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Metal Fabrication FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Working with Nu-Way Industries

When you’re searching for a contract manufacturing partner, you need clear answers about capabilities, processes, and what to expect. At Nu-Way Industries, we field questions every day from companies exploring custom metal fabrication solutions, from entrepreneurs with new product concepts to established brands, and optimizing their supply chain.

Based on 50 years of customer discussions, these metal fabrication FAQs reflect the most common questions in custom metal fabrication work. From design and prototyping questions to concerns about certifications, lead times, and pricing, we’re addressing the topics that matter most when choosing a contract manufacturing partner.

Whether you’re exploring options for a new product or looking to streamline your current manufacturing process, these answers will help you understand exactly what to expect when working with Nu-Way Industries.

What Are Nu-Way Industries’ Core Offerings?

We specialize in electronic packaging, which is a broad category that encompasses enclosures, housings, kiosks, and fully integrated devices. But we’re more than just a custom metal fabrication shop. As a vertically-integrated contract manufacturer, we provide end-to-end solutions that take your product from initial concept through production and certification.

Our integrated approach means we handle everything under one roof: design, engineering, fabrication, finishing, assembly, and testing. This includes industrial design, UX design, graphics, mechanical and electromechanical engineering, and even regulatory compliance support. When you work with us, you get a single point of contact, consistent quality control, and a manufacturing partner who’s accountable for your entire product.

This commitment is backed by our ISO 9001:2015 certification, which ensures that quality and reliability are built into every process, from start to finish.

What Industries Does Nu-Way Serve?

We work across diverse industries, with a particular expertise in sectors that require complex mechanical and electromechanical integration. Our experience includes outdoor digital menu boards for quick-service restaurants like Tim Hortons and Popeyes, control cabinets, energy storage systems, commercial kiosks, and consumer-facing devices designed to meet ADA accessibility requirements.

While we serve many markets, we focus on applications that leverage our full range of contract manufacturing services, such as projects where precision fabrication, powder coating, electrical integration, and sophisticated assembly must work seamlessly together. It’s why companies with complex integration challenges often seek us out as their manufacturing partner.

What Types of Projects Are You Most Competitive With?

We’re at our best when things get complex. The greater the value-add opportunity, the more we can leverage our vertically integrated fabrication processes. By combining metal fabrication, finishing, electrical integration, and final assembly under one roof, our clients receive completed products without the delays and costs of sending work out to multiple outside services. That’s why projects that normally require coordination between multiple suppliers are where we really shine.

Right now, for example, we’re building refrigerator-sized devices for Zenblen that include everything from motion systems and refrigeration to product manipulators and digital controls. The products must be designed to meet NSF requirements, too. It’s the kind of project that would typically involve juggling multiple vendors and hoping everything comes together correctly. Instead, we handle the entire build under one roof. That means faster turnaround, lower costs, and clear accountability if adjustments are needed.

Do You Offer Engineering and Prototyping Services?

Yes, and it goes well beyond basic engineering support. We provide industrial design, UX design, graphics, and both mechanical and electromechanical engineering services. Our team can take your initial concept through alpha builds, beta testing, and into scaled production.

We have a dedicated 25,000-square-foot prototype area where we can quickly move from concept to physical prototype. This space lets us test, refine, and perfect your design before moving to full production. We also provide Design for Manufacturing (DFM) consultation to help optimize your product for cost-effective production without sacrificing quality or performance. It’s about catching potential issues early when they’re easy and inexpensive to fix.

Can You Help With Certifications and Testing?

Absolutely. We know regulatory requirements can be overwhelming, so we’ve built expertise in UL and Intertek/ETL certifications, CE conformity, and NEMA enclosure ratings. Our facility maintains the procedures required to apply certification marks under periodic audits, and staff who understands the certification process.

We work with you to develop testing protocols that make sense for your product, ensuring it meets safety standards while performing the way it should.

What Are Your Standard Lead Times?

It depends on the complexity of your project. Standard fabrication work typically runs six weeks. If we need to send anything out for special processes, you’re looking at eight weeks or more. Fully integrated assemblies usually need at least twelve weeks.

The biggest variable is often the specialized components we need to source. As projects get more complex, we’re buying more parts from outside suppliers. Servo motors, PCBs, wire harnesses, and motion systems can all affect the timeline. We’ll work with you upfront to set realistic expectations and keep you updated as your project moves through production.

How Do You Handle Material Purchasing and Pricing?

Our size gives us significant purchasing power that we leverage for our customers’ benefit. We continuously analyze consumption patterns across our operations, identifying opportunities to negotiate bulk purchases of high-use materials like cold-rolled and hot-rolled steel.

If you can provide blanket orders with quarterly commitments, we can offer even better pricing stability. These commitments let us make strategic purchases and pass those savings along to you. It’s like the difference between bulk-buying versus purchasing in smaller quantities; our volume means better pricing for everyone.

How Do You Handle Shipping and Logistics?

We adapt to whatever works best for you. If you need products drop-shipped directly to job sites or sent to your distribution center, we can do that. We also offer white-glove service and can design custom packaging tailored to your specific needs.

We’ve developed reusable skid programs that cut shipping costs while supporting sustainability. For outdoor digital menu board customers and others with complex installations, we kit complete assemblies with detailed installation documentation, so everything arrives ready to go.

Our flexibility extends to how products are configured for shipping. We can pre-assemble components or keep them separate based on your assembly process. It’s about understanding your workflow and adapting our processes to make your job easier.

What Are Nu-Way’s Core Values?

Our work is guided by four core values that shape how we operate:

People: Our employees and customers are at the center of everything we do. We work to see things from your perspective.
Delivery: We keep our promises. When we commit to a timeline or specification, we deliver on it with high quality.
Technology: We invest in the latest fabrication technology because it enables us to produce higher-quality products, achieve faster turnarounds, and minimize waste.
Integrity: We believe in doing the right thing, even when it’s not the easiest path. Our reputation matters more than any short-term gain.

These values guide our daily decisions and our continuous improvement efforts. They’re the foundation of how we work with every customer.

Do You Sign NDAs and Protect Intellectual Property?

Yes, mutual NDAs are standard practice with most of our customers. We understand how important it is to protect your intellectual property and maintain confidentiality throughout our partnership. When you work with us, you can rest assured that your proprietary designs and innovations stay protected.

Start Your Next Project With Nu-Way

These metal fabrication FAQs cover the basics, but every project is unique. At Nu-Way Industries, we believe good enough will never be good enough. That’s why we continuously invest in our capabilities, our people, and our processes to deliver exceptional custom metal fabrication and contract manufacturing services.

When you choose Nu-Way as your manufacturing partner, you work with a team committed to your success through quality, innovation, and integrity.

Ready to discuss your next project? Contact us today to request a quote or learn more about how our vertically integrated approach can streamline your manufacturing needs. Whether you need a simple enclosure or a complex outdoor digital menu board system, we have the experience and capabilities to make it happen.

Smooth Assembly Starts with Great Sheet Metal Design

Getting a product to market quickly takes more than a good idea, available materials, or fast turnaround times. One of the biggest delays we see at our custom metal fabrication shop has nothing to do with supply; it’s how easily a product comes together on the assembly floor.

Design for Assembly (DFA) is all about making that process faster, more cost-effective, and more consistent by considering assembly from the start. With decades of experience in custom metal fabrication and contract manufacturing services, Nu-Way helps customers refine their sheet metal design to simplify production and avoid costly complications down the line.

Here are some of the most common assembly challenges we encounter, along with the practical design adjustments that can make a big difference.

3 Common Design for Assembly (DfA) Challenges

When we review a new product design, we’re not just looking at whether we can fabricate the part. Another important factor we consider is how it will come together during assembly. If a customer is open to feedback early on, we’ll flag anything that might add time, cost, or complexity once it hits the floor.

Here are three of the most common assembly-related issues we see, and why they’re worth catching before production begins.

Challenge 1: Too Many Unique Parts

One of the biggest factors that slows down assembly isn’t how complicated a single part is — it’s how many unique parts the build requires. Every additional bracket, panel, or fastener type adds complexity to inventory management, handling, and assembly sequencing.

We often see designs that could be simplified with fewer part variations or by combining features into a single component. Not only does this reduce the number of pieces that need to be tracked and installed, but it also cuts down on the chances of errors during assembly.

Streamlining part counts makes builds faster, lowers the risk of mistakes, and often results in lower overall costs. It’s a smart design choice that pays off quickly once products hit the floor.

Challenge 2: Over-reliance on Tight Tolerances

One of the most common design issues we see is the use of unnecessarily tight tolerances. While precision is important, overspecifying dimensions can drive up costs, slow down fabrication, and add inspection steps — all without improving function.

That said, there are situations where tighter tolerances are worth it. For example, maintaining consistent hole locations across panels can make assemblies fall together quickly, reducing the need for adjustments or rework on the floor. The key is knowing when to specify precision for assembly efficiency, and when looser tolerances will get the job done just as well.

By applying the right level of tolerance control, designers not only save on fabrication costs but also make the assembly process smoother and more predictable.

Challenge 3: Design choices that complicate assembly

Some design decisions add unnecessary friction to the assembly process. We often see parts that rely heavily on welding or machining when fasteners, tabs, or rivets would be more efficient. Others create access issues—requiring awkward angles or disassembly to reach internal components.

We’ve even seen assemblies that require what feels like origami-level maneuvering to put together. In many cases, these complications can be resolved with minor design changes that don’t affect function but significantly improve build time and serviceability.

The earlier these issues are addressed, the better. That’s why we encourage open conversations about assembly during the product design stage, especially for cabinets, enclosures, and other complex builds.

Tips for a Smoother Assembly Process

Designing for assembly doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require some upfront thinking. Here are a few practical things we recommend keeping in mind during the design stage:

– Limit part variety when possible. Fewer unique brackets, panels, or fasteners simplify inventory, speed up assembly, and reduce error risk.
– Right-size tolerances. Apply tight tolerances only where they help parts fit together cleanly (like hole alignment), and keep them looser where function allows.
– Choose efficient joining methods. Use fasteners, tabs, or rivets instead of welding when the application allows. Welding adds time and cost and is often unnecessary for non-structural joints.
– Think about access. Ensure that panels, cables, and components are easily accessible and don’t require awkward angles or disassembly to reach.
– Involve your manufacturing partner early. A brief conversation up front can prevent costly complications once the design hits the floor.

These are small decisions, but they add up—especially in higher-volume production.

Let’s Work Through Your Assembly Challenges Together

Whether you’re developing a new product or working with an existing sheet metal design, thinking through the assembly process early can help you avoid delays, reduce costs, and get better results on the floor.

At Nu-Way Industries, we combine decades of experience in sheet metal design, product design services, and custom metal fabrication with the in-house capabilities needed to support complex assemblies at scale. If you’re looking for a contract manufacturing partner who understands how design decisions impact assembly, we’re here to help.

Committed to Better: Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement

You don’t become a top manufacturing partner by settling for the status quo. That’s why, at Nu-Way Industries, we take continuous improvement seriously. It’s a priority that goes beyond part quality to include the processes, people, and information flow that drive our custom metal fabrication work. Because when it comes to being a true partner to our customers, making excellent parts is only part of the equation. Just as important is how we show up for each other and the people who count on us.

The bottom line? Good enough will never be good enough for our team.

How Leadership Changes Sparked a Fresh Perspective

This past year brought a major shift to Nu-Way Industries, with Mary Howard taking over as President of the company.

Although Mary has been with us for more than 40 years, this was a meaningful transition—and one that created a natural opportunity to reimagine how we move forward and what long-standing challenges we want to address.

Mary’s collaborative leadership style represents how we operate as a manufacturing partner. She’s created space for every voice to be heard and for structured feedback to shape how we work. In that spirit, she launched a cross-functional committee of team members from various departments, including engineering, operations, procurement, and sales—each representing a different part of the order processing path.

The committee’s first step was to distribute a company-wide survey to more than 60 managers, leads, and vice presidents. The goal is to identify day-to-day friction points and better understand what’s working, what isn’t, and where we have the most room to improve.

This initiative is still in motion, with the committee actively reviewing feedback and narrowing it down to a shortlist of priorities. From there, the next step is to break those into a small number of focused improvement projects based on process mapping that is being done for each area—each aimed at making the biggest impact on quality, flow, and customer outcomes. Dedicated sub-teams will be formed around each project to put those plans into action.

Communication As a Core Opportunity

One of the early themes to emerge from the survey is communication—specifically, how information flows from one stage to the next. It’s a challenge many manufacturers face, especially in complex environments like custom metal fabrication, where timing, coordination, and context all play a role in keeping jobs on track.

In many cases, a job starts with a conversation. A customer may need a design tweak or have a very specific reason why the part must ship by a certain date. While those details matter a lot, they don’t always travel with the part—and by the time the packet reaches the shop floor, the story behind the part may be missing or incomplete.

That doesn’t mean the team isn’t paying attention. In most cases, the problem results from siloed information and shifting priorities—things that happen often in fast-moving operations. The survey process helps us see more clearly just how much clarity and context impact outcomes. As we continue reviewing input, this is exactly the type of opportunity we’ll be looking more closely at.

Why This Work Matters For You

As a customer, you’ll likely never see the internal steps we’re taking to become a stronger manufacturing partner. But you will see the effects of this work with fewer disruptions, clearer handoffs, and the sense that everyone involved in your project is already on the same page. The real goal here is that you’ll never need to chase down updates or re-explain what matters most.

To that end, the real value of this effort is strengthening the trust our customers place in us and making sure that when you choose Nu-Way as your manufacturing partner, you feel that partnership at every stage of the process.

We Owe Our Customers Our Best

The continuous improvement work underway right now is still taking shape. As the committee identifies what to tackle first, we’ll share more about the priorities, the progress, and what changes are making a measurable difference for our team and the customers we serve.

This process isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about care, commitment, and the belief that even small changes—when done thoughtfully—can make a big difference. It’s about showing up each day with the mindset that there’s always room to grow and improve.

We owe our customers our best, and that starts with being better for each other.

If you’re looking for a manufacturing partner that values communication, accountability, and continuous improvement, we’d love to connect. Reach out to request a quote or learn more about our full range of sheet metal fabrication services and custom metal components.

Why Serviceability Should Guide Your Product Design

When our team was manufacturing in-store ordering kiosks for a global quick-service restaurant, one key requirement of the project was making the product design easy for employees to swap out the receipt paper when needed.

But we didn’t want those same employees to access the high-voltage internal components and risk damaging the units (or themselves). With that in mind, we designed the kiosks with two separate compartments:

1. One that allowed easy access to the printer
2. And another that remained securely locked and was only accessible to trained technicians

This is just one example of how thoughtful design decisions can make a product easier and safer to service. These decisions, which fall under the broader category of serviceability, are an important and often overlooked part of the design process. That’s why, at Nu-Way Industries, we make it a priority on every project we take on. Our extensive experience with outdoor enclosures, kiosks, and complex integrated cabinet systems gives us a practical, real-world lens for designing products that perform well not just on day one but every day thereafter.

This experience forms the backbone of our product design services, which prioritize serviceability, usability, and real-world applications from the start.

What Is Product Serviceability?

Product serviceability refers to how easily a product can be accessed, maintained, or repaired over its life. It includes everything from changing filters and replacing components to dealing with environmental damage or user misuse.

While it may seem like a “nice-to-have” feature, serviceability is just as important as material selection or aesthetics. In our experience, ignoring it often leads to higher labor costs, more frequent failures, and frustrated end users.

How Early Questions Lead to Better Designs

When presented with a new development project, we could provide a quote, no questions asked, and if ordered, pass it straight to our manufacturing engineering team. And while that is how many contract manufacturers work, that’s not how we do things at Nu-Way Industries.

Rather than simply following a set of instructions, we begin by stepping back and getting a full, bird’s-eye view of the product and its intended use. This process may feel like a game of 20 questions, but it’s an essential part of how we approach our product design services, setting every project up for good serviceability from the very beginning. To that end, we ask questions like:

– What is the product’s function?
– Where will it be used?
– Who will interact with it?
– How will it be installed or accessed?

This discovery process recently helped us guide a prospective customer in the right direction. They came to us because they wanted to discuss a rooftop enclosure for propane fuel cells and voltage inverters they were developing, and assumed it needed to be fully NEMA-rated. However, after getting a better understanding of the application, we realized that a NEMA rating wasn’t actually necessary.

Instead, we recommended a more straightforward solution: a secure, modular enclosure that will protect the components and can be assembled easily on-site, eliminating the need for a complicated or expensive installation process.

We also considered real-world servicing conditions: what happens when a technician is on a rooftop in freezing wind (or blazing heat) and drops a screw in the gravel or snow? To help avoid this likely scenario, we recommended using removable panels secured with captive fasteners that stay attached during service. It’s a small detail that will make a big difference when working in the field.

This level of questioning revealed opportunities we wouldn’t have uncovered otherwise, and guided design choices that will make rooftop installation simpler, allowing for easier serviceability in the future.

3 Reasons to Think About Serviceability Early

When serviceability is prioritized early, it enhances the user experience and yields a higher-quality product. Here are a few of the key benefits we consistently see:

1. Reduced Long-Term Costs: Design decisions that reduce or eliminate service cycles directly lower operating costs. For example, we helped a customer redesign their outdoor signs for passive convection cooling, eliminating the need for fans and filters—two components that typically require ongoing maintenance, but experience showed that maintenance is seldom carried out.
2. Longer Product Life: When a kiosk or cabinet is easy to access, routine maintenance is more likely to occur. This kind of accessibility supports predictable upkeep and helps extend the product’s lifespan.
3. Improved Usability and Safety: As the restaurant kiosk example illustrates, different users should have different access levels. Creating physical barriers or keyed access to sensitive components protects the safety of the user and the equipment.

Product Design Factors That Make or Break Serviceability

From hard-to-reach access panels to overengineered (and costly) features that no one uses, there are several common mistakes that compromise the serviceability of the product. During the discovery and design review process, which are built into our product design services, we consider factors such as:

– Accessibility: Are doors, panels, and components easy to access when needed? Does the design include captive fasteners to prevent dropped screws during rooftop or outdoor servicing?
– Human Interaction: Does the design limit pinch points or exposure to electrical components? Does it include angled tops or crowned surfaces to prevent users from setting drinks (or worse) on the product?
– Environmental Considerations: Does the design account for the environment in which the product will ultimately be used? For example, a kiosk in a busy train station must be built for durability and abuse, while a rooftop enclosure must endure weather extremes and rough handling by service technicians.

In short, it’s wise to assume that people will misuse things; designs should reflect this simple fact of life. That principle is central to our work at Nu-Way Industries. With decades of experience and tens of thousands of product interactions behind us, we’ve seen it all. That history helps us spot issues early and make informed, practical recommendations that lead to better results.

Bring Serviceability Into the Conversation Early

Having a conversation with your manufacturing partner about the user experience and serviceability of your next product is an essential step in the design process. Not only can it save money and reduce failures, but it can also improve usability from day one.

Whether you’re still in the concept phase or you have an initial drawing in hand, our engineering team would love to talk with your team. The sooner you integrate serviceability into the design process, the fewer costly surprises you’ll face later, and the better experience you’ll deliver to your end users and service teams.

Our product design services are rooted in practical insight and backed by decades of contract manufacturing experience. Reach out to our team and request a quote today.

Engineering Feature-Rich Outdoor Digital Menu Boards for Global QSR Brands

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) rely on high-quality outdoor digital menu boards to showcase their offerings and enable seamless transactions. But not only do menu boards need to provide a standout customer experience, they need to be cost-effective, easy to install and service, and durable enough to withstand harsh climates. However, for QSR groups and franchisees, finding a reliable supplier that addresses all of these considerations can be a tall order.

That’s why we designed our own line of single, double, and triple-panel outdoor digital menu boards from the ground up.

Now in their second generation, you can find Nu-Way Industries’ outdoor digital menu boards in the drive-thrus of global QSR brands, including Tim Hortons, White Castle, and Popeyes, as well as at many other local and regional QSR chains.

Leveraging Integrated Manufacturing for Cost-Effective Outdoor Digital Menu Boards

As a contract manufacturer, we know that costs are a key consideration for everyone in the supply chain. That’s why cost was a top-of-mind concern when we designed our outdoor digital menu boards. But achieving lower costs without compromising features or quality isn’t an easy task.

However, with our vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities, we have an advantage. By leveraging our in-house sheet metal fabrication capabilities, including laser cutting, sheet metal forming, welding, and finishing, we’re able to manufacture durable metal housings for outdoor digital menu boards entirely within our Chicago-based metal fabrication facility. Then, with our in-house assembly services, we integrate weather-proof Samsung or LG panels and optional high-quality audio systems into the housings, enabling QSRs to provide customers with a feature-rich drive-thru experience.

By performing all of this in-house instead of relying on outside vendors for assembly and finishing, we’re able to control the manufacturing process from start to finish, ensuring quality at every step and the lowest possible cost for our customers.

Essential Design Considerations for Reliability, Serviceability & Ease of Installation

When designing and manufacturing products, there are always challenges to overcome and opportunities to innovate. While manufacturing outdoor digital menu boards may seem fairly straightforward, there are actually many nuances that need to be considered. This is particularly true when it comes to ease of installation, serviceability, and the ability to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Streamlined Shipping and Installation

Outdoor digital menu boards are large, heavy sheet metal products that can present a logistical challenge. Often, these are shipped from various suppliers in different pieces and must be assembled on-site before installation. However, with our approach—and because of our extensive manufacturing capabilities—we’re able to manufacture outdoor digital menu boards that ship as a pre-configured system on a single pallet with an included installation kit.

Although you can technically install our outdoor digital menu boards yourself, we don’t recommend it; instead, we suggest leveraging our network of experienced technicians and site integrators to ensure reliable and hassle-free installation.

Designed with Serviceability In Mind

Serviceability is an important factor when investing in any piece of equipment, and outdoor digital menu boards are no exception. While many of these products require a full menu board replacement if one of the panels fails, we designed ours with replaceable screens and optional protective glass display covers. That means, should a board get damaged, a service technician can easily swap out a panel and quickly have the full menu board back in working order.

Additionally, to make the electronic components easy to service, we enclosed the electronics within a separate easily accessible locked compartment—a change based on in-the-field feedback from our first design iteration. Not only does this make servicing the electronic components much simpler, but it also enables restaurant owners and managers to prevent unauthorized service providers or employees from attempting to perform repairs.

Engineered to Withstand Hurricane-Force Winds

One of the biggest challenges we encountered when designing an outdoor digital menu board was creating a design that would withstand strong winds—this is a critical consideration for outdoor products like this with large, flat surface areas that act like a sail in high wind conditions. However, in addition to wind speed, we also had to consider the installation environment, specifically the soil classification and foundation.

To ensure this aspect of the design was absolutely correct, we worked with a professional engineering company to refine our designs to increase wind load resistance. Now we can confidently say that when installed properly, our outdoor digital menu boards are rated to withstand Category 5 hurricane-force winds of up to 170 miles per hour when installed on our recommended foundation.

Nu-Way Industries: Your Source for High-Quality Outdoor Digital Menu Boards

Whether you’re opening a new quick-service restaurant or remodeling an existing location, our outdoor digital menu boards provide a long-lasting, high-quality drive-thru experience. With one board for pre-orders and a three-board system as the main menu board, no matter where your customers are in line, they’ll be able to see your menu offerings, hear your promotions, and interact with your staff with ease.

While there are many other menu board solutions on the market, when you come to Nu-Way Industries for your outdoor digital menu boards, you can be sure you’re getting the highest-quality product available. Designed and fabricated with precision just outside of Chicago, we’ve carefully engineered our menu boards for reliability, serviceability, and ease of installation. But most importantly, we’ve designed them to provide an ideal customer experience. Interested in learning more about our outdoor digital menu boards or getting a quote for your quick-service restaurant? Contact us today and let’s discuss your needs!

When Should You Involve Your Contract Manufacturing Partner in a Project? (Hint: ASAP)

Manufacturing is a business that’s all about the details, and as a contract manufacturer partner, the more we know and the sooner we know, the better the end result for all involved.

But how early should you start discussing your needs with your manufacturing partner?

The answer to that is — it depends. But with a bit of information as to the why behind lead times, you’ll quickly realize the benefits of getting your manufacturing partner involved earlier rather than later and when it’s essential that you do so.

At Nu-Way Industries, we have over 50 years of experience in sheet metal fabrication. We know what it takes to manufacture high-quality products for our customers and deliver on time every time. Whether you’re looking for a sheet metal fabrication partner for a new product or need volume production of your existing parts, Nu-Way Industries can provide you with the quality contract manufacturing services you need.

Mitigating the Risks of the Unknown

Aside from open capacity and industry-wide supply chain disruptions, lead times are principally driven by the risk of the unknown; in other words, what challenges we might encounter during manufacturing. While that may sound a bit nebulous, it’s really quite simple and based on two key things: familiarity and complexity.

Familiarity: New Parts vs. Reorders

When we say familiarity, what we mean is whether we’ve manufactured a specific part or product for you before. When manufacturing something for the first time, there’s often a degree of uncertainty involved in what it takes to get the job done correctly — and sometimes, this can take a bit of extra work, as well as a bit more time.

Orders for New Parts & Products

As a rule of thumb, when you come to us with a new part or assembly for us to produce, we generally require 6 – 8 weeks of lead time to get your order on our production schedule and guarantee the best results. Additionally, the better your documentation and the more detailed your specifications, the easier it will be for us to understand your needs.

To further reduce the risk of any issues that may impact quality or lead time, if you come to us just a little earlier — even a week or two — we’ll be able to more thoroughly discuss your designs with you, perform any required manufacturability engineering, and get all the necessary approvals to ensure that everything arrives to you on schedule.

Repeat Orders for Parts & Products

As a contract manufacturing partner, things become more efficient the more we work together, and orders of parts and products we’ve manufactured before are naturally more streamlined. Since we’re already familiar with your part designs and specifications, so long as we don’t need to account for any design modifications, all we have to do is fit your order into our production schedule.

It’s that simple.

While lead times can vary depending on our open capacity, we’ll always provide you with clear communication so you’ll know when exactly your parts will be completed, shipped, and delivered.

Complexity: Simple Parts vs. Complex Parts

Whether a part is simple or complex can depend on various factors, but in sheet metal fabrication, it largely depends on your part or product’s design, application, and the features it needs to have.

Simple Parts & Products

Simple parts are just that: simple. As such, they have fewer variables to consider in terms of manufacturability. This makes them inherently low-risk, with few potential unknowns, and we can manufacture these types of parts quickly, accurately, and efficiently.

Complex Parts & Assemblies

Complex parts are typically more challenging, and there’s a higher risk of encountering unknowns during manufacturing. These might include manufacturability issues that require redesign, sourcing hard-to-find purchased items in the BOM, or any other issues that could arise due to the nuances of your part or product.

But regardless of what’s driving complexity, these types of parts require more study, planning, and care in execution to mitigate the risks of the unknown. This is a multidisciplinary effort that requires frequent, meaningful, and accurate communication within our team and also between your team and ours. With regular open communication and detailed specifications, we can ensure that when it comes to manufacturing your complex parts and products, nothing is left to chance.

It’s Never Too Early to Get Your Contract Manufacturing Partner Involved

While identifying all potential issues that may arise during manufacturing is nearly impossible, working with an experienced contract manufacturing partner can reduce the risk. At Nu-Way, we have an impressive range of in-house capabilities spanning all facets of precision metal fabrication and sheet metal finishing. By having all of this in-house, we can quickly and efficiently address any issues that may arise, ensuring a smooth manufacturing process from start to finish.

With decades of experience providing sheet metal fabrication services, we’ve worked with customers to manufacture parts and products of all complexities and volumes, and have delivered exceptional results every time. If you’re seeking a contract manufacturing partner that can provide you with a streamlined service for your manufacturing needs, reach out to our team and request a quote today.