Micro-Matics commissioned a national survey of more than 100 manufacturing engineers because we wanted to know what’s important to you when it comes to choosing a manufacturing partner. The results were surprising.
The Big Finding: Quality is #1 … But Most Suppliers Fall Short
Overwhelmingly, engineers rank quality as the number one factor in choosing a Swiss machine shop. However, only a third of engineers surveyed rank their current Swiss machining supplier as excellent. So, while you need a Swiss machining supplier who delivers superior quality, many Swiss shops fall short.
One reason we found for this disconnect is that industry standards are becoming more stringent as your need for more complex, more tightly-toleranced parts increases.
Most Important Factors in Choosing a Swiss Machining Supplier
- Quality (71%)
- Delivery time (36%)
- Price (36%)
- Service (33%)
- Rapid Prototyping Ability (22%)
- Lead Time (20%)
We learned that many engineers expect their needs for Swiss parts to change significantly in the next three years. The trend across many industries is for smaller final products, requiring more sophisticated Swiss parts.
Engineers’ Anticipated Swiss Machining Needs
- Tighter Tolerances: 48%
- More Complex Parts: 44%
- Additional Parts: 40%
We asked survey respondents to rank their current Swiss machining partner. The results displayed below show the percentage of those who ranked their vendor as excellent in the following categories:
Current Vendor Excellence Rating
- Quality: 30%
- Delivery Time: 15%
- Price: 20%
- Service: 23%
- Lead Time: 8%
- Rapid Prototyping Ability: 4%
Micro-Matics Delivers Quality
Because we’ve built a reputation on quality, it came as no surprise that the survey results showed such a strong emphasis on quality. It did come as a surprise that so many engineers are unhappy with the quality of their current Swiss supplier.
If you’re ready to work with a Swiss machining partner who makes quality a top priority, please contact us to request a conversation or a quote.