A manufacturing quote is more than a unit price. Whether you are comparing UK and overseas suppliers or two local options, compare the same design, quantity, inspection requirements and delivery terms. For a replacement component without drawings, include the work needed to recover and approve the design.
The unit price is one line of the total
Cost per part is only one line of what a part costs you. The full figure includes lead time, freight, the communication gap across time zones, incoming inspection, and the cost of a part that comes back not quite right. On a low-value, high-volume, well-documented part, overseas can be the right answer. On a critical part that has to be right, the hidden lines often outweigh the saving.
Lead time and freight
Ask each supplier for a delivery date that includes engineering review, material procurement, manufacture, inspection and transport. Where relevant, include customs arrangements and the agreed responsibility for freight. Check how a design query or rejected part would affect that date.
The communication gap
When there is no drawing, the work depends on a clear conversation about function, failure and mating parts. Ask who owns the engineering decisions, how queries will be recorded and when approval is required. Working hours, language and distance can affect that exchange, but good processes matter at any location.
What close to home buys you
A nearby engineering team can make it easier to share physical samples and discuss an uncertain feature. The useful comparison is the actual service: design recovery, material assessment, inspection and support if an interface needs clarification. Ask for these to be defined in the quotation.
MV's experience of this
MV's Peterborough team starts with the component and its working requirements. We can assess the reverse engineering needed, recommend a manufacturing route and explain what is included in our quotation. You can then compare proposals against the same scope.
Start with the part you have
Send photographs, any surviving records and a description of the job. Our Peterborough team will assess the information and recommend the next step.
Discuss your part with MV →Explore reverse engineering · Read the full reverse engineering guide
