5 Benefits of Vertical Integration at Arbiser Machine
More often than not, making a part requires multiple operations on different machines. If you’re manufacturing a fitting, for example, the machinist might start by CNC turning the part on a lathe, then moving it to a CNC mill for tapping, then finally setting it up on a polishing machine for finishing.
Managing multiple operations is easy enough when they all take place under one roof. But if your machine shop doesn’t have all the capabilities you need in-house, they’ll have no choice but to outsource the operations they can’t perform—and that can lead to a logistical nightmare.
At Arbiser, we prefer having full control and visibility over what happens to your part. Using the principles of vertical integration, we bring together various machining capabilities under our own roof to control the manufacturing of each part from start to finish. By reducing our dependence on outside vendors, we minimize cost and maximize efficiency for our customers.
5 Benefits of Vertical Integration at Arbiser Machine
When you get your parts made under one roof, you benefit in the following ways:
1. Increased speed. Forget about having to communicate with multiple vendors to get your project moving. Just call our machine shop in Georgia and we’ll gladly guide you in choosing the right machining method for your project. Whether you need multi-axis machining, laser engraving, wire EDM, or waterjet cutting services, we’ve got each capability in-house so we can get started on your project as quickly as possible.
Moreover, in-house operations allow us to plan projects seamlessly and efficiently. Our team can prepare the shop floor well in advance so each process is ready to go once the previous step is completed. If your part is ready for wire EDM by 2 pm, for example, we’ll simply walk it over to our machine—no courier delivery needed!
With our team located in the same building, we save you precious time (and money!) that would otherwise be spent shuttling pieces from one shop to another or waiting around for a shipment to arrive.
2. Fewer quality risks. Any time a part leaves one shop for another, there's risk involved. Parts could get lost or damaged in transit. Shipping delays could set you back days or even weeks. Your outsourced vendor could get your tolerances wrong. If one of these risks materializes, there’s no getting back the time you’ll waste correcting the mistake.
3. Streamlined communication. Outsourcing work to another shop means having to communicate important information about the part—and hoping the other vendors get it right. This knowledge transfer can be messy, often involving a volley of back and forth emails and hit-or-miss phone calls. If someone has a question at our machine shop in Georgia, they simply walk into a nearby office or across the shop floor to get the information they need.
4. More flexibility. With so many capabilities at our disposal, we have many options for how to make a part. Unlike many other machine shops, we’re not incentivized to promote one service over another. Instead, we’ll recommend the best machining process for your project needs.
If milling isn’t the fastest and most cost-effective solution, for example, we can rely on wire EDM or waterjet cutting services instead. This flexibility allows us to meet tight deadlines and turn projects around quickly.
5. Lower costs. Contracting multiple vendors to project manage smaller tasks within a large project can get expensive. Shipping and courier costs add up considerably as well. Why spend all that extra money when you could just have one shop handle everything?
Arbiser Machine Specializes in Each Service We Offer
Relying on one shop to make your parts is certainly the easiest solution. And when you work with Arbiser Machine, you can feel confident that you’ve chosen a shop that truly specializes in each service they offer.
Some machine shops that offer services like wire EDM will put a machine in the corner and fire it up once a month—but not us. When we decide to expand our capabilities, we invest heavily in equipment and training. While our team members are cross-trained to run a variety of machines, each division has experts focused on their own specialty.
We also make sure our facility is designed and built specifically for the equipment we own, because it’s important to establish the proper environment for our machines and our team members to excel in.
Mini Case Study: Tooling Compression Support Assembly
Curious what our vertical integration approach to manufacturing looks like in action?
This tooling compression support assembly put our approach to the test. Although it was possible to mill this part completely, we thought we could propose an approach that was better and faster.
Because our customer needed the assembly expedited, we had to get creative with a solution. We decided to waterjet most of the features on the blanks. Then we ran features that needed precise tolerances on our wire EDM.
The result? A perfectly made part with the added bonus of cost and time savings for our customer! At Arbiser Machine, we take our responsibility to deliver excellent parts very seriously. We make sure that your parts are always in the best hands—ours. Request a quote today!