Custom a Metal Functional Tool

After three days of 2022 New Year holidays, we’re back to work.

My first day back at work to arrange shipment of the last order of 2021 and a meaningful sample.

It took about a month for sampling. It’s the longest time we have ever had for sampling in my career. REALLY? You may doubt why it took so long to make a sample in the promotional products industry.

The sampling product is not a common promotional product, it is a professional functional tool. It is complex due to different materials, different manufacturing process, and various of surface handlings. The small item is made and assembled in different factories, we coordinate with each other well and complete it successfully. It is brand new to us, but we made it. We learn a lot from this job, and enjoy all the procedures. 

We firstly study, analyze and record dimensions of the original sample in detail after we receive it, then locate the possible factories who are able to manufacture it. Next, evaluate and pick up the most suitable 2 to discuss the material, surface treatment, processing crafts, key points for different parts, etc., before sending the original sample out.

Key Points to Find Matching Manufacturers

It is a key to choose the most suitable factory for sampling and mass production orders. A matching manufacturer can help saving time and avoiding loss. Taking sampling as example, who we finally choose to take our the only original sample? Are you sure you can get the sample returned completely if they are incapable for this job? Thanks to our SOP of supplier management and experienced colleagues who also can learn more from the communication between factories, such as their attitude, responsibility, reliability, etc. We make decision with multi-aspects consideration to make sure each job get done in higher possibility.

Then send the original sample to the most suitable one for double check and drawings. There is still a lot of work to do like frequent follow-up during sampling, the most important part including the control of sampling time and quality. Sometimes, the first sample is not qualified, then modify is necessary, even need more times fixing.

The product I mentioned above is fixed 2 times due to the mechanical operator’s parameter error and the color difference of surface. Finally, we receive the satisfactory sample on the last day of 2021, but missed the last flight of cargo.

In the New Year, we sent samples with priority. Hopefully our customers are happy with our samples.

It is brand new working year. Looking forward to 2022!