How long does it take, and is there a minimum order?
Sample lead times are published by process: 15–30 days for a single-operation stamping die, 30–60 days for progressive and transfer dies, 7–15 days for CNC turning and tube bending, and 7–30 days for sheet metal fabrication, in natural days from confirmed drawings. In-house die design and build is the long pole in the sample lead time and sits inside the ranges above. There is no fixed MOQ: the practical minimum depends on the process and the tooling.
Sample lead times (natural days)
These are calendar days, measured from confirmed drawings:
| Process | Sample lead time | Expedited |
|---|---|---|
| Single-operation stamping die | 15–30 days | ≈ 15 days |
| Progressive and transfer die stamping | 30–60 days | ≈ 30 days |
| CNC machining (turning) | 7–15 days | ≈ 7 days |
| Sheet metal fabrication | 7–30 days | ≈ 7 days |
| Tube bending | 7–15 days | ≈ 7 days |
Rush orders can reduce the lead time by about half, subject to tooling complexity and material stock. Production lead times depend on the order quantity and are confirmed in the quotation.
Tooling
In-house design and build runs inside the published sample ranges; multi-station transfer dies sit at the upper end depending on station count and tryout iterations. Tooling repair and insert replacement are faster. Tooling cost is quoted per project, split into design, build and tryout, with tooling ownership and storage stated.
Order quantity
There is no fixed MOQ. The practical minimum follows from the process: a single-operation die makes a small first batch economic, a progressive tool only pays back at volume, and an externally applied finish can carry its own batch minimum. Send the target quantity with the drawing and the review will say which route makes sense at that number.