For manufacturers engaged in custom cold forged components or automotive fasteners, it is essential not only to understand automotive industry requirements, but also to have solid experience serving the automotive sector. Customers often ask whether you have supplied to Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers, whether you have more than 10 years of automotive industry experience, whether you have in-house tooling design and manufacturing capabilities, how you manage and control your suppliers, and what level of laboratory and inspection capability you possess.

Typical inspection and testing equipment may include: digital calipers, digital micrometers, point micrometers, thread gauges, profile projectors, perthometers, CMMs, runout comparators, hardness testers, tensile testers, microhardness testers, microscopes,  torque meters, JOHNSON gauge sets, spectrometers, optical measuring devices, socket check gauges, socket depth gauges, cutting devices, and bakelite mounting/removal equipment.

In addition, the supplier should maintain a clean, well-organized production environment operated in accordance with 5S management standards.