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We usually receive 3D drawings early and from these we give a close estimate in terms of tooling cost and production cost. This allows customers to plan their budget.
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Eventually we receive "final" 2D and 3D drawing for a "final" quote. The 2D drawings are important because they contain much information that is not available in the 3D - like tolerances, materials, colour, texture etc.
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Based on these final drawings we provide a final quote, with lead-times.
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If the customer decides to proceed, they place a PO for the tooling.
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We then issue an invoice for the deposit. In loose terms we do not start cutting steel until the deposit is received.
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In parallel with the paperwork, and depending on the capability of the customer and the nature of the job, we may do die drawings showing tool layout, injection point etc. Many customers cannot understand this information so it is not done in all cases.
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In parallel with the paperwork, we also request a formal release of production files even if they have not changed from the last quote. Remember, in some case the purchase order is placed anywhere from 2 hours to 6 or 8 months or longer after we quote. A lot can happen in this time and some customers try to "cheat" and suddenly add extra stuff that was not quoted. Quite simply, if the variance is too great, we do not start and re-quote.
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Once the job has actually started, we advise the customer of the expected delivery date. Once we give a date we are rarely late.
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First samples are checked internally at the factory and then shipped to the customer. These are often referred to as T1 samples.
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We then issue the progress payment for the tooling.
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We have to wait for a customer reply before proceeding. Some customers reply in a few days, some in a few months...
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As specified in the 2D drawings, key dimensions will be made undersize on the T1 samples and then tuned to fit. It is the customers responsibility then to specify just how much tuning is required.
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It is also the customers responsibility to check the plastics for fit with the electronics or any associated parts - all the things we cannot do.
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It is the customers responsibility to check the plastics for operational aspects - like buttons working, clips working etc - much of which we cannot do without a fully assembled product.
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The customer then replies with an OTSR - off too sample report.
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This report contains normal tuning which is part and parcel of injection moulding. We do this work as part of our quote.
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It may also contain additional modifications outside the scope of tuning - things the customer had not thought of, design errors etc. If these changes are tiny, we will normally do them for free. If they are of a significant nature, then we quote for the mods and do not proceed until we receive the OK to do so.
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We then do the tuning/mods and send second (T2) samples to the customer along with a copy of the requested changes and our check report on same.
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We also issue the final invoice for the tooling.
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It is unusual to go through a second round of tuning for T3 samples but this can happen with very complex products.
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At some point the customer then decides to proceed with production. We do not proceed without formal approval of the last samples.
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The customer then places a PO, pays the deposit and production proceeds.
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Re-orders are based on the last production unless we receive a change request in writing.
