In the competitive world of product development, every business aims to eventually transition from low to high-volume production. This shift may seem daunting, but with the right planning, a move to high-volume production machining can be both seamless and lucrative for our customers.
Polyhistor’s Approach to High-Volume Production
High-volume production is defined by its scale, efficiency, and methodology. Beyond simply making more parts and products, high-volume production demands advanced engineering design, intentional scalability, and heightened manufacturing efficiency.
At Polyhistor, we define high-volume CNC machining as a run of 500 parts or more, though quantities may vary depending on your product. CNC-turned parts, in particular, can easily be produced at scale thanks to our lathe’s live tooling and bar feeder technology. We offer high-volume solutions for other processes, as well; reach out to our team to discuss the most efficient approach for your application.
Regardless of your production needs, the Polyhistor team is ready and waiting to support you on your path to high-volume production machining!
Design for High-Volume Production Machining
When you scale to high-volume production, seemingly unobjectionable design choices can rapidly drive up costs.
For example, a client’s bushing design included a hole drilled at a 45-degree angle. The client’s intention was to simplify welding, but the 45-degree angle complicated the production process—and it wasn’t the only viable option. A minor design adjustment could have reduced setup time and cut costs while still allowing us to meet the welding requirements.
In the realm of part design, complex designs are rarely king. While intricate designs may appear innovative, they frequently demand superfluous resources and needlessly inflate costs.
As you advance toward high-volume production, applying an objective lens will help you discern between the complex features you absolutely need and the ones you can simplify to reduce costs. Here, collaboration is pivotal: Polyhistor’s experts can illuminate cost-effective design solutions that won’t compromise your product’s quality or integrity.
Invest in Value Engineering
Value engineering is the unsung hero of cost-effective, high-volume production. While design engineering transforms a concept into a creation, value engineering refines that creation by eliminating latent costs and optimizing your product for high-volume production.
Processes that were perfect for 100 parts can become problematic when you need 10,000 parts, underscoring the necessity of an in-depth value engineering assessment prior to scaling.
One client presented a milled, solid aluminum part for high-volume CNC machining. While the original design was logical for low-volume manufacturing, high-volume production warranted a reevaluation. Our recommendation? Switch from a hogout part to an extruded tube. This simple revision dramatically reduced both material usage and milling labor, allowing us to pass significant savings to our client.
Emphasize Efficiency
Longer machining cycles translate to shorter lead times and long-term cost savings. Two key factors that influence cycle times are efficient fixturing and machining automation.
Fixturing
Efficient, quick-change fixturing solutions can immediately improve part production rates. Case in point: we once built a custom fixture that allowed us to drill holes in 40 parts in a single setup.
Automation
At Polyhistor, we extend machining cycles by using automated lathes and mills. For CNC turned parts with long cycle times, we even leverage lights-out manufacturing, ensuring high-volume CNC machining continues even after our team calls it a day.
Polyhistor’s Promise to Production Clients
When you need high-volume production machining for your parts and products, Polyhistor goes the extra mile to meet your requirements. Sometimes, we craft custom tools; sometimes, we bring on an additional machine; sometimes, we invest in an automation-enhancing cobot.
Our ethos is clear: When you entrust your high-volume production to Polyhistor, you gain more than a service provider. You forge a partnership with a dedicated team that will confidently invest, innovate, and improvise to keep your production goals on track.
Ready to step into high-volume production? Request a quote!