There are many different companies that provide heat treating for different Original Equipment Manufacturers and manufacturing companies. Choosing the best heat treatment service is always important regardless of the volume of parts that need to be treated.
To help in selecting between different heat treating services, there are four basic considerations to keep in mind. Of course, there may also be additional factors to consider based on the specifics of the project.
Ability to Match the Process with the Needs of the Application
Top companies offering heat treating services will offer a wide range of different processes. This is essential as the base material, the specific environment where the part will be used as well as other factors will need to be carefully evaluated when determining the best process.
Ability to Meet Turnaround Times
In any supply chain and logistics process, working with vendors and service providers who can work to deadlines and timelines will be a very important factor. A supplier or service provider that is always behind will cause problems all along the supply chain and, in many cases, result in lost customers or delays in production.
Quality of Final Product
Not all heat treating services provide the same level of quality control for the services they offer. By choosing a company that has a solid reputation for meeting or exceeding customer expectations for heat treating of parts and components, the quality of the processes never has to become a concern.
Cost of the Project
With any type of provider, choosing the service that offers the factors mentioned above in combination with the lowest price is the best option. The top companies tend to be very competitive in their pricing, but often the services with limited experience or with limited capacity tend to offer lower pricing, along with a greater risk of issues with quality and working to your timeline.