Smooth production
at the right price

Supplier sourcing & evaluation

Choosing the right supplier is critical to the project's success. We identify, assess and manage the potential new suppliers required for the manufacture of your product. IDC can work in coordination with your purchasing team, providing as much or as little input as required.

Our activities include:

• Identifying types of supplier required and core competencies
• Identifying potential suppliers
• Generating initial questionnaire/assessment criteria
• Reviewing selection criteria and potential suppliers
• Preparing and issuing RFQ (request for quotation) document
• Reviewing and assessing quotations and selecting preferred partner(s)
• Working with our clients' procurement team to assess and assist integration of the supplier to their supply chain.

Production support

Ensuring that quality standards for the product are achieved is particularly important during the transition of the design from prototype to volume manufacture. At IDC, we assist our clients to bring the design solutions into production.

A vital part of this process is the manufacture of the production tooling, as this defines the quality levels for the rest of the product's life. Our engineers are experienced in managing complex tooling programmes in the UK, China and around the world, including for medical device development.

Tooling support

Injection mould tools can produce millions of identical parts. Making sure the moulds are made with the correct size, shape, textures and flow properties is vitally important. Every mistake in the mould will be replicated for its entire life.

Mould making is a complicated process and our team smoothly manages both toolmakers and moulders to deliver better quality in reduced time.

Typical tasks include:

• Liaison with toolmakers to ensure plastic moulds are made on schedule
• Reviewing tool design and moldflow calculations
• Reviewing first sample parts from mould tools
• Measuring and inspecting the parts
• Issuing inspection reports
• Defining part textures, colours etc
• Reviewing tools until required standard is reached
• Approving tools and production samples ready for initial production
• Establishing quality checks and reporting for on-going production