Contract manufacturing has a long and storied history, especially relating to branches of the U.S. government.
During World War II, the military turned to independent businesses for contract manufacturing solutions to build vital wartime equipment and create supplies. As a result, the government reversed its longstanding policy of rewarding contracts to the lowest bidder so they could begin partnering with manufacturers that possessed the specialized ability to develop needed parts and equipment quickly.
During the Space Race, NASA turned to private companies for print manufacturing services of electrical components and circuits. NASA would provide contractors with parts and detailed blueprints they would assemble without being told what the components would be used for. This allowed NASA to build needed space shuttle components without worrying about their overall design being leaked or stolen.
Today, contract manufacturing has evolved beyond branches of the government to include businesses in every industry. Keep reading to discover how vital contract manufacturing solutions are to industries where precision and quality matter most.
What are Contract Manufacturing Services?
Contract manufacturing is the process of one business or agency hiring another to build a product or complete a service. The arrangement is often referred to as outsourcing or subcontracting.
Suppose a business doesn’t possess the internal capability to produce a needed part or the ability to perform a required service. In that case, they have two options — Spend money building the facilities needed to complete the task and then hire and train a skilled workforce or outsource the work to a contractor with the capacity to complete the task.
The first solution necessitates a significant financial investment, while the second offers a more practical and affordable option.
Ultimately, contract manufacturing solutions offer a less expensive alternative for producing needed parts or services while maintaining a high-quality standard.
The Value of Contract Manufacturing for the Military
For the U.S. Armed Forces, nothing matters more than precision and reliability. When the lives of servicemen and women are at stake, the military must have complete confidence that their equipment will function no matter how harsh the conditions.
Safety and pressure relief valves manufactured using the most advanced designs and reliable materials are one of the types of critical components the military chooses to outsource. That’s because precision contract manufacturing of valves for military applications requires producing a product that can withstand wartime conditions.
For example, shock trials validate a ship’s ability to sustain operations using live explosives in a simulated combat environment. A 2021 shock test of the USS Gerald Ford saw the first-in-class aircraft carrier withstand the shock impact of three 40,000-pound underwater explosions. If the valves on the Gerald Ford could not withstand the violent impact caused by these explosions, the lives of all the crewmembers would be at risk.
When the military requires a component engineered for mission-critical dependability, they must work with contractors who specialize in manufacturing that component better than anybody else in the industry.
That type of specialization would be challenging for the military to reproduce itself. Not only does the military not have the underlying facilities to produce valves of such quality, but it also doesn’t possess the level of experience or expertise required to consistently produce valves capable of withstanding wartime conditions without spending years ramping up its capabilities.
From an economic and safety standpoint, the military is far better off partnering with a contractor regarding military-grade valve manufacturing for defense applications than trying to develop this critical component independently.
What are Examples of Contract Manufacturing Services?
For precision parts, contract manufacturing services generally fall into one of two areas – build-to-print manufacturing and built-to-design.
Companies that utilize the more conventional built-to-design process supply manufacturers with key specifications relating to a part’s operational performance and dimensions. However, this approach leaves many of the finer points of the manufacturing process up to the manufacturer’s discretion. This can result in slight design variations between the same functional part when produced by different manufacturers.
For example, one manufacturer may apply a finely polished finish while another may powder coat the part.
In comparison, companies control every aspect of part production in build-to-print manufacturing, also known as made-to-print manufacturing. They supply the manufacturer with specifications, schematic drawings, and work orders that describe down to the minute detail how the part is created and what process the manufacturer should use on the production floor. This type of project arrives thoroughly planned, allowing manufacturers to set their production floors in advance to repeat creating the same exact product.
With build-to-print manufacturing, there’s zero room for deviation, which ensures consistency.
In valve assembly contract manufacturing for the defense industry, this consistency is vital for ensuring the predictability and dependability necessary for mission-critical components.
Contract Manufacturing Provides Dependability You Can Rely On
Contract manufacturing offers a clear solution when you need a product made with expert precision and an unwavering commitment to detail. When only the best will do in contract manufacturing of high-temperature valves for industrial and military use, why rely on anyone but an experienced valve manufacturer to provide the quality craftsmanship required to make a component that will help save lives?
At Dante Valve, we manufacture safety valves, pressure reducing valves, and pressure relief valves all to exact military specifications. As a partner of the U.S. Navy for over 60 years, we’re proud of the role our Danco valves have played in enabling sailors to heroically perform their duties around the world.
Our premiere Danco pressure relief valves are manufactured to MIL-V-24332, MIL-V-22549, ASTM F1508, and MIL-V-20065 (Revisions C and D) specifications. Our pressure relief valves are manufactured by TRAC Regulator in accordance with MIL-V-2042 or ASTM-F-1370.
By setting and meeting these standards, we help protect service members by creating a standard for safety that’s second to none.
Regardless of your industry, contract manufacturing solutions offer businesses operating at the highest standards the opportunity to receive a consistently dependable product. If contract manufacturing can rise to meet the challenge set by the military of mission-critical life-or-death conditions, consider what it can do for your business.
Contact us to get started on a manufacturing quote today.