OEM and ODM are different jobs
OEM means you already have the specification and we manufacture to it. The engineering work is ours only in the sense that we have to prove we can reproduce your geometry within tolerance, batch after batch.
ODM means the geometry is not fully defined yet and we develop it with you. That is a longer conversation, and it needs a clear statement of the operation and the material before any drawing is worth making.
| Model | You provide | We provide | Typical lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| OEM | Full drawing and specification | Manufacture, inspect, brand, pack | 15-20 working days |
| OEM from sample | A physical tool to copy | Reverse engineering, drawing approval, manufacture | 20-25 working days |
| ODM | Operation, material, machine constraints | Geometry development, samples, then production | 25-40 working days including trials |
| Private label catalogue | Brand artwork and packaging design | Existing catalogue geometries under your brand | 15-20 working days |
What protects you in an OEM arrangement
Three things matter to a brand owner: the geometry stays yours, the quality does not drift between batches, and we do not appear in front of your customers.
We address those with a signed NDA before any drawing is exchanged, a frozen drawing revision recorded against every batch with the grinding set-up held for the programme, and an agreement that we do not market your geometry under our own name or approach your customers.
Geometry development for ODM programmes
A new geometry is developed against the operation rather than in isolation. We need the workpiece material and its condition, the machine and its rigidity, the coolant condition, the target parameters, and the failure mode you are trying to solve.
The output is a drawing for approval and a small trial batch. Parameters are confirmed in cutting trials, and only then is the geometry frozen for production. Development without a trial batch is a guess, and guesses are expensive at the grinding stage.
What we need to quote an OEM programme
Send as much of the following as you have. For an ODM enquiry, the first four items are enough to start a conversation.
- The drawing, or the sample tool if no drawing exists
- The operation and the workpiece material, including hardness or condition
- The machine interface and the coolant condition
- Annual quantity and the expected batch pattern
- Branding requirements: marking position, packaging and labelling
- The quality documentation scope you need per batch
Frequently asked questions
Will you approach our customers directly?
No. OEM and ODM customers are contractually protected, and we do not market a customer's geometry under our own name or contact their customers. Confidentiality terms are signed before any drawing is exchanged, as a standard step rather than something to negotiate.
What is the minimum order for an OEM programme?
Fifty pieces per geometry for a new programme, because the grinding set-up has to be amortised and held for repeat batches. Catalogue geometries under your own branding can start lower, since no new tooling is required.
Can you develop a new geometry for our application?
Yes, this is the ODM model. Send the operation, the workpiece material, the machine constraints and the failure mode you are trying to solve, and we will propose a geometry, produce a trial batch and confirm parameters before the geometry is frozen.
Can you copy a tool we no longer have a drawing for?
Yes. Send the sample and we will measure it, produce a drawing for your approval and manufacture to the approved revision. Where the original is worn we will agree which dimensions should be restored to nominal and which should follow the worn condition.
How is quality kept consistent across repeated batches?
The drawing revision is frozen and recorded, the grinding set-up is held for the programme, and the inspection plan is fixed at drawing approval. A repeat batch therefore runs against the same revision and the same set-up as the batch you validated.