Tooling, NRE, minimum orders and lead times at Symmco
The commercial terms a buyer usually has to ask for, set out in one place: what a stock catalogue size costs beyond the part itself (nothing), who owns a custom die and who keeps it running, how long tooling and first production take, where volume breaks fall, and how Symmco stocks, releases and ships against a program.
Is there a tooling or NRE charge on stock catalogue sizes?
There is not. Symmco does not charge tooling costs on any standard tooling product, and there is no minimum order quantity on the stocked parts listed in its catalogue, so a buyer who needs one SAE 841 bronze sleeve bearing in a catalogue size is not asked to fund a die or to round the order up to a run.
The position behind that policy is inventory. Symmco holds over 1,500 unique stocked parts and tooling to make over 5,000 standard sized parts, which is what lets it describe its stock as the largest inventory of sintered bronze bushings and bearings in North America, and it publishes a 99% fill rate on stock products.
Stocked parts ship in 24 hours, so a catalogue size is normally the fastest route to a part in hand, and the twelve stock families on the Products page list every size by part number and dimension so the match can be checked before anyone picks up the phone.
| Term | On stock catalogue sizes |
|---|---|
| Tooling or NRE charge | None on any standard tooling product |
| Minimum order quantity | None on stocked catalogue parts |
| Delivery on stocked parts | Ships in 24 hours |
| Unique stocked parts | Over 1,500 |
| Standard sizes with tooling on hand | Over 5,000 |
| Fill rate on stock products | 99% fill rate |
Who owns the tooling on a custom part, and who maintains it?
When an order requires custom tooling, the customer owns the tooling. Once that original set of tools has been purchased, Symmco maintains all of it and replaces any broken tool at Symmco's expense, so wear and breakage on the tooling are not billed back to the customer after the first order.
Custom work carries no minimum piece count, but non-stock products do carry a $1,000 minimum manufacturing cost, which is worth knowing before quoting a very small run of a special part: the quantity can be whatever the program needs, as long as the order clears that floor.
Tooling can be amortized into the piece price over a one-year term, although this is not the standard ordering process. A buyer who needs the tooling spread across the piece price should raise it when requesting the quote, since it changes how the first year of the program is invoiced.
| Term | On custom parts |
|---|---|
| Who owns the tooling | The customer |
| Maintenance and replacement | Symmco, at its own expense, once the original set of tools is purchased |
| Minimum piece count | None |
| Minimum manufacturing cost, non-stock products | $1,000 |
| Amortization into the piece price | Available over a one-year term; not the standard ordering process |
How long do tooling, first parts and repeat orders take?
Tooling typically takes 3 to 5 weeks to be delivered, and a brand-new part then takes six to ten weeks to manufacture once the tooling is received, so on a first order the two windows run back to back and the tooling stage is the one to start early.
Once tooling exists the picture changes: Non-stocked parts ship in as soon as 6 to 8 weeks, with flexible scheduling, and stocked catalogue parts ship in 24 hours. Lead times move with the production schedule, so the Sales and Customer Service teams hold the current figures for any given part.
Quotes move faster than parts, with one day turnaround on bearing quotes and less than one week on structural quotes, which means a buyer comparing a Symmco stock size against a custom design can usually have both numbers in the same week.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Bearing quote | One day turnaround |
| Structural quote | Less than one week |
| Tooling delivery | Typically 3 to 5 weeks |
| First production of a brand-new part, after tooling is received | Six to ten weeks |
| Non-stocked part | As soon as 6 to 8 weeks, with flexible scheduling |
| Stocked catalogue part | Ships in 24 hours |
How is pricing set, and where do volume breaks fall?
Volume price breaks are offered and vary by part; contact Customer Service or Sales for break points not shown on the website. Ask for the break points that apply to your part and quantity when you request a quote.
Raw material pricing follows Symmco's supplier pricing; Symmco does not publish a surcharge index, and prices are updated monthly. A buyer comparing suppliers will therefore not find a surcharge formula on this site; the material component of a Symmco price moves with what its suppliers charge, and the price list is refreshed monthly.
Can Symmco hold inventory or release against a blanket order?
Yes. Blanket purchase orders with scheduled or Kanban releases are supported, and Symmco will carry inventory on a customer's made-to-order parts under a KanBan agreement, which lets a plant pull against stock that already exists instead of re-quoting every release.
Symmco supplies parts directly to distributors, and Applied Industrial Technologies is Symmco's main distributor, so a buyer who prefers to source through a local branch can use Applied's store finder to locate one, while Symmco also sells direct.
Can existing tooling be moved to Symmco?
Customers who already own tooling can transfer it to Symmco for quicker production, which is the quicker route when the incumbent supplier can no longer deliver.
Customers have transferred their tooling to Symmco, or launched new products there, for a range of reasons, and in each case they get direct quality and technical support through development, with Symmco working toward the best ship date possible. The Tool Transfer page covers how a transfer is handled and what to send with it.
Does Symmco have capacity for a new program?
Symmco has more than enough open capacity for new product opportunities. Bushings are always being manufactured, and Symmco will not turn down orders because of capacity constraints, so a program that has outgrown its current supplier, or lost it, will not be turned away for want of press time.
That work is spread across 39 presses at two plants, in Sykesville, Pennsylvania and Surgoinsville, Tennessee, and every part is made in the USA.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a tooling charge on a stock catalogue size?+
No. Symmco does not charge tooling costs on any standard tooling product, and there is no minimum order quantity on the stocked parts in its catalogue.
What is the minimum order for a custom part?+
There is no minimum piece count on custom parts, although non-stock products carry a $1,000 minimum manufacturing cost.
Who owns the tooling once it is paid for?+
The customer owns custom tooling. After the original set of tools is purchased, Symmco maintains all of it and replaces any broken tools at Symmco's expense.
How long does a brand-new part take?+
Tooling typically takes 3 to 5 weeks to be delivered, and manufacturing a brand-new part then takes six to ten weeks once the tooling is received.
Can tooling be amortized into the piece price?+
Yes, over a one-year term, although this is not Symmco's standard ordering process.
Can I buy Symmco parts through a distributor?+
Yes. Symmco supplies parts directly to distributors, and Applied Industrial Technologies is its main distributor.
Ready to put a part in front of Symmco?
Send a drawing or a catalogue part number and the quantity you have in mind. Bearing quotes turn around in one day, and structural quotes in under a week.