Engineering designs are becoming more complex, and to achieve these
levels of complexity, manufacturers are now less likely to rely on
off-the-shelf products, preferring instead to form relationships with
suppliers willing to provide a bespoke service. Does this represent a
move by industry away from 'box-shifting' towards true one-stop shop
capability? Fastening specialist, TFC, who is no stranger to bespoke
component supply, senses something of the kind is happening. Technical
director, Brian Goode explains:
At the top of the supply chain, design engineers face the pressure of
meeting new and advanced performance requirements under reduced
timescales. That pressure filters right through to the component
distributors, whose absolute priority is to supply their customers with
the correct product, on time.
Following a consultation with TFC's technical sales teams, a full design
brief is submitted by the client. From this brief, TFC then designs or
sources the component at the most competitive price. As far as
applications are concerned, the company believes there are no limits. As
long as the design is within the context of fasteners and general
assembly applications, a custom solution can be provided.
Where older methods of fastening are being used, such as a nut, bolt and
washer, a bespoke product could reduce the in-place cost, says Mr Goode.
This demands a level of flexibility on behalf of the customer to rework
the design, but it ensures that the most effective fastener is used for
the application. For TFC, the approach is paying dividends and Mr Goode
sees excellent opportunities, particularly among automotive suppliers,
where sourcing a custom component can provide significant space and
weight savings.