Save Big Money on Stamped Metal Parts: 18 Ways to Cut Costs Now!

The Big Problem with Metal Parts

Metal parts cost too much. You pay too much for parts. Your boss wants you to cut costs. But how? You need good parts. You can’t use bad parts. What can you do?

You see high bills for:

• Materials that cost too much
• Tools that wear out fast
• Labor that gets more costly
• Waste from bad designs

Your costs keep going up. Your budget stays the same. This makes you feel stuck. [^1]

Why This Hurts Your Business

Think about what happens when parts cost too much:

• You lose money on each part
• Your products cost more than they should
• Your boss gets mad about high costs
• Other companies make parts for less
• You might lose business to them

This is bad news for you! Every extra dollar spent on parts is a dollar you don’t have for other things. This makes your job harder. [^2]

We Have Good News: 18 Ways to Save Money!

We go beyond traditional metal stamping and assembly. Our expertise in custom fasteners and automated solutions ensures that we consider every aspect of your project, from production to end use.

Here are 18 ways to save big money on your parts:

1. Make Your Design Better

Smart designs save you money! This is the #1 way to cut costs.

• Make parts simpler – Each bend or hole costs money
• Use standard sizes – Special sizes cost more
• Don’t ask for tight fits when you don’t need them

One car maker changed a door hinge design and saved 34% on costs! They also made 22% less scrap. That’s a big win! [^3]

2. Pick the Right Tools

The tools you use to make parts matter a lot.

• Progressive dies work best for making lots of parts
• Multi-slide dies can be 40% faster than single-stage dies [^4]
• Test with cheap tools before making big ones

A company that made electronics housings switched to multi-slide progressive dies and made parts 40% faster. This saved them lots of money on each part.

3. Use Better Materials

Materials make up 40-50% of your part costs. Here’s how to save:

• Switch materials when you can (like using coated carbon steel instead of stainless steel) and save 20-25% [^5]
• Use thinner metal if your part doesn’t need to be so strong
• Buy recycled metals to save money

4. Cut Down on Waste

Every bit of scrap costs you money. Here’s how to make less waste:

• Use nesting software to fit more parts on each sheet
• Plan your cuts to use more of each sheet
• Reuse scrap when you can

An appliance maker used better sheet layouts and cut waste by 18%. This saved them thousands of dollars! [^6]

5. Keep Your Tools Working Well

Good tools make good parts. Here’s how to save on tools:

• Oil your tools so they last longer
• Use harder steel for tools that make lots of parts
• Fix tools fast when they start to wear

Companies that take good care of their tools make them last 2-3 times longer. This means they don’t have to buy new tools as often. [^7]

6. Make Parts Faster

Speed saves money! Here’s how to go faster:

• Use machines that feed metal coils
• Get high-speed presses to make parts quicker
• Automate when you can

These machines pay for themselves in 6-18 months for medium-sized jobs. [^8]

7. Work with Better Suppliers

The right partner helps you save. Here’s what to do:

• Order more at once to get better prices
• Sign long contracts to lock in good rates
• Partner with experts who know how to save

A car parts maker got a 12% discount by ordering more parts at once. This saved them $150,000 each year! [^9]

8. Know When to Go Overseas (And When Not To)

Sometimes foreign suppliers cost less. But be careful:

• Overseas works best for parts with lots of hand work
• Local works best for parts that need changes often
• Watch out for shipping costs and delays

9. Cut Hidden Costs

Some costs are hard to see. Here’s where to look:

• Extra steps like polishing or coating
• Shipping costs for getting parts to you
• Storage costs for keeping parts on hand

10. Use Automated Solutions

Let robots help you save:

• Robots can do boring jobs like deburring parts
• Automated lines make parts with fewer people
• Better quality control means fewer bad parts

A company that makes airplane parts used robots for deburring and cut labor hours by 25%. [^10]

11. Fix Over-Engineering

Don’t make parts better than they need to be:

• Use looser tolerances when you can
• Don’t polish parts that no one will see
• Skip extra features that don’t help

A company that makes consumer goods saved $8,000 per 10,000 units by not being so strict on parts that didn’t need it. [^11]

12. Save Energy

Energy costs money too:

• Use newer presses that need less power
• Turn off machines when not in use
• Fix air leaks in your systems

An HVAC part maker switched to servo-powered presses and cut energy use by 15-20%. [^12]

13. Make Fewer Different Parts

Each new part costs money to set up:

• Use the same parts in different products
• Standardize your designs
• Share tools between similar parts

14. Get Multiple Quotes

Don’t just go with one supplier:

• Ask several companies for prices
• Compare all costs not just the part price
• Negotiate better deals based on other quotes

15. Think About the Whole Process

Look at the big picture:

• Design parts that are easy to use
• Make parts that go together fast
• Cut assembly time with better designs

16. Use Better Finishes

The right finish saves money:

• Don’t over-finish parts no one sees
• Use coatings that last
• Pick finishes that are easy to apply

17. Plan for Volume

More parts usually means lower costs per part:

• Order in bigger batches
• Plan for growth
• Share setup costs across more parts

18. Get Expert Help

Sometimes you need help:

• Talk to stamping experts
• Ask for design reviews
• Learn from others’ mistakes

Real Success Stories

Here are companies that saved big money:

Car Door Maker Saves 34%

A company that makes car parts had a problem. They wasted too much metal making door hinges. They had to throw away too many bad parts.

They fixed it by:

• Making a simpler design
• Using better sheet layouts
• Working with a Just-In-Time supplier

They saved 34% on costs and made 22% less scrap. [^13]

Consumer Goods Company Saves $8,000

A company that makes things for homes had a problem. They were too strict about how precise their parts had to be.

They fixed it by:

• Being less strict on parts that didn’t need it
• Making fewer special tools
• Using standard sizes more often

They saved $8,000 for every 10,000 parts they made. [^14]

Airplane Parts Maker Cuts Labor by 25%

A company that makes parts for planes had high labor costs for finishing parts.

They fixed it by:

• Using robots to finish parts
• Training workers to do more jobs
• Making parts that needed less finishing

They cut labor hours by 25% and made parts faster too. [^15]

How We Can Help You

At our company, we go beyond traditional metal stamping and assembly. Our expertise in custom fasteners and automated solutions ensures that we consider every aspect of your project, from production to end use.

We help you:

• Design parts that cost less to make
• Pick the right materials for your job
• Make tools that last longer
• Cut waste so you use more of what you pay for
• Speed up production so parts cost less

Take Action Now!

Don’t keep paying too much for your stamped metal parts! Here’s what to do next:

1. Look at your current parts – Which ones cost the most?
2. Ask us for help – We can spot ways to save
3. Try a test run – See how much you can save
4. Scale up – Apply what works to all your parts

Call us today or visit our website to learn more about our metal stamping services!