Why Won’t My Converter Quote My Project Without Knowing the Application?

 A design’s purpose provides the baseline for creating any product. Without the proper context, designs fail, and converting quotes become inaccurate.  

This article will help you understand the information our experts at Strouse need to deliver a functional, cost-effective product.

How Does The Part Application Affect My Quote?

One of the most crucial yet often overlooked aspects of working with a converter is sharing details during development. Although your drawing might give us the technical dimensions and materials needed to produce your part, that’s not always the full story. If you’ve seen quality issues or have ideas on how to optimize your part for application, that context comes from a conversation, not a drawing.

1. IT DETERMINES THE FORMAT OF FINISHED GOODS

Your product arrives on time, looking exactly how you wanted. That’s the end of it, right? However, what’s the use of a product you can’t apply? You’ll want products delivered in an easy-to-use format, so consider the following packaging questions:

1. How do you want the product to look when you receive it (sheeted or rolled)?
2. Do you need each part to have a tab attached for easy removal?
3. Will these parts be applied by hand or through automatic application?

Depending on your intended application, you may need your product cut a certain way or on a specific liner. For instance, automated products are built with low-tack liners for an easy peel-and-release effect and are often supplied on rolls, whereas manual-application products often include tabs, crack-and-peel liners, or printed instructions.

1) The ease or difficulty of peeling off liners, 2) The order of layer removal, and 3) The time it takes to apply your product are all highly relevant. When your converter knows what to expect from your production, they’ll quote your products using the most efficient packaging option.

2. IT ACCELERATES PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

When you fail to provide a use-case context for your application, you risk stalling product development.

Choosing materials can be a highly technical process that loses momentum without guidance. Every piece of information you share about your product helps filter down the massive spectrum of potential materials into a more manageable list of options.

In addition, buying material before discussing your process with a converter can lead to extra processing steps or material waste.

In this day and age, you’ve likely researched your intended materials. Unfortunately, some design factors are often overlooked in the absence of technical discussion. For instance, you might not realize that certain plastics have very low surface energy and must be treated before they can hold adhesive or ink. Even your product’s intended environment will alter the criteria Strouse uses for its material selection and final design.

3. IT DICTATES THE NEED FOR REDESIGN

As you get further along, changing the materials, process, or design becomes more challenging. Projects that undergo late-stage adjustments also coincide with price increases and delays.

Manufacturers often optimize the designs of existing parts by making material substitutions based on cost and usage, or by making slight alterations to improve manufacturability. However, larger redesigns might require new tooling or processes, resulting in costly requotes.

When you provide a technical drawing without context or insight into its application, you increase the odds of being saddled with a non-functional part that necessitates redesigns.

Additional Context Reduces the Chances of Part Failure

The most serious consequence of not explaining the application to your converter is ultimately the possibility of part failure. After all, the worst-case scenario is ordering a component that costs thousands of dollars only to watch your final assembly fail right off the production line.

While there are reasons why you might be reluctant to share your purpose, understand that sharing technical use-case details is a critical part of your project process. If you’re wary about disclosing your product design, converters are typically open to signing a mutual NDA.

So, now that you understand how explaining your application during development will protect you from future headaches, are you ready to optimize your design and solution? Download a free copy of our design guide today, or look for more answers in our Learning Center.