Ever smaller batch sizes and increasingly specific customer requirements mean that contract manufacturers tend to focus on specific materials or technologies and tailor their material stocks, machinery and tools accordingly. In individual cases, this can certainly offer advantages. If you mainly process sheet metal to a certain specification and can purchase larger quantities of raw materials, you will receive better conditions from the supplier than with individual order-related material procurement.

And those who concentrate on laser cutting and bending for optimal capacity utilization and do not include forming technology among their own competencies can dispense with the investments and maintenance costs that would otherwise be necessary. At the same time, however, specialized providers must also be easy for their potential customers to find and be prepared to significantly expand the radius of action of the acquisition beyond the regional environment. Online platforms that know the strengths of the connected manufacturing partners and can therefore always automatically allocate orders to the ideal company promise support. This not only brings cost benefits, but can also drastically shorten delivery times, as the platform ensures material availability and short transportation routes even before allocation.

Specialization expertise at the touch of a button

"Highly specialized contract manufacturers can produce certain products of the highest quality at an unbeatable price," says Bruno Kaelin, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Blexon AG. "In practice, in addition to a broad portfolio, many contract manufacturers also have specialist knowledge of individual materials or technologies. Unfortunately, however, many sheet metal users do not know which sheet metal worker has which specialization. Never mind, because our platform knows! Uploading the step file to the Blexon platform is therefore always worthwhile." If a sheet metal part cannot be manufactured using the available technologies, the system displays corresponding messages. The customer can often use these messages to easily adapt their design and order the sheet metal part directly. "The highlight of our portal is that users can use a button to send the component to our Blexon helpdesk for free clarification if they are unsure," explains Kaelin.

Blexon is constantly developing its sheet metal platform. Additional manufacturing partners are constantly being added. The sheet metal specialists are also constantly expanding their technology portfolio. Since June 2021, it has also been possible to calculate and order sheet metal parts with forming, for example with threads, via the platform. A small but important detail: "The user still doesn't need a complex production drawing; a 3D model of the component is enough to order the sheet metal part directly from Blexon and its manufacturing partners. For maximum ease of use," says Blexon CEO Kaelin.