of low volume CNC machining services, DFM Rapid is your good partner. Contact us today to discuss your project and see how we can help bring your vision to life.