The manufacturing process is very complex and contrary to what most people see; neat production flows that are partly done by robots, quality control, and precise end results, in reality, there is much more complexity behind it, especially when it comes to the logistics chain.
In the manufacturing process of the steel industry for example, the supply of prefabricated steel raw materials (which includes custom steel plates) is often very complicated, and in most real cases, it is more challenging than the production process of finished goods. There are many cases where the raw material supply logistics chain cannot be carried out except by established raw material supply companies. For example, recently a well-known manufacturer of industrial machine elements hired our service, California Steel Services, to supply custom steel plates with strict standards for the laser cutting process.
Why our case is noteworthy
The client had laser and plasma cutting equipment of a certain standard and to ensure the expected production process and output, he needed quality steel raw materials that matched the specifications of the laser and plasma cutting equipment. It’s basically that simple. It may seem “trivial” but the slightest discrepancy can mess up the whole process. The durability of the steel plate and the flatness of its surface are critical for a smooth cutting process and minimization of downtime due to machining errors.
So it is not just about supplying steel plates of a certain size but about the overall specifications of the plates including their metallurgy, flatness, and timely delivery for their integration into the client’s manufacturing process. The process of supplying steel raw materials ready for a specific manufacturing process requires a supplier that is truly reliable and has a very good reputation. The slightest negative review will affect the confidence of customers and potential customers because the supply of steel plates for sophisticated manufacturing work has great financial value. In this case, California Steel Services was entrusted with the supply of steel plates for laser and plasma cutting processes that require repeatedly pre-processed steel plates.
Background to our project
Some time ago, our client’s Procurement Department came up with a simple yet complex request: they needed ASTM A-36 steel plates with tight tolerances for flatness that could be delivered on time. In this case, the client did not have a warehouse for the storage of production-ready steel plates and instead of building one, they entrusted California Steel Services to supply ASTM A-36 steel plates whenever they were needed.
The challenges we faced and the solutions
We encountered some demanding challenges and we have also found solutions for them. We outline these points below:
– Time constraints
Time constraints are always an issue and in our case, the delivery had to be absolutely on time, not later but not sooner than it needed to be. Our client needed the ¼” ASTM A-36 steel plates on time, otherwise we would disrupt their production flow. The solution was to create a new, more coordinated delivery schedule and ensure our internal steel inventory was always in a safe condition. We implemented earlier operating hours for the trucks in case they needed a new shipment unexpectedly.
– Material selection and difficulty of workmanship
Every job has its own level of difficulty and in our case, the ASTM A-36 steel plates requested had to be pre-cut to pre-production size and the surface had to be completely flat without any curvature or irregularity to ensure smooth laser machining. The solution was to use our state-of-the-art flattening line on the undelivered steel plates to meet the flatness tolerances that the client had set. Our steel plate leveling machine has been equipped with an advanced tension roller to guarantee no curvature or irregularity on the surface of the steel plate.
– Strict tolerance specifications
Our clients do not tolerate the slightest deviation from the set specifications so our solution is to deploy our quality control team to carefully inspect each steel sheet with micrometers and other measuring instruments. We ensure each steel sheet is completely flat and ready to undergo laser and plasma cutting by the client. To further reassure clients, we include ASTM A-36 steel mill certification for each batch, giving them full traceability to the origin and quality of our steel plates.
– Shipping logistics
As our client did not have an overhead crane, we had to deliver the steel plates in small batches that could be handled by most forklifts. This was a challenge because of the adjustments we had to make to the capacity of their transport equipment. The solution we came up with was to pack the steel plates in customized bundles according to the carrying capacity of their forklifts, which meant limiting the skid size to less than 5000 lbs. We also further coordinated with the client on how the unloading procedure should be done to prevent material damage.
Some real challenges as a supplier to the steel manufacturing industry
For us, California Steel Services, the real challenges lie in how we ensure each steel plate is produced according to the client’s specifications and how we ensure they are delivered on time and can be unloaded by their forklifts.
Our resolution and future outlook
So far this project has been declared a success by the client and will continue. This experience allowed us to find new solutions for the delivery of steel plate supplies in a very demanding production cycle. Only in close cooperation with the client’s production management could we ensure that all our resources and theirs were utilized to the maximum extent possible in harmony. Ultimately we managed to prove our reputation as a reliable steel material supplier for as many situations as possible including when it comes to the real need for custom steel plate production processes, such as laser and plasma cutting. Our case also proves that behind the production process, everyone can see a complex series of raw material supply logistics.