Welch Fluorocarbon develops strategic partnerships with many of its customers. Establishing this type of relationship comes from more than delivering quality components. One of the reasons Welch maintains partnerships is because the company focuses on project management from initial inquiry through qualification of parts/ components. Once the products are released to production, Welch has a strong focus on supporting our customer’s production line. We strive for continuous improvement which can lead to more efficient processes, improved quality and cost reduction.
Welch’s custom project development cycle is well organized and detail oriented, leading to a high level of success. The company is driven by its ISO 13485 certification. Each step of the processes is carefully vetted out. Welch excels in communication and keeping customers informed at every step.
Custom Development Projects are broken down into the following stages:
1. Initial Inquiry & Sales Validation
- Prior to starting to work on a project, Welch asks a lot of questions. The goal is to try to get the best technical understanding of the product that is needed, understand the budget expectations and the timeline, etc. Welch makes sure that before evaluating a potential new project, we are the right partner and that your project is a good fit for our capabilities.
2. Design Review
- Welch carefully reviews the requested design to ensure manufacturability. We will often make suggestions to help reduce costs or ensure the component can be produced to the customer’s specifications.
- Welch will never quote anything they are not 100% confident in delivering.
3. Customer Alignment & Quotation
- Our quotes are extremely detailed and include all deliverables that align to our customer’s specifications.
4. Receipt of PO, Contract Review & Order Acknowledgement
- Welch carefully reviews purchase orders to ensure it aligns with what was originally quoted.
- Welch provides a detailed acknowledgement outlining deliverables and when they can be expected. The company strives for 100% On Time Delivery on projects and do everything possible to make sure lead times align with customer’s expectations.
5. Project Launch
- After receipt of the PO, the specific project launch protocol ensures that all internal departments from Engineering to Quality and Manufacturing know what the customer’s expectations are and that they are met.
6. Project Build
- Welch ensures that the customer is well informed during the entire development build process. The Project Manager will follow-up with updates on key project milestones such as completion of tool designs, tool machining, inspection and part builds.
7. First Article
- Welch has an extensive FAI Inspection process with a minimum sample size of 30 parts or more produced
- All parts are inspected and Welch conducts statistical analysis to ensure that the products meet both internal and customer capability requirements.
- These parts serve as a first check that Welch is meeting customer requirements before beginning the qualification process.
- Welch will not proceed with a project until the customer approves the FAIs.
8. Qualification/Release to Production.
- Welch’s qualification process is very extensive and includes a full IQ/OQ/PQ. Our internal standards often exceed our customers.
- Welch’s robust qualification process is driven by our ISO 13485:2016 certification.
9. Production & Continuous Improvement
- Welch supports customer production from initial product launch through full volume production.
- Welch has a robust system to ensure the highest quality of parts produced is maintained.
- Welch’s manufacturing, quality & engineering team monitor production processes and often work with customers to implement continuous improvement projects, especially as a customer’s demand increases.
If you have any questions about or are seeking a quote for a custom component please do not hesitate to contact the Welch Fluorocarbon Team at 603-742-0164 or [email protected].
