New Product Introduction: From Drawing to Production Stamping in Six Stages

What this page covers: the six stages a custom metal part goes through at VOLCRIX, from the drawing you send to the production lot you receive. Each stage names what we deliver, what we need from you, and what goes wrong if it is skipped. If you already have a drawing and a volume, send them and we will start at stage 2.

Start With a Drawing and a Volume

DFM review within 48h · Tooling quote in 24h · First article in 15-25 days

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The Six Stages

Stage	We Deliver	We Need From You	Typical Time
1. RFQ intake	Feasibility answer, process route	Drawing, volume, application	24-48h
2. DFM review	Marked-up drawing, risk list, design changes	Confirmation of function and fit	2-3 days
3. Tooling quote	Die cost, part price, lead time, terms	Target price, PO	24h
4. Die build & tryout	Die, trial parts, dimensional report	Feedback on trial parts	8-15 days
5. First article	FAIR report, CMM data, PPAP package if needed	Approval signature	2-3 days
6. Production	Lots to sampling plan, retained FA record	Forecast, releases	Per schedule

Stage 1: RFQ Intake

An RFQ without a volume is not an RFQ. The same part costs very differently at 500 pieces per year and 500,000 – the first wants a single-operation tool or even laser cutting, the second wants a progressive die. We will ask for volume before quoting because the answer changes the process.

Send: 2D drawing (PDF) or 3D model (STEP/IGES), annual or monthly volume, and what the part does. The application matters more than buyers expect – a bracket that holds a cosmetic panel and a bracket that carries a 40 kg load look identical on a drawing.

Stage 2: DFM Review

This is the stage that decides whether the project is profitable for both sides. We review the drawing against what the process can actually hold, and we list the changes we recommend.

Bend radius vs material thickness – below 1x thickness, cracking risk rises sharply in high-strength steel
Hole-to-edge distance – under 1.5x thickness, the hole distorts during blanking
Tolerance stack – a ±0.05 mm on three stacked features is not the same as ±0.05 mm on one
Material choice – 2,200 MPa hot-formed steel cannot be cold formed; if the design needs it, that is a different plant
Should this be stamped at all – sometimes laser cutting or a bent weldment is cheaper at your volume, and we will say so

The honest version: a DFM review that finds nothing wrong is usually a review that did not happen. If we return your drawing unmarked, ask us specifically about bend radii, hole position tolerance and the surface finish callout – those are where most late-stage cost appears.

Stage 3: Tooling Quote

We quote tooling and part price separately, and we state who owns the die and who pays for maintenance. That last point matters more than the price: a supplier who amortises tooling into the piece price has effectively locked you in, because switching means paying for the die twice.

A progressive die quote typically includes: die design, die build, tryout, first article inspection, and a defined number of free engineering changes during tryout. What it usually does not include: changes after first article approval, which are quoted as a die modification.

Stage 4: Die Build and Tryout

Die build is where the schedule either holds or slips. We build tooling in-house, which means a tryout problem is solved by the same team that designed the die – not by a supplier we have to chase.

Tryout produces trial parts. You should expect to receive them with a dimensional report, not just photos. The report tells you which features are in tolerance, which are marginal, and which the die needs adjusting for.

Stage 5: First Article Inspection

The first article record is the reference document for the life of the part. Everything after it is measured against it, so what it contains decides how disputes get resolved later.

We issue: dimensional report against every drawing dimension (not just the critical ones), CMM data where GD&T applies, material certification per heat lot, and surface finish or coating report if specified. For automotive customers, the full PPAP package with PSW.

Stage 6: Production

Production runs to a sampling plan agreed at first article, not to a verbal standard. We retain the first article record and the die maintenance log, so a dimensional drift six months later can be traced to a die adjustment rather than guessed at.

Any design change after approval goes through a documented change request with a new first article. This is the discipline that keeps a part number meaningful across years of supply.

What We Need From You, and What We Do Not Do

We Handle	We Do Not Handle
Progressive die design and build in-house	Hot stamping of 2,200 MPa steel
Stamping 5-200 tons, 40 presses	Die casting or casting of any kind
Swiss turning, 60+ machines	Welded fabrications and weldments
3/4/5-axis CNC milling	Surface treatment under our own roof (qualified partners)
Zeiss CMM, spectrometer per heat lot	Plastic injection over 20 presses – we do have 20, but not for every resin
PPAP, FAIR, 8D	Design ownership – the drawing stays yours

About VOLCRIX

VOLCRIX has made precision metal components in Yueqing, Wenzhou since 1991 — 35 years. 40 stamping presses 5-200 tons, 60+ Swiss machines, 20 injection molding presses, 3/4/5-axis CNC.

ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949. Spectrometer per heat lot, Zeiss CMM. 500+ customers in 40+ countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to send to start an NPI project?

Three things: a drawing (2D PDF or 3D STEP/IGES), an annual or monthly volume, and the application the part goes into. Optional but useful: material spec, surface finish, existing tooling status, target price, and any standards the part must meet. Without volume we cannot recommend a process.

How long from drawing to first article?

15 to 25 working days for a progressive die project: 2-3 days DFM review, 1-2 days tooling quote, 8-15 days die build and tryout, 2-3 days first article inspection. Simple blanking tools are faster. Complex multi-station forming dies take longer and we say so at DFM stage, not after the PO.

What is a DFM review and is it free?

Design for Manufacturability review: we check whether the part can be made at your volume, at a cost that makes sense, and flag what will cause production problems. It covers bend radii against material thickness, hole-to-edge distance, tolerance stack and material choice. The first review is free.

Do you charge for tooling separately?

Yes. Tooling is a one-time cost, part price is separate. That lets you compare suppliers on the same basis. We state tooling ownership and maintenance responsibility in the quote – some suppliers amortise tooling into the piece price, which makes switching later expensive.

What happens after first article approval?

Production starts with a defined sampling plan, and we retain the first article record as the reference for all future lots. For automotive or medical parts we prepare a PPAP-style package. Any design change goes through a documented change request, not an informal email.