Value Added Services
Design Services
Suhm routinely provides expert design services for your spring requirements. We can design virtually any type of spring for your particular application. Our design program and parameters have evolved to address the intricacies of difficult applications. In many cases there are subtle conditions that could lead to performance problems with the springs; Suhm technical sales personnel are highly experienced in designing springs, reviewing spring designs and making recommendations for optimizing the performance and cost of the spring.
Our design program is made available to customers via this website. The following types of spring can be designed using the web spring design program: compression springs (round, square and rectangular wire or bar), torsion springs (round, square and rectangular wire or bar), flat springs (bow or cantilever), retaining rings (round or rectangular), and spring (wave, belleville) washers. Once a design is completed, you can submit the design to Suhm for a quotation.
Supply Programs
Businesses today are faced with ever increasing cost and delivery pressures. Suhm works closely with customers to design and implement programs which can substantially reduce the number of transactions involved with springs and the customer's investment in spring inventory. With an annual forecast as the basis of a supply program, Suhm can either retain inventory at its location to achieve very short lead times, or can consign inventory at the customer's location. Suhm can initiate inventory replenishment actions, or rely on the customer.
Types of programs available to our customers:
Consignment
Advantages
-Parts are ready for assembly the day they are needed, even if the date changes.
-Customer pays for the parts when they are used, and not until that time.
-Customer has easy access to the parts, as they are stocked at their facility.
-Customer is in control of stock maintenance.
-Billing and Accounting is simplified with one statement per billing cycle.
-Part pricing is better because Suhm can manufacture larger runs.
-Minimal freight costs associated with this plan.
-Standard unit cost based on yearly usage.
-Predetermined reorder points ensures reserve stock inventory.
Disadvantages
-Customer is in control of stock maintenance.
-Personnel training is possibly required.
-Storage room is necessary for the parts to be stocked.
-Computer management systems should be implemented to simplify the process.
Yearly Supply Agreement
Advantages
-Customer gets parts when they are required; within a few days generally.
-Pricing is better than placing individual purchase orders.
-Unit cost based on standard reorder quantities and yearly usage.
Disadvantages
-There can be delays on part orders under some circumstances.
-Customer must plan ahead and provide scheduling to Suhm for the agreement to work correctly.
-Parts not used, but agreed upon, must be paid for at year's end, if they have been manufactured.
-May require adjustments of current planning/purchasing systems (or a need to change completely).
Blanket Purchase Orders
Advantages
-Simple adjustment from a system of placing POs for parts required.
-Better pricing than placing individual orders for parts as they are required.
-Parts are received, as they are needed, to fill planned orders or to replenish stock.
-Standard unit cost based on PO quantity and shipment sizes.
Disadvantages
-Complemented planning is required to maintain the accuracy of supply on an as needed basis.
-There will be a delay in delivery on parts upon initiation of the Blanket Order.
-Customer must communicate to Suhm when parts are needed, in a timely manner.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
Electronic Data Interchange is a means of communicating purchase orders to Suhm electronically. Suhm has accepted purchase orders via EDI for years and finds it a reliable communications means. Many customers prefer EDI over fax because legibility is never compromised as it might be with a fax or a scanned purchase order sent by email.
