From Sample to Production on a Custom Hardware Part
The realistic timeline for a custom puller, buckle or handle, and the two steps where projects usually lose two weeks.
Bring a Part, Not a Description
A physical sample, or failing that a clear photo with a dimension on it, removes most of the back and forth. Our mould team can prepare the 3D design free of charge from either, so a missing drawing is not a reason to delay an enquiry.
Artwork Decides Whether a Logo Survives
Send vector artwork. Keep line widths above roughly 0.3 mm, because finer detail fills with plating and disappears on the production run. Where the logo has very fine detail, embossing holds up better than etching.
Tooling
A new shape needs about 7 days of tooling. Customising a catalogue style skips this step entirely and carries no mould fee, which is why it is always worth asking whether an existing style can be modified before commissioning a new one.
Sampling
Samples ship in 1 to 3 days and are free when the style is in stock, with the customer paying the courier. Approve the actual part in the actual finish. A photograph of a sample is not an approval.
Production and Lead Time
Custom pullers and sliders run 7 to 15 days after sample approval. Normal goods run 2 to 10 days, general orders 15 to 20 days, and fully customised goods 25 to 35 days.
Protect the Repeat Order
Keep one approved part from the first run. We keep the plating colour plate, and between the two references a second order can be matched to the first.
Questions About This Guide
Answers to the questions buyers ask before they order.
How Long Does a Custom Part Take in Total
Allow about 7 days for new tooling, 1 to 3 days for samples, and 7 to 15 days of production after sample approval for pullers and sliders. Fully customised goods overall are quoted at 25 to 35 days.
What File Format Should I Send for a Logo
Vector artwork such as AI, EPS, PDF or SVG. A raster photograph of a logo cannot be cut into a mould cleanly.
Send Us the Part You Are Specifying
A photograph and a webbing width are usually enough for us to say which catalogue style fits and what it costs.