And that starts with identifying the right material for your application. If you don’t do your homework, you could end up with unsatisfactory results.
Use these four blogs as your resources to understand the differences between popular materials and the types of applications each material is best suited for.
1. Is A286 Stainless Steel Right for Your Application?
A286 stainless steel is a precipitation-hardenable superalloy that’s challenging to machine. It’s commonly used for parts such as bushings, gas turbines, and screws. The benefits of A286 stainless steel include strength, corrosion resistance, and non-magnetic properties. Drawbacks involve weight, sourcing, and cost.
Our shop knows A286 machining is an essential service for our customers. Over the years, we’ve learned how to make the process as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
2. Superior Tungsten Machining at Peerless Precision
Tungsten, one of the most resilient elements worldwide, is a dependable material for various manufacturing applications that confront intense environments. With the highest boiling point among all chemical elements and the second-highest melting point (surpassed only by carbon), this material can withstand up to 6,192 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our team has worked hard to become experts in tungsten machining because of its suitability for American defense manufacturing. It requires exceptional expertise for machinists to handle this material effectively.
Titanium is ideal when durability and exceptional fatigue life are crucial for your parts. This versatile material has a remarkably high tensile strength-to-weight ratio, weighing half as much as stainless steel and nearly 30% stronger. Titanium is also renowned for its resistance to rust and corrosion.
Peerless possesses the capabilities, equipment, and personnel to tackle the most challenging titanium jobs. Typical applications include medical, aerospace, automotive, defense, water and energy, and commercial optics.
4. Peerless Precision Specializes in Invar Parts for Optical Machining
Finding a shop that will quote parts made from Invar can be challenging. This material is a nickel-based non-magnetic alloy with a multitude of beneficial properties. Invar is resistant to temperature variations, weather conditions, and corrosion.
Invar parts used in commercial optics and optical machining must be flawless. Our shop takes extra precautions—such as implementing additional QA measures and using special shipping materials—to ensure your parts are pristine when you receive them.
Materials Matter: Understand Which Material Your Part Requires
Knowing which type of material best suits your part is one of the most critical steps in aerospace, medical, commercial optics, and American defense manufacturing.
Once you’ve identified the right material for your needs, our team of experts can machine that material and provide you with the highest-quality parts. And if you need additional support we can’t provide ourselves, our MA machine shop can set you up with one of our suppliers to offer guidance.
Request a quote for our custom CNC milling and turning services today.
Are you considering castings for your next part order?
Depending on your needs, hogouts—parts machined out of a solid block of material—could be a better solution.
Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of castings and why our AS9100 machine shop leans toward precision machining hogouts.
Castings vs. Hogouts: How Each Process Works
Casting is a manufacturing process that creates parts in near net shape (NNS). In other words, the part is as close in size and shape to the finished product as possible.
During casting, molten metal is poured into a mold, where it solidifies into the shape of the mold. The process typically involves these steps:
Pattern creation
Mold making
Molten metal pouring
Solidification and cooling
Removal and finishing
Creating a hogout involves removing material from a solid block to achieve the desired form. The process typically involves these steps:
Material selection
Workpiece preparation
Rough machining
Semi-finishing and finishing
Inspection and quality control
Additional operations
Both processes can produce quality parts. So, which one is better? Let’s examine some of the pros and cons of castings compared to hogouts.
The Pros of Castings
Less material waste
When a casting is complete, there’s no leftover material. The exact amount of metal needed to fill the mold is used to create the part. Since the precision machining process used to create a hogout is subtractive, more material is required.
Reduced precision machining time
Castings require significantly less precision machining than hogouts. By the time a casting reaches our AS9100 machine shop, most of the work is done because the base shape has already been achieved.
No need for assembly
Sometimes, a part needs to be assembled from more than one hogout. With casting, it’s possible to consolidate multiple pieces into just one.
The Cons of Castings
Longer lead times
Ongoing issues like supply chain disruptions and the manufacturing labor shortage are delaying casting orders. It used to take 3-6 months to get molds. Now, it can take a year or more.
Quality issues
Castings are prone to quality issues you don’t have to worry about with hogouts. With a casting, we could be 95% done with post-casting precision machining operations and have to scrap the part because of an air pocket. There may also be divots on the part’s surface that precision machining cannot fix.
What to Do When You Need Castings
If you’re intent on getting castings, our AS9100 machine shop is happy to work with you on your project. We simply like to be transparent about the issues that can arise when choosing this route. If possible, we ask that you supply us with the casting that you need machined. However, once you have chosen and approved a casting supplier, we can manage the purchasing process from the designated supplier.
Even better: consider modifying your part design to transition from castings to hogouts. We always prefer to machine parts from solid materials and find that hogouts are much more consistent in quality than castings.
Looking to the Future…
One of the most exciting things about manufacturing is that it’s always evolving. In the future, additive manufacturing may be an alternative solution to castings and hogouts.
Our team uses plastic 3D printers at Peerless Precision, but the technology isn’t quite there yet for it to offer a viable alternative to castings and hogouts.
For now, we’re happy to discuss your casting or hogout needs. Request a quote from our AS9100 machine shop today.
Have you been turned away by job shops that avoid machining plastic?
Many shops will only work with metal because plastic can clog up machines. Moving metal through the coolant system and filters is a much cleaner process.
At Peerless Precision, we’re happy to discuss your plastic machining needs. We have a filtering system to prevent clogging and machines dedicated to plastics. And we’re always up for a challenge!
Here are some common materials we use when providing plastic CNC machining services and a quick look at their benefits and applications.
Onyx™
Onyx™ is a micro carbon fiber-filled nylon. This strong, tough, and chemically resistant material can be reinforced with continuous fibers to produce aluminum-strength parts. We use a 3D printer to create parts from Onyx, then finish them using CNC machining processes. Common applications include plastic part replacements, housing, sensor mounts, and cosmetic prototypes.
G-10
G-10 is a glass-epoxy laminate known for its exceptional strength and high dimensional stability over temperature. It has a high level of electrical insulation and a low water absorption rate. G-10 is durable, affordable, and easy to work with. Typical applications include terminal boards, high humidity applications, electrical and electronic test equipment, and electric rotor insulation.
Vespel®
Vespel® is a high-performance polyimide resin. This material can withstand extreme temperatures (hot and cold) and is often used in high-heat conditions where thermoplastics lose mechanical properties. Vespel has a low and consistent thermal expansion coefficient and excellent creep characteristics, allowing parts to be machined to tight tolerances. Common aerospace and space applications include bearings, bushings, valve seats and seals, and thermal isolators.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane is a material made from polymers and urethane. It’s resistant to abrasion, heat, solvents, oil, and acid. We generally order polyurethane in 3’-12’ round bars, which we run through our lathe and finish with a precision toolroom lathe. Since polyurethane is excellent for high-load and high-stress environments, typical applications include conveyor belt systems and aerospace components such as sleeves.
Ryton®
Ryton® is a high-performance thermoplastic that’s resistant to high temperatures and chemicals. It has high dimensional stability, which offers a rigidity that other plastics don’t. Ryton is flame retardant and high-stress cracking resistant. Common applications include electronics, automotive, aerospace, and chemical.
Rulon®
Rulon® is a low-friction, self-lubricating plastic. It has excellent abrasion resistance and can be used in a wide range of temperatures (-400 degrees Fahrenheit to 550 degrees Fahrenheit). We primarily use Rulon J in two different forms: bars and sheets. However, we have access to all grades. Typical applications include seals, piston rings, and bearings.
PEEK
PEEK is a high-performance plastic that’s highly resistant to harsh chemicals. It’s also hydrolysis resistant to steam, water, and seawater. PEEK maintains stiffness at high temperatures and can withstand environments up to 338 degrees Fahrenheit. Common applications include space, aerospace, oil and gas, food and beverage processing, and semiconductor.
Get the Parts You Need with Our Plastic CNC Machining Services
Are you looking to create a prototype? Plastic can be a great alternative to metal during prototyping. Although a plastic prototype won’t function like the final metal part, you’ll have the opportunity to test fit and form quickly and cost-effectively.
Whatever your project requirements, our machine shop in MA will work with you to make the parts you need from your desired materials. Request a quote for our plastic CNC machining services today.
Has a job shop ever turned down your order because you only needed 10 parts—not 10,000?
You’re not alone.
Our team talks with many prospective customers at networking events and trade shows. One point of frustration that comes up over and over again is that businesses struggle to find a manufacturing partner to take on orders of five, 10, or 25 parts because most shops only want high-volume work.
We assure these prospective customers that Peerless Precision will never no-quote small-quantity jobs. In fact, prototyping and low-volume production are our specialties, and we’ve excelled at these projects for years.
When our prototype machine shop works on a small order, we can build a partnership with the customer and learn the best way to support their overall manufacturing needs—a winning situation for everyone involved.
3 Reasons to Work with Peerless Precision for Prototyping and Low-Volume Production
Our prototype machine shop has the passion and expertise to take your project from prototype to low-volume production. Here are some of the advantages of working with our team:
1. Quality and efficiency
Prototyping is a challenge our shop enjoys. We know the first version will never be the last. This intimate, repetitive process allows our team to work with a customer through several iterations to create the highest-quality part.
When it’s time to move from prototype to low-volume production, the transition is seamless and efficient because we’ve already solved the design challenges and know the part well.
2. Flexibility and speed
Low-volume production keeps Peerless Precision team members on their toes. Taking on small-quantity orders one after the other creates agility and flexibility, improving our ability to meet customer requirements and delivery schedules.
Since a single part doesn’t tie up our machines for six months, we can easily find a spot in the schedule to fit in the next job.
3. Intellectual property protection
Prototyping requires access to a customer’s intellectual property (IP). Protecting this sensitive information is a responsibility our AS9100 and ISO-certified machine shopdoesn’t take lightly. We adhere to high standards to secure your IP.
For instance, we only allow authorized team members to see your prototype information. If an employee isn’t directly involved with your project, they don’t get access to the prints.
Your One-Stop Prototype Machine Shop
Some customers want to get prototypes and low-volume parts the fastest and cheapest way possible. Unfortunately, rushing the process often means bypassing critical steps, which can result in low-quality parts. Remember: it’s almost always more expensive to rework parts than to get them right the first time.
If you want top-quality prototypes optimized for manufacturing, work with a prototype machine shop like Peerless Precision. With decades of experience specializing in prototypes and low-volume production, we’ve developed strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that enable us to provide optimal value to our customers.
There’s very little we can’t do—and in the rare event that we don’t feel confident about a project, we’ll be honest with you about it up front.
Anodizing is a common finishing service that many customers request from our AS9100 machine shop.
The electrochemical anodizing process applies an anodic oxide finish to the metal surface of parts made from aluminum or other nonferrous metals to enhance corrosion resistance, durability, and aesthetic appearance. Standard anodizing types include Type I-Chromic Acid Anodize, Type II-Sulfuric Acid Anodize, and Type III Hard Anodize.
Customers typically request anodizing for two reasons:
To protect a part’s surface from the effects of harsh weather, salt, temperature extremes, and other environmental factors.
To provide an aesthetically appealing coating. Anodize is available in a wide variety of beautiful colors.
Anodizing is a specialty service that Peerless Precision outsources to trusted plating vendors. When a customer needs this service, we project manage the entire process, maintaining open communication with the customer and the plating shop to ensure high-quality results.
A Network of Trusted Anodizing Vendors
Our AS9100 machine shop has a network of approved vendors who we trust to anodize parts to our high standards. Due to the size of this network, we have the opportunity to select the vendor best suited for each customer’s anodizing specifications.
Many of our defense and aerospace machining customers must verify that a plating shop meets specific criteria before we can send parts for anodizing. We’re happy to work with plating companies to obtain these customer approvals when necessary.
Maintaining Our High Standards
Anodizing draws out any flaws on the material’s surface. Even the slightest fingerprints could become permanent eyesores after the finish is applied. This issue is most prevalent with clear or light-colored anodized finishes.
To proactively avoid receiving parts from anodizing vendors that don’t meet our standards, our team is strict about how vendors handle our customers’ parts. For example, we only work with plating houses whose employees wear cotton gloves on top of nitrile gloves. Doubling up on gloves prevents fingerprints from “sweating” through and affecting the part’s surface.
Our shop also performs annual quality surveys with each vendor as part of our ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100 certifications. We assign quality and on-time delivery scores to ensure our anodizing partners continuously meet our high standards.
Most importantly, we approach vendor relationships collaboratively and communicatively. We’re fully invested in our vendors’ success because if one of us fails, we all fail (our shop, our vendor, and our end customer).
If you need an anodized finish for your parts, you can trust Peerless Precision and our vendor network to deliver. Request a quote from our AS9100 machine shop today.
Peerless Precision is proud to be AS9100 and ISO 9001:2015-certified through 2024.
That statement may not mean much if you don’t require your manufacturing partner to uphold these certifications. But the truth is that all our customers benefit from the standards we must meet to secure and maintain these credentials.
Here’s what our status as an AS9100 and ISO-certified machine shop means for you.
What Are AS9100 and ISO Certifications?
AS9100 is the standard for designing, developing, or providing products and services specifically for the aviation, space, and defense industries. This includes parts, components, and assemblies.
ISO addresses various aspects of quality management for organizations regardless of industry. This standard is based on “principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach, and continual improvement.” More than 1 million organizations and companies in more than 170 countries are ISO-certified.
Both AS9100 and ISO offer guidelines for organizations that want to improve the quality of products and consistently meet customer expectations. These standards establish rules throughout the entire manufacturing process, from providing a quote to the final part inspection.
When are AS9100 and ISO certifications essential?
Maintaining AS9100 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications is critical for businesses whose customers require these certifications. For example, aerospace and defense customers won’t partner with shops without AS9100 certifications. These standards guarantee customers get the same quality management procedures no matter which shop they choose.
How AS9100 and ISO Certifications Benefit Every Customer
Peerless Precision started the process of becoming an ISO and AS9100 machine shop before our customers required such standards. Our president Kristin Carlson’s late father saw the demand for these certifications coming and knew that Peerless should get ahead of the game.
Not every customer requires us to possess AS9100 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications. However, because we already have processes in place to maintain these standards, we follow AS9100 and ISO guidelines for every part we make to achieve the highest quality.
Our shop adheres to AS9100 and ISO standards in the following areas:
Contract reviews
Material purchasing
Raw material certifications
Traceability
Inspection point guidelines (first part approvals, in-process inspections, and final inspections)
AS9100 and ISO standards are so ingrained into our services that our shop won’t even quote a part if we can’t inspect it properly! In some cases, that means acquiring specialized gauging or equipment for the inspection process.
AS9100 and ISO-Certified Machined Shops Produce High-Quality Parts
Being an AS9100 and ISO-certified machine shop allows Peerless Precision to provide the highest quality parts for all our customers.
Even if your business isn’t in the aerospace and American defense manufacturing industry, you can take advantage of the exceptional standards set by these certifications.
Use our secure form to request a quote for our CNC machining services today. We’ll respond to you within 24 hours.
“I had no idea how many closet bakers I had in this company who are making recipes from the heart—not reading recipes like I do.”
That’s what Peerless Precision’s president, Kristin Carlson, discovered during the company’s three-week holiday bake-off. The event is one of many fun activities the MA machine shop plans to repeat for its workers.
As a Peerless Precision employee, you don’t just clock in and clock out. Instead, you become part of a team that works hard and plays harder. Take a look inside the culture of our ISO-certified machine shop.
What Distinguishes Peerless Precision’s Culture
Here’s a brief overview of what sets our culture apart:
Fun events
The team at Peerless Precision gets the job done while having a little fun in the process. In addition to the holiday bake-off—which had 95% participation from our MA machine shop— employees also enjoyed holiday parties and time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day. These perks give employees a chance to get to know each other better at work and unwind with their families at home.
We’re planning more fun events on our calendar, too. There’s talk of a chili cookoff for the Super Bowl in February and a rib cookoff during the summer. Plus, it’s not unheard of for Kristin to shut down the shop for an afternoon and take the team ax throwing as a stress reliever.
Interesting work
The work at Peerless Precision is interesting because it’s not monotonous. We don’t do high-volume production, so moving on to the next job is always a new experience.
Our management team continuously looks for ways to improve our aerospace machining and American defense manufacturing services—and we always welcome new ideas from our workers. We’re even introducing an employee engagement survey to learn how to enhance the work environment.
Continuous growth
Peerless Precision is constantly growing. As we bring in new customers—and get more work from current customers—we plan to expand our team.
Although we have employees in our ISO-certified machine shop getting ready to retire, new hires can learn from these experienced workers before they leave and complete a smooth transition.
Team-Building Is a Priority a Peerless Precision
We designed Peerless Precision’s culture this way to promote team-building. Exciting projects and growth opportunities keep employees engaged. Fun activities allow them to find common ground and interests.
Let’s face it: when employees like each other, they work together better. And a team with a long history of collaboration takes excellent care of its customers.
How Our Culture Benefits Precision Machining Customers
Fostering a positive culture unites Peerless Precision employees as a team. Personal connections make workers want to stick around the shop for a long time. Our employee tenure ranges from three to nearly 30 years, with an average span of 10 to 15 years.
The longer employees stay with us, the more experienced they become with our equipment. They also learn more about our customers and the best ways to meet their needs. Over time, employees become more efficient at producing quality parts.
Quality begins with employees who care, and our employees care about the work, their team, and our customers.
Join Our Team!
Peerless Precision is the place for you if you’re looking for a shop that has fun, values hard work, and encourages growth.
Check out our careers page for the latest openings at our ISO-certified machine shop.
Or contact us to learn how to start your career at Peerless Precision.
When you think of Lean manufacturing, you probably associate it with improving efficiency and productivity on the precision machine shop floor. But manufacturers actually apply this methodology to many business areas.
Peerless Precision began incorporating Lean manufacturing principles on the shop floor in 2014, and we’ve been continuously improving ever since. Now, we’re expanding these ideas by conducting Lean office training, with plans to progress to Lean leadership training next.
This efficiency boost will impact our business and, more importantly, customers like you. Here’s how.
Lean Manufacturing in Practice
We use the Lean methodology to identify, reduce, and eliminate waste, which speeds up our response times and increases product value for our customers.
The Lean methodology inspires us to ask questions, such as:
How are we doing this task?
Why are we doing this task this way?
Is there a better way to complete this task?
Questioning the status quo and being open to new ideas enables us to see the full scope of what’s possible with our internal processes.
We can’t alter some processes because of quality certifications and customer requirements. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of opportunities to reduce waste in precision machining.
Here are eight areas of waste, according to Lean manufacturing principles:
Transport
Inventory
Motion
Waiting
Overproduction
Over-processing
Defects
Under or unutilized talent
When we use Lean manufacturing principles to eliminate waste in these areas, we streamline processes, reduce overhead, and cut costs. Benefits from these improvements inevitably trickle down to our customers.
Lean Office Training Examples
Here’s how we’re using Lean to optimize office workflows and improve customer service.
Example #1: Revamping our quoting process
Peerless Precision takes pride in our customer-friendly precision machining quoting process. We aim to have all the necessary information before quoting a part. This effort takes time, but we’re working to accelerate the process wherever possible.
Using Lean to review all the steps we take to provide a quote, we can see where to replace or cut steps that don’t offer substantial value. As a result, you get your quote faster. But rest assured, we’ll never sacrifice quality and accuracy for speed.
Example #2: Providing job status updates
Several years ago, Peerless Precision began using an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to automate and manage our core processes. This significant upgrade from Excel spreadsheets gave us greater job status visibility. Now, we’re going a step further.
Lean manufacturing principles help us speed up our customer response time. For example, if you request an update on the status of your job, a manager can reference the ERP system for this information. Then, they can determine the next steps and send you a plan of action. We’ve found that this level of transparency greatly improves customer satisfaction.
Simply put, with Lean training, you can expect better service from Peerless Precision—from the shop floor to the back office.
When our team runs like a well-oiled machine, we can serve our customers faster and more efficiently.
Request a quote for our precision machining services today using our secure form. We’ll respond to your request within 24 hours.
At Peerless Precision, we know quality when we see it. If a material offers superior strength and functionality for our customers’ critical applications, we’ll always learn how to work with it—even when machining it can be a bit of a bear.
Take, for example, A286 stainless steel. Like most extremely strong materials, this precipitation-hardenable superalloy is challenging to machine. However, for many applications, its benefits far outweigh its drawbacks.
Common A286 Stainless Steel Part Types
A286 stainless steel is commonly used for parts such as:
Bushings
Cryogenic components
Gas turbines
Jet engine components
Screws
Strainer caps
Benefits of A286 Stainless Steel
There are a few properties that make A286 a popular choice for aerospace and defense applications in particular.
Strength
A286’s exceptional strength enables it to withstand the extreme conditions to which aircraft parts are frequently exposed. Strong materials have excellent longevity, so aerospace manufacturers can rest assured they won’t have to replace A286 parts often.
Corrosion resistance
A286 resists corrosion at temperatures up to 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit—a must for critical aerospace parts such as jet engine components. If your steel part will be in a corrosive environment, A286 is an ideal choice.
Nonmagnetic properties
A286 is nonmagnetic, making it a great option for cryogenic components, like the submicro cryogenic cooling systems we manufacture for the US military. Using a nonmagnetic material ensures that the end assembly will function properly.
Drawbacks of A286 Stainless Steel
Just as every rose has its thorn, every strong material has various drawbacks to consider.
Weight
One thing A286 stainless steel isn’t is lightweight. Although materials like aluminum and titanium are far lighter, A286 is still commonly used due to its many beneficial properties.
Sourcing
Like many materials, A286 is fairly difficult to procure given current supply chain challenges. Depending on the size and amount needed, you could face a lead time of six months or longer when ordering A286.
Cost
A286 is up to 5x more expensive than other stainless steel grades. For this reason, we recommend reserving it only for parts that require its specific properties rather than using it as a go-to for generic parts.
The cost of using A286 is further increased by its slow precision machining runtime. This material can take up to 3x longer to machine than aluminum and other stainless steel alloys. And because A286 wears tools down quickly, pricing for machined parts also includes the cost of the additional tooling that will be required.
Finally, A286’s nonmagnetic properties extend how long it takes to perform secondary operations, such as surface grinding, since the material must be ground with a coolant. This process requires custom fixturing, which further increases cost and lead time.
Peerless Precision Specializes in Machining A286 Stainless Steel
At Peerless Precision, we’re no strangers to working with challenging materials like Inconel, tungsten, titanium, and A286. While some precision machine shops might no-quote projects involving these materials, we’ve found a way to master them for the benefit of our customers.
We recognize that A286 is essential to the industries we serve, so we’ve made it our business to machine it skillfully. And because we’ve been working with A286 for more than two decades, we know how to make the precision machining process as cost-effective and efficient as possible.
If you’re looking for a shop that won’t be intimidated by a challenge, give us a try. Request a quote today.
If you’ve requested quotes for precision CNC machining services over the past two years, chances are you’ve experienced sticker shock. High inflation rates and supply chain disruptions in the wake of the pandemic have affected all industries, including defense and aerospace machining companies like Peerless Precision.
We’ve done our best to maintain our standard prices for as long as possible, but the point has come where we have no choice but to charge more so that we can continue creating high-quality parts and stay in business.
However, one thing that hasn’t changed (and will never change) is our dedication to our customers. In the context of price increases, that means providing full explanations of any factors that may impact your quote.
With this brief explainer, we hope to shed light on the reasons behind price increases at Peerless Precision and instill confidence that we have your best interests at heart.
What’s Driving Price Hikes in Precision Machining?
In the spirit of full transparency, here’s a look at the factors driving our increased prices:
Material costs
Material pricing patterns have become hard to predict. The cost of materials has increased dramatically since 2021—anywhere from 50% to a staggering 1,000%, depending on the material. What’s more, raw material prices that once remained stable for at least 30 days can now change overnight. Due to this constant state of flux, we cannot depend on historical pricing when creating a quote. Each time we quote a job, we have to review material costs and quote the material at its most current price.
Materials for aerospace and military applications can’t be purchased in advance. Specifications for aerospace and defense materials are frequently revised, and once a revision occurs, we have only 18 months to use the material purchased pre-revision. As a result, we can’t always buy materials in advance for parts in these industries. This makes our own pricing more variable because we have fewer opportunities to plan and purchase ahead.
For instance, the pre-pandemic cost of this ⅛” diameter, 12’ bar of 440C stainless steel was $18. Today, the same raw material costs more than $400.
Vendor, employee, and utility costs
Vendor prices have risen significantly, often without warning. Met with the same pricing uncertainty impacting our precision machine shop, our trusted subcontractors for services such as heat treating, plating, and non-destructive testing (NDT) often have to raise their prices abruptly. Because orders are placed well before these services are completed, the final price may be significantly higher than the quoted price. In fact, over the past six months, we’ve seen vendor pricing double in some cases. Even if you’re placing an order for a repeat part, you may see an increase in the price of outside finishing services to accommodate vendor costs.
Employee expenses continue to rise. We are committed to paying our highly skilled team members the wages they deserve, which means keeping up with regular pay raises. We’ve also absorbed cost increases in health insurance and Massachusetts paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance as well as worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance. Our company’s health insurance plan alone costs nearly $5,000 more per month than last year.
Escalating utility and fuel costs impact our daily operations. Since the beginning of 2022, our electric bill has risen by 30%. We’ve also seen delivery costs spike to more than 3x the cost of the supply due to high gas prices. While we’ve implemented cost-saving measures such as closing the office for half a day on Fridays and filling our vehicles at the cheapest gas stations, utility and fuel costs still have a considerable effect on our bottom line.
How We’re Minimizing the Impact of Price Increases on Customers
Although high precision machining costs are often unavoidable, we’re taking steps to minimize the impact on our customers in small but meaningful ways.
Internally, we’re managing expenses by improving our efficiency to manufacture parts faster and tightening our belt for our own “nice-to-have” extras.
Peerless Precision will never compromise on quality when it comes to purchasing top-tier raw materials, paying our expert machinists the wages they deserve, or subcontracting trusted vendors for finishing and testing services. These costs will continue to be baked into our pricing.
However, we’ve found creative ways to cut costs internally for inessential but “nice-to-have” amenities. Rather than hiring vendors for office supplies and coffee services, for example, we’re buying office staples from big-box stores and purchasing and making coffee in house.
Cost-Saving Tip: Place Your Purchase Order ASAP
As a customer, one of the best ways for you to save costs and help control pricing is to place a purchase order as soon as possible after receiving a quote. If you wait a month between requesting a quote and submitting a purchase order, you may encounter vastly different pricing when you place the order. Moving quickly will minimize your risk of incurring additional price increases amid ongoing unpredictability.
To help underscore this point, we’ve added language to our quote form stating that pricing is subject to change at the time of order based on the volatility of raw material prices. We’re proud of our reputation for transparency, and we’ll always do our best to ensure you’re informed about any factors that could affect the cost of your order.
There Is a Price to Pay for Quality
Our quotes may be higher than some of our competitors’ quotes, but you can be confident that we will never cut corners.
There’s always a price to pay for quality. If a shop quotes you a low price right now, the quality of the part will likely be less than optimal. It’s also possible that the shop has missed something in the quote, which could require them to submit a change order or increase the price when you go to reorder.
We take great pains to make every quote as accurate as possible on the front end and encourage you to ask any questions you have about our pricing. If any other shop isn’t willing to do the same, it’s a red flag. A customer should never be afraid to ask questions.
Request a quote from Peerless Precision, and we will do everything in our power to give you an excellent experience.
