Table Of Contents
Key Points
- Many CNC machined parts will also require FIP gaskets later on.
- Usually, the computer numerical control (CNC) machining and FIP dispensing are done by separate vendors, but not if you choose a vertically integrated partner like Modus.
- Vertical integration provides a wide range of benefits.
Coordinating five, six, or more vendors to complete all of the parts of the manufacturing processes can be exhausting for one person to navigate. If you’re dealing with a radio frequency (RF) shield, for example, you have the CNC machined parts, and then you have the application of coatings, platings, form-in-place (FIP) gaskets, and thermal absorbers.
To put it lightly, that’s a headache waiting to happen. But it’s more than that: It’s also a mistake waiting to happen. And you don’t want either of those outcomes.
Here’s the solution: vertical integration. Not for you, but for the manufacturing partner you choose. A vertically integrated manufacturing partner can handle the manufacturing process from CNC machining to FIP gasket application and everything in between. Read on to learn more about why vertical integration is the way to go.
With our proprietary SigShield process, Modus leads the way in vertical integration of RF shield manufacturing processes. The result is reduced lead times and higher quality. Ready to start cashing in on our vertical integration? Contact us.
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Bridging the Gap: CNC Machining and FIP Gasket Dispensing Under One Roof
Devices that call for CNC machining also tend to call for gaskets of some kind — FIP gaskets, in many cases. FIP dispensing and making CNC machined parts are two distinct skill sets, but they can — and should — be done under one roof.
We’re not suggesting that a machinist should know how to operate a Datron dispenser, and we’re not suggesting that an FIP gasket expert should know how to operate a horizontal Okuma mill. We’re simply saying that your chosen manufacturing partner should have people on the team who can handle these tasks.
That is the crux of vertical integration as it relates to CNC machined parts with FIP gaskets. Here’s how the vertically integrated SigShield process works at Modus:
- Machining the metal housing. We begin by tackling the biggest, bulkiest part of the device: the metal housing. With expert precision, our machinists cut aluminum, plastic or a metal of your choosing to your exact specifications.
- Adding coatings and platings. With the basic housing completed, the Modus team then adds any coatings or platings your design calls for before passing the device on to the FIP team.
- Dispensing FIP gaskets. Our in-house FIP gasket experts then use a Datron FIP gasket dispenser to apply the gaskets with incredible precision, no matter what materials you’ve chosen or how intricate the gasket is.
- Applying thermal and/or microwave absorbers. If applicable to your device, our team then adds any microwave absorbers or thermal materials called for in the design.
How Vertical Integration Benefits CNC Machined Parts
You can probably already guess some of the ways in which vertical integration benefits those who need CNC machined parts with FIP gaskets. After all, we just described four distinct tasks that are usually taken on by separate vendors, that vertical integration allows us to do under one roof. The benefits don’t just end there:
Minimize Mistakes
Forget for a moment just how much communication you have to oversee when you pass an incomplete device from manufacturer to manufacturer. Think, instead, about how many chances the typical manufacturing process provides for mistakes to find their way in.
When you’re designing RF shields and similar devices, you can’t have mistakes in the manufacturing process. But every touch point between every separate vendor could create a miscommunication that causes a quality problem. Vertical integration greatly reduces this risk by subjecting the part to stringent quality control processes that occur at each stage of the process.
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Forget the High Freight Costs
Each of the partners involved in the typical (non-vertically integrated) process may be in different states or even different countries. Each time you have to pass the device along to the next manufacturer to handle the next phase of production, you have to pay to ship it.
And when the device is delicate, the freight costs add up fast. Before long, they occupy a significant portion of your overall project budget. But when your partner vertically integrates the bulk of the manufacturing processes, you pay to ship your device only once. That means you pay a quarter of the typical freight costs.
Slash Lead Times
The horizontal production model will stick you with a lead time of four to six weeks for a relatively simple RF shield. That’s if you're lucky — sometimes, it’s even longer. Even if you built in time to accommodate a long lead time, you shouldn’t have to wait that long.
With vertical integration, you don’t have to. We take care of the CNC machined parts, platings, coatings, FIP gaskets and more in less than half the typical lead time. We’re proud of our industry-leading lead times of one to three weeks for most RF shields.
Partner with a Vertically Integrated CNC Machined Parts Manufacturer
Like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese, CNC machined parts and FIP gaskets are a classic pairing. But they’re so often completed in separate facilities by separate vendors. That presents a few problems, including increased costs, increased risk, longer lead times, and lots and lots of stress for you.
You don’t have to do it this way. There’s another way — the Modus way. To learn more about how our vertically integrated manufacturing processes could help you, reach out to our team. Give us a call at 925-960-8700 or contact us online today.
