Build to Print vs. Build to Spec: Which Makes More Sense for Your Next Custom Fabrication Project?
Custom fabrication plays a crucial role in the world of manufacturing, enabling the creation of components that are tailored to meet exact specifications and perform flawlessly under extreme conditions. Off-the-shelf components often fall short when it comes to meeting the precise requirements of a given application, leading to potential performance issues and increased risk of failure.
Build-to-spec and build-to-print custom fabrication offer a flexible alternative to the one-size-fits-all approach, giving manufacturers and their customers the freedom to design products that are perfectly suited to their needs. Custom fabrication can also help save money in the long run. Take, for example, custom valve fabrication to exact specifications for the military – by designing valves that are proven to meet the unique demands of their industry, the risk of catastrophic equipment failure is greatly reduced. Military-grade valve production to spec requires fewer repairs and replacement components, ultimately saving money and, most importantly, protecting the lives of our servicemen and women.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the various options available to manufacturers looking to provide their customers with components that are tailor-made for the job at hand.
Build-to-Spec Manufacturing
With build-to-spec manufacturing, a customer will supply a manufacturer with a component’s specific size and parameters. The manufacturer then takes that design and applies their expertise and skill to manufacturing the component before delivering it to the customer.
For example, a customer has the specifications for a type of component they need, but they don’t have a complete design. In build-to-spec, the customer will provide a manufacturer with the specifications for the part but leave it up to the manufacturer to decide on the best way to build the component. The materials used, the finish applied, the process of creating the part; everything but a component’s general size and dimensions is left to the manufacturer.
Businesses that use build-to-spec manufacturing benefit by placing the responsibility on the manufacturer to create a dependable part that meets their needs. They also save money by not needing to hire a part designer and allowing the manufacturer to use their preferred production method to fabricate the part.
Conversely, businesses providing a spec print to a manufacturer place significant trust in them getting the job done right. Since the part’s design is up to the manufacturer, any flaw in the design process can produce an unreliable component.
Build-to-spec valve manufacturing for industrial applications is a suitable solution for types of industries that can accept this type of risk, but in industries such as the military, where precision and reliability matter more than anything, that’s often too big a chance to take.
Build-to-Print vs. Build-to-Spec
Build-to-print is the option to select when there’s no room for error, and a customer knows exactly what they require from a product.
Valve production following customer blueprints removes the option for a manufacturer to make design choices, as every design aspect is clearly illustrated and laid out. The materials used, the finish applied, and the process of creating the part are all agreed on between the manufacturer and the customer before production begins.
Custom valve assembly per customer specifications offers the advantage of dependability and durability compared to build-to-spec fabrication. Organizations like the military that have taken the time to carefully design and refine components know the exact specifications required for each part application. Any concerns over whether the manufacturer got the design right or whether a valve will hold are removed when using a proven design.
At Dante Valve, we manufacture our pressure reducing valves in accordance with MIL-V-2042 or ASTM-F-1370; pressure relief valves are manufactured by Danco Valve Company in accordance with MIL-V-24332 and ASTM-F-1508.
By meeting these specifications when producing our valves, we guarantee their quality and ability to rise to the challenge of operating in the extreme conditions our military partners operate in.
Custom Fabrication Offers Flexibility and Dependability
Using stock components to complete a design is often the most cost-effective option. Ordering a product from a catalog removes having to wait for a manufacturer to begin the fabrication process, which can save time and speed up the assembly process. But in industries where precision matters and no room exists for deviation, custom fabrication offers the solution businesses need to feel confident the job gets done right.
Whether build-to-spec or build-to-print, custom fabrication allows our customers at Dante Valve to get the exact part they need. From Danco safety valves to our line of pressure relieving and pressure reducing valves, we have the proven capacity to meet the exacting design specifications used by the most demanding industries.
Ready to experience the difference custom fabrication can make to your next design? Schedule a call with a sales team member to discover what Dante Valve can do for your business.