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Manufacturing firms are constantly working to optimize the balance between costs and production efficiency. We have done our part over the years to help reduce unnecessary warehousing related costs and to develop the right material delivery methodology for the specific customer involved. For the special parts made to print the challenge we face is often different when the parts require manufacturing abroad compared to a domestic source, therefore requiring a different approach for both parties involved.


Blanket Orders

It is no secret that when it comes to fasteners and related products true cost savings are always linked to quantity. The Blanket Order concept allows the customer to access these cost savings without paying upfront for the entire large quantity order. Instead Engineered Source takes on the burden of carrying the bulk inventory and only releases the parts as needed, or often on a pre-scheduled basis provided by the customer. This mutually beneficial arrangement allows the customer to spread out the cost of the parts over time, while both parties enjoy the benefit and improved competitiveness of drastically lower cost per piece.

Standard Threaded and Non-Threaded Fasteners

Engineered Source is a manufacturer's single and one stop source for all fasteners, for both specials to print and the standard fasteners. Similar to the service we provide when it comes to the specials, our approach to your needs is based on the quantity required, anticipated annual or monthly need for the part, and lead time constraints. For many of our customers we have an arrangement to consistently keep stock of certain critical standard fastener parts at all times, with the understanding that any changes in anticipated demand will be relayed in a timely fashion to us for necessary stock adjustments. Standard fasteners we supply are too numerous to list but include the following common categories (both metric and imperial): cap screws, shoulder bolts, lag screws, socket cap screws, socket set screws, female/male/female-male standoffs, dowel pins, electrical connectors, sheet metal screws, machine screws, hose clamps, spacers, nuts and washers ranging the full gamut, tee nuts, weld nuts, etc. The materials encompassed in our standard fastener selection include various grades of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, nylon, and a variety of nickel alloy and exotic materials.

Parts Manufactured Domestically in United States and Abroad

While many of the parts we supply our customers are US made, we do supply a significant number of parts manufactured in other parts of the world. Outside of defense and aerospace specific requirements, the two factors that typically dictate our decision to approach one or the other route are quantity and cost. If the customer is anticipating use of the part in significant numbers it typically dictates the use of an international manufacturer to improve the cost profile - this in turn will require us to accept shipments of the parts in smaller number of batches and in greater quantity at each delivery. This is a greater burden for us but provides a greater value to the customer.

Alternatively, for smaller quantities it is typically more cost effective (taking into account both the cost of the parts and the risks associated with depending on a factory in other parts of the world) to work with a domestic manufacturer. With shorter lead and shipment times we can now create a more malleable delivery and manufacturing schedule that aligns itself to the customer's needs. The commitment value is also lower for the customer in this scenario since the blanket order size can be smaller and more flexible to allow for part changes in-between the part manufacturing batches.

Quality Control

Whether its the international factories or our domestic sources you can rest assured that quality is always in mind. Almost every manufacturer we depend on has been relied upon since the inception of our company. While issues and errors are impossible to eliminate completely, we have the outmost confidence in our partners to deliver product that meets or exceeds the parameters you set in place. Just about any documentation and certification you may need is available when requested at the quoting stage of the process. We personally inspect the parts for dimensional parameters prior to approving and shipping the product to the end user.