Made-to-order custom parts: what are the key steps for an effective management process?

In this article, find out more about Gardette Industries' processes regaring customer requests for special / custom parts. Manufacturing special parts according to an initial design requires a management process different to that of standard products.

These are the main stages in manufacturing made-to-order parts (with a design):

Design review

The first step is analysing the initial design for the special part and validating customer specifications and requirements. This allows us to determine the capacities required in order to manufacture the part.

Choosing the material: We validate the material requested by the customer and consider whether heat and/or surface treatment will be necessary to achieve the desired characteristics. We are the world's only manufacturer to have our own cold rolling, cold drawing and heat treatment plant. This expertise allows us to produce a wide range of standard and special steel profiles.

Then we create a task list in our ERP system, which lays out the various operations required to manufacture the part, as well as the different machines to be used and corresponding production times. This allows for maximum production effectiveness, minimum downtime and costs, and a high level of quality.

Designing the tools

Producing custom parts often calls for designing specific tools and/or assembly equipment for machine tools. Tools should be designed to meet the part's exact specifications and ensure high-quality production. Our process planning department plays an essential role in the design of tools and specific assemblies that meet the precise requirements of the part being manufactured. The tools and assembly must be precisely designed in order to guarantee the quality and compliance of the manufactured parts.

Programming the machine tools

The machine tools we use to manufacture special parts are programmed according to the customer's requirements. Our process planning department is responsible for programming machine tools to manufacture custom parts, as well as for validating, monitoring and continuously improving the manufacturing process in order to ensure high-quality production in accordance with customer specifications.

Manufacturing made-to-order parts from a blueprint

Once the tools and assembly have been designed and the machine tools programmed, manufacturing can begin on the special parts. The parts are machined using the specific manufacturing process developed to suit the client's particular requirements. Among our fleet of machines are:

• Saws & milling machines to cut raw parts; also used for stock squaring, slopes, shoulders or chamfers.
• Grinding machines (flat and double disc), used to remove a very thin layer of material from the part, allowing a precise surface roughness to be achieved
• Numerical controls, used for various types of machining (contour milling, pocket milling, drilling, shoulders, etc.) to satisfy customer needs.
• Two robotic systems for loading/unloading machining centres, allowing us to increase production capacities and flexibility regarding timeframes and deadlines.
• Vibratory finishing machines, enabling us to improve the parts' finish by eliminating any sharp edges, polishing surfaces, and giving the parts the desired final appearance.

We are committed to providing tailor-made solutions that meet our clients' needs, using cutting-edge techniques and ensuring optimal treatment quality to guarantee customer satisfaction.

Quality control

Throughout the manufacturing process, meticulous quality checks are carried out to ensure that the bespoke key is in accordance with customer specifications. Quality checks may include dimension tests, geometric tests, hardness tests, etc.

Packing & shipping

At Gardette, we ensure compliance with packaging standards and regulations. The type of packaging chosen depends on the product, its size and its weight. As well as this, we can also accommodate specific requests from our clients, regarding bags, personalised packaging in boxes, or other particular requirements. Once packaged, the parts are shipped with carriers such as DPD, DHL, CEVA, Chronopost or TNT.