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Separate the Manufacturer from the Reseller
The first question is not about price. It is whether the party quoting you controls the tooling. A supplier who owns the die and mould work can change a front panel, a bezel or an I/O cut-out. A supplier who does not will quote you a change, subcontract it, and pass on both the cost and a second set of lead times. Ask directly which operations happen in the plant and which are bought in.
Read more: OEM and ODM Case Development
Ask for the Specification in Writing
A competent chassis supplier can tell you the steel grade, the sheet thickness, the front panel material, the side panel material, the fan mount map, the three clearance figures and the carton dimensions, and will put all of it in writing. A supplier who answers those questions with adjectives rather than figures is telling you something important about how the order will go.
Check the Sample Against the Sheet
When the sample arrives, measure it. A caliper on an internal flange confirms the sheet thickness. A tape measure confirms the card and cooler clearance. Weighing the packed carton confirms the gross weight you were quoted for freight. This takes twenty minutes and it is the cheapest quality control you will ever perform.
Read more: SPCC vs SGCC Steel and Why Chassis Gauge Matters to Your Cost Sheet
Ask What Happens on the Second Order
Most problems in this trade appear on the repeat order rather than the first one. Ask how the approved sample is recorded, whether the packing specification is held, and what happens if the carton size changes. A supplier with a documented sample sheet and a locked packing record is answering a question that a supplier without one cannot.
Ask for Certificate Evidence During the Quotation
Certificates requested after the award arrive late or not at all. Ask during the quotation. Ulike Technology states ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 certification for its joint venture plants, and holds CE EMC and CE LVD certificates for the case and power supply lines; those certificate images are shown on the About page.
Read more: About Ulike Technology
Look at the Breadth of the Catalogue
A factory with one chassis model and a website is usually a trading front. A catalogue that runs from entry level office towers through micro and slim formats to tempered glass gaming shells, plus power supplies and cooling parts, reflects a production base rather than a listing.
