If you’re looking to get the most value out of a machine shop vendor—everything from quality and efficiency to traceability and documentation—your best bet is to select a machine shop that’s ISO-certified. Even if your industry doesn’t require it.
ISO certification is the difference between working with a shop that flies by the seat of its pants and one that has a clear set of documented procedures to satisfy the highest possible industry standards.
And if you’re thinking that this means paying more for a part, think again. Yes, it’s true that many ISO-certified manufacturers charge extra. But our Denver machine shop’s philosophy is that ISO certification shouldn’t come at any additional expense to customers.
So whether you’re in an industry like defense where material traceability is essential, or a different commercial industry where standards aren’t as strict, you’ll benefit from Focused on Machining’s integrated ISO process.
What is an ISO Certification?
An ISO certification ensures that a machine shop has developed, implemented, and maintains a quality management system conforming to a set of requirements defined by International Standards.
Focused on Machining is ISO 9001:2015 certified to provide manufactured components, which means that we:
Develop and document all processes
Provide traceability for materials and processes
Regularly self-audit and submit to external audits.
View or download our ISO certification here.
The documentation process that ISO-certified shops must follow creates standard procedures for key tasks involved in completing a manufacturing project. It makes each of the following processes easily repeatable with the goal of improving quality and efficiency:
Quoting
Ordering and receiving materials
Production
Quality assurance
Shipping
How We Run an Efficient ISO Process to Reduce Customer Costs
Although ISO requirements are strict, the reality is that implementation is often messy and time-consuming. Paper folders and handwritten information will satisfy documentation requirements, but they aren’t exactly a model of efficiency. And yet that’s how many shops are still handling ISO implementation.
The big thing that sets our ISO process apart from other Colorado machine shops—and helps us keep costs down—is that we do everything digitally.
Our ISO checklist is embedded into the software we use. Digitally automating the ISO process takes the burden off our plates so that we can focus our time and resources elsewhere. Everything is accounted for, including:
Customer orders and quoting. When you request a quote, all data uploaded is secure and encrypted. It’s stored on servers designed to host sensitive data, regulated workloads, and address the most stringent U.S. government security and compliance requirements.
Manufacturing parts. We build parts digitally and store all relevant information in one place: customer data, materials we need to order, outside processes, and anything the machinists need to know. Our digital briefs replicate information automatically in the case of repeat production.
Inspection. We upload inspection results directly into our digital system. If you have an issue with a part down the road, we can go back years to provide any documentation you may need. All documentation is broken down into two pages for ultimate convenience and simplicity.
Benefits of Choosing an ISO-Certified Manufacturer (Even If You Don’t Need Documentation)
Simply put, ISO-certified manufacturers adhere to the highest possible standards. And since our streamlined system helps us reduce costs, we can offer our customers more for their dollar than other machine shops in Colorado.
Whether you need documentation or not, you’ll enjoy these benefits when you work with Focused on Machining:
Advanced traceability. Traceability may only be essential for industries like defense and aerospace, but it’s still valuable in other commercial industries. We recently had a food and beverage customer ask about plating and material makeup for their parts. Thanks to our ISO process, we were able to easily pull up documentation and provide full traceability.
Lower risk. Since everything we do is process-driven, there’s a lot less room for error. You can trust us to get your quote right and deliver parts on time because we keep everything well-organized in our digital system.
Better customer service. Our efficient processes free us up to focus on what matters most: manufacturing high-quality parts to satisfy our customers. And if there’s ever an issue, we can troubleshoot it quickly and easily.
Next time you need a new part, Focused on Machining can provide you with exceptional results you won’t get anywhere else. Request a quote using our secure part upload form and we’ll respond within 24 hours.