A bearing is one of the most vital components in your machine, and one that you shouldn’t take lightly. If you’re considering buying custom bearings from a manufacturer, it’s important to know what to look for when deciding on the best company to work with. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, providing you with all the information you need to find the best custom-bearing manufacturer on the market. So read on, and make sure you keep this information close by when you go to buy your bearings!
Guide #1: Considerations When Selecting a Manufacturer
The decision you make about your custom-bearing manufacturer is a long-term commitment, so it’s important that you choose someone you can trust. Before selecting a manufacturer, it is essential that you understand exactly what they will be able to offer you, and any limitations they might have. While certain characteristics are more important than others when selecting a custom-bearing manufacturer, these three elements—strategic capability and perspective; vision and core competencies; corporate culture—should all be carefully considered before making a final decision.
Guide #2: The Different Types of Bearings
There are various types of bearings that are used in different applications. Each type is generally optimized for a specific use case, and therefore may not be suited for other applications. In addition, a manufacturer’s understanding of their product and manufacturing process will greatly influence a bearing’s quality and longevity. This guide is meant to give you an idea of how different bearings function, so that you can choose which one best suits your needs. You’ll notice that we’ve listed different application examples for each bearing type (or family). The reason behind this is simple: there aren’t standard grades or names; most high-quality custom bearing manufacturers have their own proprietary names/labels for their products depending on performance characteristics or operating conditions.
Guide #3: Evaluating the Quality of One or Several Manufacturers (You’re Underway!)
Whether you’re working with one or several manufacturers, your next task is choosing which manufacturer will make your custom bearings. In a perfect world, you could test each manufacturer’s products and choose which to buy based solely on product quality. But often companies hide behind trade secrets and nondisclosure agreements so they don’t have to prove their claims; instead, they can tell you what they think would be best for your custom bearing manufacturer and hope that you take their word for it. You may also get different information from separate salespeople who represent different departments—for example, someone may say that top-grade bearings are all you need, while another department recommends going with something cheaper but still adequate for your needs.
Quality Control Systems and Certifications
Choosing a bearing manufacturer is never easy. Aside from price, there are myriad other factors that come into play when you begin evaluating and comparing companies. Is their customer service good? What about their responsiveness and communication style? Do they have an ISO 9001 certification or any other quality control systems in place? Are they a member of any industry organizations that can offer insight into how they operate on a day-to-day basis? You should evaluate all of these things before making your decision, as these are all important considerations that will help set you up for success. Once you’ve completed your due diligence, you can then choose a company whose track record and reputation reflect best what you’re looking for.
Volume and Pricing Commitments, List Prices, Payment Terms, Delivery Time Frames
Once you’ve found and shortlisted custom-bearing manufacturers, it’s time to start building your relationships with them. Start by finding out more about their production capabilities and how they operate. Bearings are complex products with specific requirements in terms of machinery and expertise, so understanding their facilities will give you an idea of whether they’re capable of producing what you need at a price that works for your business. Asking these types of questions early on can help weed out any bad eggs from your list, saving you time further down the line.
Guarantees, Warranty, Return Policies
Most custom-bearing manufacturers will offer some type of guarantee or warranty on their products. These guarantees and warranties vary from company to company, but they tend to fall into one of two categories: functional or replacement. Functional guarantees give you peace of mind by providing product support for a specified period of time should something go wrong, such as if your bearings wear out prematurely.