Build-to-Print Manufacturing and Metal Fabrication Services
Build-to-Print Metal Fabrication & Product Development
TMS works with customer engineering teams to evaluate part drawings, CAD models, and assemblies from a manufacturing perspective. While the customer retains responsibility for product design, our team can help determine the most effective forming and fabrication processes for producing the specified component.
Our manufacturing engineering support can evaluate factors such as part geometry, material, thickness, tolerances, production volume, tooling requirements, and secondary operations. This may include determining whether a part is best suited for metal spinning, deep drawing, hydroforming, rolling and welding, machining, or other fabrication processes.
By addressing manufacturing considerations before production begins, TMS can help identify opportunities to improve manufacturability, simplify forming operations, develop appropriate tooling, and establish a repeatable, cost-effective production process while maintaining the customer’s approved design and specifications.
Build-to-Print Manufacturing & Metal Fabrication
Build-to-print manufacturing allows OEMs and manufacturers to outsource production while maintaining control over their approved engineering specifications, drawings, CAD files, materials, tolerances, and quality requirements.
TMS combines multiple metal fabrication and manufacturing capabilities, including metal spinning, deep drawing, hydroforming, rolled and welded cylinder fabrication, laser cutting, CNC machining, welding, metal forming, trimming, beading, edge rolling, polishing, and finishing. This broad range of capabilities allows our team to select the manufacturing process best suited to the part’s geometry, material, production volume, and performance requirements.
Tooling, Prototyping & Production
When custom tooling is required, TMS provides tool design and tooling manufacturing to support forming and fabrication processes. Our in-house engineering and machining capabilities help streamline the transition from tooling development to prototype production and repeat manufacturing.
TMS can support projects from prototype and initial production through recurring OEM manufacturing programs. Establishing the manufacturing process early helps improve consistency, control production costs, and create a repeatable process for ongoing production.
A Complete Metal Fabrication Resource
TMS offers a broad range of in-house metal forming and fabrication capabilities that can be combined according to the requirements of the part. These include:
- Metal spinning and spin forming
- Deep drawing and press forming
- Hydroforming
- Rolled and welded cylinder fabrication
- CNC machining and milling
- Precision laser cutting
- Welding
- Secondary metal forming
- Trimming, beading, and edge rolling
- Metal finishing and polishing
- Custom tooling design and machining
Having multiple manufacturing processes available through one supplier allows the production approach to be based on the geometry and requirements of the component instead of forcing a part into a single process.
Tool Design and Manufacturing
Tooling can have a significant impact on the repeatability, cost, and production efficiency of formed metal components. TMS maintains in-house tool design and machining capabilities to develop tooling for spinning, drawing, and other forming applications.
TMS engineers and machinists use CAD and CNC manufacturing technologies to design and produce tooling in-house. Keeping much of the tooling development process within the same facility provides greater control over the transition from design to tooling to production and allows changes to be addressed efficiently when project requirements evolve.
Prototyping and Process Planning
Prototype development is an important step in determining whether a manufacturing approach will work effectively before a project moves into larger production quantities.
TMS supports projects from initial prototype parts through long-term production planning. Depending on the part, the prototype stage may use simpler tooling or manufacturing methods before more production-oriented tooling is developed for higher volumes. This approach can help customers evaluate the part and manufacturing process while considering long-term production cost and requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Build-to-Print Manufacturing
Material selection depends on the part's application, design, manufacturing process, and performance requirements.
TMS works with materials including stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel, copper, brass, Inconel, titanium, and other specialty alloys. Considerations such as strength, corrosion resistance, temperature exposure, weight, formability, and weldability can all influence material selection.
Yes. Build-to-print services can support prototype quantities, initial production runs, and recurring production programs.
Early production can be used to validate the manufacturing process and identify opportunities for improvement before larger quantities are released. Once the process is established, the same manufacturing approach can be used to support repeat production.
Not always. Tooling requirements depend on the part geometry, selected manufacturing process, material, production volume, and dimensional requirements.
When custom tooling is necessary, tooling can be developed specifically for the component and production process. The need for dedicated tooling is typically evaluated as part of the manufacturing and quoting process.
Quality requirements are established from the customer's engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, material requirements, and inspection criteria.
TMS operates under an ISO 9001:2015 quality management system and can support projects requiring dimensional inspection and documented verification. For applicable programs, first article inspection and other quality documentation can be incorporated into the manufacturing process.
Depending on the component, secondary operations can include laser cutting, trimming, machining, welding, finishing, and additional forming or fabrication processes.
Combining multiple manufacturing operations within a single supplier can reduce production handoffs and simplify communication, scheduling, and quality management.
A build-to-print manufacturing partner allows an OEM or manufacturer to outsource component production while retaining control over the approved product design.
Working with a supplier that can provide multiple manufacturing processes can also reduce the number of outside vendors involved in a project. This can simplify communication, coordinate production more efficiently, and provide a single point of contact for manufacturing questions and changes.
To request a quote, provide the part drawing or CAD file along with the material, quantity, tolerances, finishing requirements, and any applicable quality or inspection specifications.
For assemblies or complex components, providing the complete assembly documentation and component requirements can help TMS evaluate the project accurately and determine the appropriate manufacturing processes.
A complete set of specifications allows the manufacturing team to assess the project, identify tooling or process requirements, and develop an accurate quotation.