Inaccurate flow control, leakage, and even safety hazards—these are just a few of the valve issues that precision components prevent. When designing custom valve systems and flow control products, your ability to accurately manufacture parts with extremely tight tolerances makes your products safer, more reliable, and more cost-effective. Precision components manufacturers ensure that valve systems not only work, but work well and safely.
In our previous article, we explored the benefits you reap from building a relationship with a contract manufacturer for valves and flow control components. Contract manufacturers help your business produce reliable parts at scale if you lack your own in-house capabilities. Now we will delve into one specific benefit of choosing a precision contract manufacturer—consistently producing precision components for valve systems.
What are precision components in valve systems?
Valve systems across a wide range of industries depend on precision to deliver consistent, reliable performance. Components built to extremely tight tolerances ensure efficiency in the flow of liquids, gases, and slurries. These precision components include:
- Valve seats, such as disks or plugs, that form tight seals for closed valves
- Seals and gaskets that prevent leakage around valve components
- Valve stems and actuators that control the opening and closing of a valve
- Flow control orifices that precisely regulate flow rate
- Spindles and guides that prevent valve misalignment
- Spring mechanisms in pressure relief valves
- Valve bodies and bonnets
Why Precision Parts Manufacturers Matter
These precision components have extremely small and complex geometries and depend on extremely tight tolerances. If these small, complex features cannot be consistently and accurately machined, the parts will not function efficiently. As a result, the valves as a whole will provide inconsistent performance. Failure to regulate fluid flow or pressure can even prove catastrophic for piping systems. Valve components that are poorly manufactured are more difficult and expensive to maintain, and they also have shorter lifespans.
For these reasons, when you need contract manufacturing services, you need to make sure you choose a precision parts manufacturer.
The Benefits of Precision Components Manufacturing
A contract precision parts manufacturer provides cost-effective assurance that your valve products meet high standards for performance and safety. The key advantages you reap by hiring a precision contract manufacturer include:
- Expertise in precision machining components for specific use cases or industries
- Cost-effective access to state-of-the-art machining equipment and techniques
- Rigorous quality control processes including inspection and testing
- Flexibility and scalability in production volume
- Shortened time-to-market for your valve products
- Mitigation of production risks, such as equipment maintenance, skilled labor availability, and regulatory compliance
Ultimately, contracting out precision parts manufacturing is a cost-effective, low-risk way to produce safe, reliable valve components.
How to Choose a Precision Component Manufacturer
In our previous article, we shared general tips for finding and building a relationship with a contract manufacturer. Here, we will focus on how to evaluate a contract manufacturer’s precision parts manufacturing capabilities.
- Evaluate the contract manufacturer’s experience in your industry. Look for a track record of successfully producing precision components and working in your industry’s regulatory landscape.
- Assess their precision parts manufacturing capabilities. Pay close attention to the technologies they use for precision machining, such as:
- CNC machining centers
- CNC lathes
- Precision surface grinders, cylindrical grinders, and centerless grinders
- EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) processes
- Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs)
- Micro machining centers for extremely small-scale precision machining
- Ultrasonic machining systems
- Optical comparators and surface profilometers for quality assurance
- Tool presetters for consistent achievement of tight tolerances
- Inquire about the types of materials your prospective precision contract manufacturer can work with.
- Pay close attention to the manufacturer’s quality management system. ISO certifications are a reliable sign of their ability to consistently produce quality parts.
- Ask about their methods and equipment for quality control. Precision components manufacturers must have rigorous techniques in place to measure and verify dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and other critical features.
- Investigate where the manufacturer sources their materials. High-quality materials are the foundation of reliable precision components.
- Evaluate the capabilities of their in-house engineering experts, including their knowledge of DFMA (Design for Manufacturability and Assembly) principles
Discover Tailored Solutions for Precision Contract Manufacturing
For over three generations, Dante Valve has excelled in manufacturing valves to the highest specifications. We hold ourselves to manufacturing excellence as well as integrity and responsibility to our customers. We provide precision parts manufacturing for custom valve designs. Explore our comprehensive manufacturing capabilities and our specialties in custom designs.
To hire us as your precision parts manufacturer, request a quote from us today.