In the manufacturing sector, companies are always looking for ways to streamline production processes and cut production costs. One solution many manufacturers rely on to reduce the amount of time and, consequently, the amount of money needed to produce products is subassembly manufacturing. Below, we provide an overview of this process, highlighting what it is, how it differs from assembly, and what benefits it offers.
What Is Sub Assembly Manufacturing?
Subassembly manufacturing—also referred to as sub-assembly manufacturing and subassembly manufacturing—is a process that involves pre-combining or pre-building components into assemblies. These premade pieces can then be joined to other subassemblies and components in subsequent assembly operations to form complete parts and products.
Assembly vs. Sub Assembly
“Assembly” is a general term that refers to the processes original equipment manufacturers (OEM) use to create complete parts and products. These end units are often made up of a number of individual components or collections of components. The term “sub-assembly” is used in reference to the latter as the components are first assembled together and then integrated into a larger assembled unit.
Benefits of Sub Assembly Manufacturing
There are many benefits to including sub-assembly operations in the manufacturing process of a part or product. For example:
- It reduces training requirements. In sub-assembly operations, the process of manufacturing a complete product is broken up into smaller steps, which allows each worker to be responsible for learning a portion of the process rather than the entire process from start to finish. As a result, it takes less time to train them in their responsibilities.
- It improves assembly accuracy. Allowing workers to focus on assembling a single portion of a product rather than the entire product enables them to become specialists in that particular task. Over time, they will be able to complete their designated task much faster without making mistakes.
Outsourcing sub-assembly manufacturing operations to a third party offer additional benefits, such as:
- Shortened production time. When subassemblies are already created, the time needed to produce the final product is much shorter. Additionally, outsourcing assembly operations means that resources within the company can be redirected to other production needs, which can lead to greater production outputs.
- Lowered equipment costs. Outsourcing a portion of a product’s manufacturing operations to a third party can eliminate the need for the contracting company to purchase certain pieces of manufacturing equipment.
- Increased scalability. Contract manufacturers generally have the resources in place to manage different production volumes. Outsourcing subassembly manufacturing operations to them makes it easier for a contracting company to scale production of their products up or down to meet current customer demand without having to make drastic changes to their personnel or equipment.
Partec, Your Contract Sub Assembly Manufacturing Partner
Looking for a sub-assembly manufacturing partner for your next project? Turn to the experts at Partec! Our extensive manufacturing experience, state-of-the-art assembly equipment, and comprehensive assembly capabilities make us the ideal choice for all contract assembly needs. To learn more about our contract assembly capabilities, contact us today. To discuss your project requirements with one of our representatives, request a quote.
