Have you ever paid over the odds for drilling, boring or honing? If so, you’re certainly not alone.
Drilling, honing and boring costs are notorious for being something of an arcane secret for people who aren’t ‘in the know’ about the process involved. We have attempted to shed some light on the world of pricing in our latest downloadable e-book: The Guide To Deep Hole Drilling, Boring & Honing Costs. You can download a copy by clicking here.
With a focus on tubular component manufacture, but also dealing with CNC machining more generally, we explain the different factors that contribute to the quotes you receive, and why in some circumstances the final bill may be more than you originally expected. If you seek out five quotes for deep hole drilling, boring & honing, the likelihood is you will receive five wildly different figures. Why is that, when the process and technologies used are very similar?
Precision Machining Pricing Variables
The reason is the number of variables involved in pricing, and this is an area where, unfortunately, some companies are less than transparent.
There are some solid reasons for differences in price, of course. These include the complexity of the component, the materials used and the order volume – standard factors. Compliance is also a factor. For instance, parts used in the aerospace manufacturing industry have to comply with EN 9100 procedures for all components, whereas this is not obligatory for other sectors. This can affect price due to the administration and inspection requirements but can at times enormously increase the quality and reliability of the final product.
The Problems With Standard Quoting
Other factors are not so easy to predict at the quoting stage, which is why standard quoting is not always the best approach for deep hole drilling, boring or honing services. It is natural for businesses to want to standardise their quoting mechanism. Many quotes you request will be quickly generated on a standard spreadsheet. However, this rarely takes into account the issue of drill wander, which can be accounted for but never avoided entirely. When you have ended up paying more than you had initially thought for your job, chances are it is due to unforeseen expenses occurring from drill wander. You may have also experienced delays with that job for the same reason.
For a standard quote to work accurately, it also assumes that your technical drawings are pinpoint accurate. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Incomplete or inaccurate technical drawings will adversely affect the accuracy and suitability of the final product, adding cost and time to your work.
Bespoke Quotes For Drilling, Boring And Honing
These are the reasons we do not have a standard quoting policy. Every quote is bespoke. We like to sit down with you, or chat through your requirements on the phone, and will never issue a comprehensive quote until we are sure your technical drawings match your required outcome. This is something we can help you with. We have decades of experience working with industrial components of all varieties, and can help get your technical specs up to speed, so you can use them again and again without issue for many years to come, whether with us or an alternative supplier.
By closely examining the technical specs and carrying out a contract review process on the enquiries we receive, we are better placed to predict and compensate for those variables that always occur during the machining process itself – drill wander being the most obvious example.
Transparent, Accurate Pricing
So if you have been frustrated with boring, honing and drilling prices, take a look through our e-book. It explains the quoting and pricing mechanisms of the precision engineering industry in clear detail, and gives you the information you need to expect and receive accurate pricing on all your quotes. We have a unique way of working with our customers here at Hone All, based on your specific performance requirements, budget and timeframe. To find out more, please give one of our team a call. The number is 0845 5555 111. You can also request a call back at a time of your convenience by using our contact form or e-mailing us at sales@hone-all.co.uk
