Starting a new Business

[Joey]

Appologies if this isnt the correct forum.

Would your company pay for this ?

Traditionally i`ve always prefered the skill of the artisan to produce
quality machined parts directly from the drawings, but it seems more
and more manufactures are relying on their planning engineers to
provide detailed instuctions for workholding and machining methods.

I`d like to ask you guys your opinion of the feasablilty of starting a company
to offer a sub-contract service of -
1) producing 3d CAD Models.
2) producing 2d/3d detailed and fully dimensioned workshop drawings, including
any fixturing, mounted elctrodes, special tooling, stage drawings etc.
3) producing route/planning sheets, giving step by step instructions like machine operation sequences,
details of each part feature, oversize/undersize dimensions for further final machining,
work holding and handling,
4) CNC programs. Milling, Turning, Wire Erosion, Jig Grinding
using information of Machines, Ancillary equipment, available Tooling etc provided
by your company.
5) Sourcing of further sub-contract requirements for processes like surface treatments, welding,
honing, engraving etc.
6) Disussions with Production Management and staff to assist in a quicker understanding of
the parts to be produced.

Of course i`d expect a degree of resistance from some people, thinking i was trying to undermine
their own ability, but if they look at the bigger picture of improving timescales, quality and ultimately
the company profits. Why spend hours trying to figure out complex part drawings when it can be expalined
by someone who`s done all the planning.

any comments welcomed.

[Sharpshooter]

Hello,
That sounds like a great idea. But, a lot of us already get paid to do all of that stuff as well as run the machines. Were I work, we already do all of that stuff and then some. I can see a lot of problems with doing a thing like that. It is easy to sit back and think of how things may or should run. They usually never go as planned. Then, if they were not the ones to reverse engineer the part or print, they have to wait for a answer to how to fix the problem. Thus costing them more money. Maybe it would work for someone out there but not anyplace that I have worked. Heck, doing all of that stuff is the fun part. So, yeah, that does sound like a great idea.

[ViperTX]

Joey....offer your services to a client....find the first one....it's a good plan....a company can hire you to do an item.....they pay a bit...and then you're gone....not on their time.....so, it's a win-win situation for everyone! Find the first client before you venture out!

[Joey]

thanks for your comments

Sharpshooter yeah you`re right, i been doing all that and running 2 cnc lathes at the same time, so if i can find a niche in the market why not do it for me instead of someone else. Initially i`ll look to target smaller companies and might pick up work for example, where there`s a sudden influx of work and their planning guys are too busy to cope.

ViperTX appreciate your advice mate, small steps at a time. But always try keep the momentum going.

I`m busy putting together a full sample pack and building a website, then it`s time to get the shoes on and hit the road.
Once out there hopefully customers will be telling me what they want and there might be an area i can concentrate.

[a1cadcam]

i have done a bit of that on contract basis... as ViperTX has mentioned, but that is what they wanted; an in-house solution from an outside point-of-view with no strings afterwards..
you might consider as I have found, every shop has a different way of doing things and to get a shop to 'run it your way' might be difficult.

good luck

[Joey]

hi again

i`m no website designer but i have tried to build a site for the new business.
please have a look here and post any comments or critisism, all feedback is
very welcome.

http://www.planning-precision.co.uk

regards

[ViperTX]

Joey, it looks good. I'd add some more explanation on the upload section of the website and a disclaimer "Information provided to Precision Planning will not be shared or divulged to any other source."

[mxtras]

Originally Posted by ViperTX Joey, it looks good. I'd add some more explanation on the upload section of the website and a disclaimer "Information provided to Precision Planning will not be shared or divulged to any other source."

Something along the lines of what Viper said was my first thought - secrecy is going to be an issue. The companies you target don't want to hear details about the most interesting things you have been associated with - will their project be the source of your next sales pitch?

It's a tricky situation - everyone wants their info kept secret, so I would suggest that you think along those lines when you are talking to your clients - keep previous projects secret to gain their trust.....but how do you get the business without divulging your experience?? I think this is going to be a tricky thing to sell - at least at first.

Scott

[Joey]

cheers guys, thats good advice and is taken on board.

by the way that oil manifold component was made for a formula1 race team that
dont exist atm.

[Don Peterson]

Sorry to break into this thread, but how does one create a new post? I just joined this forum and it's not real obvious to me. Thanks Don

[Joey]

hi Don
looks like you got it right first time mate

[Don Peterson]

Well, not really... I would like to start a new topic. What I have done is interrupt this one. There must be a way to start a new Post, but I don't see it on the list. How did you ask your initial question that started this thread? Don