
As consumers, we've been conditioned to expect free delivery as standard (thanks Amazon!) and as a result, we often find it hard to accept delivery charges from smaller companies. But do you really want a poorly-paid courier to throw your machined parts on your doorstep? Probably not. So what do you get for your delivery charge?

Quality issues and inconsistency… failure to meet SLAs… wrong skill set… late deliveries. These are four of the biggest issues involving suppliers. They make procuring CNC machining challenging and stressful. They waste time and money. But they're not the only reasons to change supplier. Here are four more…

It can be a tricky balancing act to specify components in industries where there is a need for volume but also for safety, competition is high, or the market is commoditised. Designers and product development teams facing these challenges understand that precision machining tolerances must be detailed. And the datum must be precise. If they get any of this wrong, they risk compromising the product's fit, form and function.