Delays, inconsistent product performance, and the inability to meet production specifications can be more than enough to make one seek out a new tube fitting supplier. However, evaluating other suppliers on the market and making a seamless transition can be tricky. In this quick guide, we’ll provide recommendations as to how to assess tube fitting suppliers based on their safety assurance, resource availability, product performance, and overall reliability. Selecting a supplier that you trust is essential to keeping your instrumentation system running smoothly.
Assess Safety and Resource Availability
We believe safety should be the top priority when looking for a new supplier. Safety concerns can include material quality and ample resources to help with the correct installation of tube fittings.
When it comes to understanding the installation services and resources that a fittings supplier offers, search for the following:
- Installation instructions that are tailored to each type of tube fitting and take the product’s material, type, and size into consideration. These instructions should also be clear and easy to follow, to avoid leaks or malfunctions from improper installation.
- A supplier that offers guidance on the installation process from start to finish. Improper installation is one of the most significant contributors to early system failure and leaks.
- Installation courses that provide additional hands-on training and in-depth explanations when you need them.
Adherence to safety and availability of installation resources should not be the only points to consider. It is just as important to ensure that a potential supplier offers fittings that are exacting to every one of your design specifications and material needs. Ideally, a supplier must meet high production standards, such as benchmarking quality to six sigma measurements, maintaining a low Defects Per Million Opportunities (DPMO) count across aggregate and individual product lines, and having excellent safety protocols in their facility.
Before making your final selection, another factor to consider is the supplier’s interchange and intermix policy. You need to have clear insight into your new supplier’s sourcing for different fittings and parts.
Do the Fittings Actually Work?
Performance is another important factor for determining whether a supplier is a good or bad fit. Look for suppliers that offer these indications of high-quality production:
- Factory in-house testing in a dedicated lab to find and remove poor-quality products or designs.
- In-depth technical reports that provide details of the products’ performance during tests such as endurance tests, hydraulic impulse pressure tests, pressure tests, and vibration stress tests.
- Internal resolution processes, such as tracking RMA response times, standardized root cause and corrective action reports to regularly improve production quality, and high standards for resolving internal manufacturing errors.
- Additional third-party testing services.
High-quality companies will also have testimonials and references that support their track record. With these collective measures in place, you can ultimately reduce the risks of potential failure during quality checks and operations themselves.
Evaluate Reliability
Next, it is important to evaluate whether a supplier offers swift and dependable delivery and can help address your questions and concerns in a timely manner. Suppliers that can regularly meet their delivery commitments and have published lead times are a better fit for businesses that need consistency and transparency. We recommend looking for a supplier with an excellent reputation and commitment to clear delivery dates.
Make the Switch to SSP
Reliability, product quality, and safety are three of the most important factors to look for when choosing a new tube fittings supplier. At SSP, we work hard to provide consistently high-quality service with excellent responsiveness and safe, reliable products, so our clients never have to worry about delays, poor-quality products, or not knowing what to do next.
Personalization is one of our key priorities, so you always have access to the services and parts you need to ensure the success of your instrumentation system. Our SSP authorized distributors offer troubleshooting services, installer training, easy access to technical experts, and more. To learn more about our services, contact us today.
