NOTICIAS
NOTICIAS
# THE SURGERY OF METAL
Welding as a metal joining science requires that all people related to this field receive training and better…
Competitiveness is a fundamental factor for staying in a market. Every day there is greater supply and lower demand, every day there are more locksmiths or ornamental ironworkers and fewer customers who are always looking for better prices, causing locksmiths and ornamental ironworkers to constantly seek more affordable materials and consumables in order to reduce their production costs and be more competitive to obtain better profit margins.
The risk of considering price alone as the important factor leads them to be identified with the concept of a cheap product and in some cases a poor-quality product. Therefore, it is important to manufacture competitive products with an optimal quality standard.
That is why it is essential that when purchasing economical products you verify their quality and backing. Keep in mind that by purchasing lower-quality consumables, the product you manufacture will be of lower quality, meaning LOWER STRENGTH, and will therefore generate distrust.
However, in this space we will provide ideas to challenge some common beliefs regarding cost reduction. In most cases, lowering material costs is not synonymous with savings — on the contrary, the rework that can be generated makes jobs more costly.
EXAMPLE:
The following materials are required for the fabrication of a steel door:
Materials: Total cost Percentage
- STEEL: USD/. 30.0 (67%)
- WELDING CONSUMABLES: USD/. 3.5 (2%)
- PAINT: USD/. 6.5 (4%)
- ENERGY: USD/. 4.0 (2%)
Profit:
- Labor: USD/26.0 ( 25%)
Market value: 70 USD
Analysis:
Is the price of welding consumables then RELEVANT?
- As can be observed, the most expensive material in the door’s cost structure is steel (more than half); welding consumables, paint, and electrical energy represent very little in the cost to have any significant impact on the overall cost of the door. (Note: in the future, energy costs may become relevant depending on the equipment being used.)
- Efforts to reduce welding costs will not cause the final product costs to decrease; furthermore, purchasing more economical welding consumables is not a relevant factor.
- However, the problem is that many of these products do not meet manufacturing standards, which is why they are more economical, and what can actually be affected is the quality of the weld joint.
Remember:
- Reducing raw materials or consumables will not always lead to cost reduction in your work.
- Purchasing cheaper, lower-quality welding consumables only puts the quality of the weld joint at risk.
- To increase profitability, you must be efficient in carrying out other related operations in less time and with better quality.
- Using inverter technology equipment can help reduce energy costs.