Engineering and the Manufacturing Process

Engineering and the manufacturing process have led to the invention of new and more efficient ways to create tools, parts, and other products to maximize production efficiency. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, “Manufacturing engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on improving the production of an item, whether that’s through making product design changes or creating more effective manufacturing processes. Job duties of manufacturing engineers can include developing solutions to production issues, performing cost-benefit analyses, or operating computer-aided design software to design and produce products and systems”.

Here at Integrated Manufacturing Solutions, we employ a full staff of highly skilled engineers to help our customers get the highest quality metal fabrication, welding, and powder coating services available. Our team can help you design new parts or products, allowing you to quickly prototype something and test it before moving to a full production run. We use the latest technology and manufacturing methods to reduce cost with services such as our nesting approach to laser cutting or our use of computer-integrated manufacturing, advanced composite materials, and flexible manufacturing systems.

Realizing cost savings through intelligent engineering

There are several different ways that engineering and the manufacturing process can save both time and money. Whether it’s optimizing a specific process, utilizing a new type of machine, or implementing new approaches to traditional manufacturing jobs, the savings realized by these activities gets passed on to our customers to ensure they’re getting precision products at a high value. At IMS we are constantly investing in new types of machinery to help us finish jobs more quickly and at a higher level of quality. One example is our 500-foot-long powder coat line that allows us to powder coat large jobs very quickly without wasting any materials.

Another unique way engineering and the manufacturing process helps time and money is through our specialized assembly and kitting process. Once you know what parts and products you need, our engineers can create a kitting plan that allows you to maximize production efficiency and minimize storage space by packaging parts that produce a single product into one package. This effectively allows you to better manage inventory by having the right number of products in each shipment while reducing overall costs by having all your parts produced in house.

Our engineers can also help during the design process. Using computer aided design (or CAD) software, they can quickly take initial designs you may have for a new product or part and optimize not only the composition and design of the piece, but also suggest best-practices in manufacturing for having a successful production run that meets the specifications of your specific job whether it comes down to durability, overall cost, production timelines or any other requirements you might have.

A trusted partner for your business

At IMS we like to think of ourselves as more of a partner to our clients rather than simply a manufacturing shop. We’re an American-owned and operated company having served the metal manufacturing needs of the greater Twin Cities for over seventeen years. Our goal is to become an extension of your business to help you manufacture and deliver the best product possible on a timeline and at a cost that meets your needs. By leveraging new emerging technologies and manufacturing methodologies our engineers can give you the competitive edge you need to win and deliver contracts.

Aside from the benefits that our engineering teams can offer, we work to minimize impacts of the pandemic and other global factors on the supply chain by offering streamlined shipping and ordering options that allow even our smallest customers the ability to take advantage of benefits often reserved for large clients. We also offer hybrid stocking options and delivery scheduling that allows our customers to plan and minimize logistics costs and headaches. As a trusted partner, we work with every one of our clients to understand their unique needs and offer the best combination of services to meet their needs.

The power of all-in-house manufacturing

Integrated Manufacturing Solutions is considered an all-in-house manufacturer, meaning that we are capable of being a single, outsourced provider for all the parts, products, and production techniques you require. We offer a wide array of services such as laser cutting, sheet metal forming and stamping, powder coating, welding, sheet metal fabrication and assembly & kitting. Having all your parts manufactured in one place allows you to save costs on things like materials purchasing, design, production, shipping and logistics.

Not only does using an all-in-house manufacturer provide benefits such as shipping and logistics, but it also allows you to have better flexibility and better alignment with your overall strategy by having a single, trusted partner that can pivot easily in the event you need to change a part or production run. At the end of the day, IMS is here to help you reduce overall risk by offering you flexibility and confidence at every step of the project.

We’re proud of our legacy here in the upper Midwest and continue to employ the best engineering technology and minds available. Whether you’re in energy, medical, agricultural, or any other type of manufacturing industry, we’re here to help you navigate the ups and downs of the manufacturing process to give you confidence in your ability to meet the needs of your customers.

At IMS, we are more than just a manufacturing company. We are a precision powder coating and sheet metal fabrication business that helps companies of all sizes improve overall costs by providing them with innovative solutions and flexibility that matches their business needs. Our skilled team of engineers provide all-in-one solutions for those needing complete Metal Fabrication services, including laser cutting, welding, assembly, and powder coating.