When this applies
- A working prototype exists and demand is real
- You are choosing between staying put and moving supplier
- Tooling investment is being considered
- Cost per unit must fall substantially
Requalify at production quantity
Parts made by a production process rarely behave identically to prototypes. Plan a first-article inspection and functional test on parts from the intended production process, before you depend on them.
- First-article inspection against a released drawing
- Functional test on production-process parts
- Agreed inspection plan for ongoing supply
- Documented approval of any deviation
Design for the production process
A part designed for machining is rarely optimal for moulding or casting. Involve the production supplier before the design is frozen; the changes they suggest are cheapest while the drawing is still open.
Keep the prototype route warm
Retaining a low-volume supplier for spares, revisions and pilot builds is worth the small overhead. It gives you somewhere to go when a change lands mid-production.
RFQ checklist
Include these in your request and suppliers can quote without a round of questions.
- Current drawings and models at a fixed revision
- Prototype quantity made and how it performed
- Target annual volume and unit cost
- Willingness to invest in tooling
- Qualification and documentation requirements