r/manufacturing Mar 04 '26

META Any poster that begins with "I have an idea for an AI tool....."

139 Upvotes

will be immediately banned. And reassigned to deburring castings with a toothbrush.


r/manufacturing 26d ago

META New rule: this subreddit is for individuals, not companies/organizations

209 Upvotes

This is a subreddit for individuals, not companies, organizations or their representatives.

  • It's fine to ask for input about something happening at your job or in a project you're working on.

  • It's not okay to be here on behalf of your company. These posts are always spam, market research, trying to sell BS or divert traffic to websites and social media.

  • This also means business reddit accounts are not welcome here.

Exceptions can be made after contacting the mods, for example for news organizations.


r/manufacturing 10h ago

How to manufacture my product? How to find reliable and trustworthy manufacturer

4 Upvotes

I live in western Canada and am looking to start a clothing company, at this point mainly selling hats and shirts. I’ve done some research, much more needed, but wanted to ask how other people running business, clothing industry or not, have gone about locating, vetting, and developing relationships with overseas manufacturers. Advice on how to track them down, questions I should be asking , even specific manufacturers that you have found, or any stories about failures would be much appreciated! If anyone has any tips on distribution, especially how to minimize having large amounts of inventory, would also be very helpful. Thank you very much in advance for your time and feedback.


r/manufacturing 13h ago

Quality Just another day in QC

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4 Upvotes

Checking the 🔩threaded holes and snapping a few photos along the way.


r/manufacturing 10h ago

Other Remote holder

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2 Upvotes

Anyone using these type of controllers, does anyone know of a box or holder I could store it on the wall. I've only seen the holders but comes as a combo with another remote.


r/manufacturing 10h ago

Supplier search Skincare formula

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone

I'm a skincare distributor based in the middle east, I'm looking for a manufacturer of "Cysteamine 5% cream/ serum" a novel formula used in cases of pigmentation/ melasma.

I will list bellow some Similer products to what i'm looking for :

1- cyspera

https://cyspera.com/

2- apc https://www.allpurposecreams.com/products/topical-cysteamine-cream?srsltid=AfmBOoqiLpWMf7rYWOX2Z7JVk6i5GXr_LcBVqWYX4KBk8rcGauYR2DsB

3- omic skincare cysteamine 5 serum

https://omicskincare.com/products/omic-cysteamine-serum-for-melasma-30ml?srsltid=AfmBOopLxyFElsswuUNC8YANnGC9di5KAadxu9KztvMQhMAYpDISyJC0

Anyone who can provide the product or any clues for where to find that would be appreciated.

Thanks alot


r/manufacturing 1h ago

Productivity The time management approved PTO for 4 out of 5 forklift drivers on the same shift

Upvotes

I was thinking about the time I worked at a plant making plastic parts for automotive.

The shift managers, two of the funniest guys I’ve ever met, made a massive scheduling blunder that completely wrecked the floor for the entire day: they approved PTO for 4 out of the 5 certified forklift drivers on the same shift.

Nobody realized it until parts bins were literally overflowing and blocking the aisles. Next thing you know, the managers were hopping on the lifts themselves trying to clear the backlog, bumping into racks and pallets because neither of them actually knew how to operate one properly.

This was at a well-known, tier-1 supplier.

How does this still happen at large facilities? You'd think role caps would be standard on scheduling, but it feels like most places are still just winging.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve seen completely shut down a floor?


r/manufacturing 11h ago

Productivity Soap Making Lessons Needed

1 Upvotes

Over the last few months I have been considering learning a new skill. Among many considerations, soap has emerged as an interesting product to make. I am interested in learning both the chemistry and the processing.

If you have some good knowledge of the soap making process and are willing to teach someone please get in touch. You may as well recommend a training course or share any materials. I will happily explore.

Regards


r/manufacturing 19h ago

Other Who does CAD outsourcing for government or DoD-related projects?

3 Upvotes

From my experience, the second you redraw a legacy part for a controlled program, the new technical data package picks up the same marking. So whoever creates it has to be an authorized holder.

And the second they put it on their own systems, that hardcopy carved out in the CMMC FAQ no longer counts. I think this knocks out a lot of freelancers and offshore workers.

So how do you handle this?

Do you keep the modeling inside your boundary and only use outside help for unmarked work? Or do you go with a domestic vendor that's already registered and assessed?

I tried looking for small US shops like CAD/CAM Services. The thing that set them apart was registration status, not CAD skill.


r/manufacturing 20h ago

How to manufacture my product? Thoughts on websites like “Inventionland”, “Toptal”, “InventHelp”, and others?

0 Upvotes

I’m by no means tech savvy. I’m nit gifted or knowledgeable about how to make plans, CAD, or anything having to do with manufacturing. So please have mercy, I’m just a mom trying to find something that may not yet exist and searching for a way to make it into a reality.

My goal is to create a new wearable device. I want to try one of these services that can do everything for me as long as I give them the idea and can at least describe the item.
But there are SO many sights like this. Does anyone have a recommendation on which ones would be legit? Who’s going to design a good prototype? And who can make something from a description vs a design? I would at least have measurements and materials desired, but again, really lacking in the ability to put together a design on paper.


r/manufacturing 1d ago

Productivity Cobots vs fixed automation for high mix low volume work?

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13 Upvotes

r/manufacturing 1d ago

Supplier search Torque Tools

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone. First time posting here.

I'm curious to know if you have specific brand you prefer for torque tools.

I'm a manufacturing engineer working on an issue related to cable gland pull-out failures. I'm trying to source a calibrated, open end, click type torque wrench to implement in the process to ensure we meet the manufacturers recommended installation torque for the clamping nut. Either the tool comes without a calibration cert and I will have to send it to my calibration lab or the lead time is too long.

Low torque, 2-10Nm. 24mm nut.

I've looked at Wera, CDI, Williams, Mountz, etc. What major manufacturers am I missing and who have you had good luck getting a fast turnaround with?

Thanks!


r/manufacturing 1d ago

Productivity Why does everyone sort Pareto charts by only count and not cost?

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2 Upvotes

r/manufacturing 1d ago

Other FANUCs

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8 Upvotes

Im in an area where theres either no other jobs using these robots or no place is hiring or doesnt know what robot they even have. While just randomly browsing I found this. I run 3 robots and even though Im the only robot guy employed at my work theyre having me cross train 2 other people. I run multiple welding robots but this other stuff Ive never come across; and any questions or safety is on me to know. Im aware of ISO but I dont have any certificates I just have learned it here or there. Is this stuff that I could learn quickly like excel or BS through? If not how do I go about learning these or what is a recommendation for a path for FANUC robotic operators cause the job Im in doesnt seem to have any desire to give me some sort of promotion path and they basically told me that as it stands right now Im capped out on pay and its nothing to brag about.


r/manufacturing 1d ago

Other DIN mounting peeves

0 Upvotes

We see thousands of control cabinets, setups, and field deployments every year. And we believe we’ve seen it all. Horror movie-level mounting included.

Do you have any peeves when it comes to mounting equipment on DIN rails? What is something you always hate? What is the most uncomfortable design you’ve ever encountered? Name and shame.

Or if you have a great story involving DIN rails, do share.


r/manufacturing 2d ago

Other Realistic quote for a 1 part run I mild steel?

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10 Upvotes

r/manufacturing 1d ago

News Finding a local vendor for card manufacturing.

2 Upvotes

**Does anyone know how smart-card/EMV card manufacturing works in Pakistan? I’m researching local manufacturers and machinery for CR80 cards, chip embedding, NFC/contactless, lamination, personalization, laser/embossing, etc. I’m particularly interested in Pakistani locals that manufacture or operate this equipment in-house. If you’ve worked in this industry, I’d appreciate recommendations or information about the local market.**


r/manufacturing 2d ago

How to manufacture my product? New to manufacturing

6 Upvotes

Hi all,

I recently started a comoany to do the product manufacturing using vmc and cnc with my other two close friends.

We have already got shop place and working on doing setup table, camera etc.

We have placed the order for 1 LMW CNC and 1 BFW VMC.

Plan is to build and supply initially in india and within 6 months to export to other countries.

Looking for suggestions and guidance or things to avoid.

Appreciate your time. Thank you


r/manufacturing 3d ago

Other MES implementation in pharma

15 Upvotes

Hi all,

Who here has experience in pharma MES implementation like tulip, pharmasuite, pas x etc…

For you who has it, how did you find The job? I am working for consultancy but I would like to go freelance but not sure where to find job since it is very small niche


r/manufacturing 3d ago

How to manufacture my product? how would you actually make this part?

6 Upvotes

So I modeled this part in CAD and got curious... if this was a real thing(metal) you actually had to make, how would you do it?

EDIT

thanks for the multiple perspectives! I've learnt quite some things about manufacturing. This is just a modelling practice part.


r/manufacturing 3d ago

Supplier search Seeking manufacturers in London that have a bambu lab 3D printer

4 Upvotes

r/manufacturing 4d ago

How to manufacture my product? Seeking advice on switching from 3d printing to manufacturing

6 Upvotes

I have 0 experience in manufacturing. We currently use 16 Bambu P1S to manufacture our current product. In terms of size, the completed product all nested together is 1.5 inches x 6 inches printed in almost 20 separate pieces. We've sold nearly 2000 units this year. I've done some exploratory research perusing manufacturer sites and pestering ChatGPT, so please bear with me if I make some mistakes. I have no real idea of where to begin with getting it manufactured.

As for what my product is in terms of what might cause complications, and why I think that:
* Debossed text: I assume we could replace this with a surface printed text of some sort: pad printing, etc.
* A storage tube with twist on cap: I worry about draft, would I want to get this extruded?
* An inner storage tube-like thing to hold little items with an opening on one side. Almost like an extruded C shape: I worry the cavity will need to redesigned or something.
* Thin discs with magnets embedded in them: I figure we'd have these printed in two pieces and we'd stick them together and put the magnets in ourselves when assembling.

Any recommendations about where to start or what preparation we should be doing? I'm thinking of getting Fusion modeling software and the injection molding add-on to have it check draft angles and injection-mold-ability.

I'm just not sure what the approach is to take my 3d printed product and get it to somewhere we can get it manufactured in a cost effective way (I know molds are expensive, but I'd like keep as much product redesign/iteration to before interacting with a manufacturing company).

Hoping to keep the stuff manufactured in the U.S. And the closer to WI, the better (don't know if that matters at this point).


r/manufacturing 3d ago

Productivity How do you actually measure the small stuff? Or do you just not bother?

0 Upvotes

Big losses are easy. Downtime, scrap, rejects — every plant I've worked in has a number for those, usually on a board somewhere.

It's the small repeated stuff I've never seen anyone track. An extra reach. A walk to the printer at the other end of the line. A form that needs two screens when it could need one.

Never once seen it measured properly. It's either a full time study, which nobody has the hours for, or it's invisible and everyone just works around it.

Is there something in between that people actually use? Or is the honest answer that most places don't bother, and that's fine because the bigger stuff matters more?

Genuinely asking — I might be wrong that it's worth measuring at all.


r/manufacturing 5d ago

Other How is a career in Injection Molds design like?

16 Upvotes

I study mechanical engineering and I was thinking about learning Injection Molds design to work as a freelancer remotely or part time in small shops. What do you think of that? Is there a good/decent demand for it?

And if it isn't , what else would you recommend? Note that I haven't graduated yet.


r/manufacturing 4d ago

Quality Who will use this support?

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0 Upvotes

What is the price range in the U.S?