What factors should I consider when choosing a base plate cutting service?
- Tools and capabilities
- Work quality and track record
- Communication skills
- Project flexibility
When you require quality fabrication work, outsourcing your projects is stressful. Putting your project in another company’s hands can be a big risk, which is why choosing the right one to partner with is challenging.
But outsourcing does have its advantages — reduced costs, improved efficiency, high-quality products, and more. This is especially true with construction jobs, where specialized equipment and skills for base plates and other structural pieces are hard to find.
So how do you pick the right partner for your construction project? Here are factors for choosing a base plate cutting service to consider as you talk to potential partners.
What are Base Plates?
Base plates are a structural metal component for buildings. Their main purpose is to act as an interface between the structure and the foundation. They are usually attached at the bottom of pillars or columns, which allow them to support and disperse load-bearing areas towards the foundation. This helps in making the building more structurally secure, and less affected by vibration, fatigue, and other load stressors caused by the environment.
Base plates and their connecting components (anchor rods) are often one of the last structural pieces to be designed and fabricated, but are one of the first things used in construction. This is because they need to conform to the final building design to accurately fulfill its structural role. The importance of the correct cutting, sizing, and placement of base plates is crucial for safely erecting and accurately plumbing the building.
How are Base Plates made?
Base plates start as a piece of sheet metal (usually stainless or carbon steel grades) called a “blank.” These are then put through a hot-cutting process which forms the plate into the intended design. Cuts can be made to shape the entire plate or used to eliminate edges within the plate.
Base plates can come in numerous forms — flat base, rectangular, circular, angle bar, and other variations. They can also vary in thickness, cut portions, diameter, and more. These factors depend on the construction needs and can be altered as required
Tools and Capabilities
As there are numerous design factors to consider in fabricating base plates, finding a service provider who can accurately fulfill your orders is key.
Partnering with a metal fabricator for this job will allow you to take advantage of their machines, equipment, materials, and specialized skills. You’ll want to find one with dedicated cutting services, as they are more likely to have up-to-date technology and tools regarding base plate preparation.
Besides equipment, you should also include in your interview questions about their staff and their training. It’s important to know what experience their team has in preparing base plates. Ideally, they should have material handling capabilities, experience with all the necessary tools, and high levels of precision.
At Regan Industrial Sales, Inc., our tools and capabilities are at the forefront of the Philippine metal fabrication industry. Our cutting facilities use only the latest equipment and technology, which allows us to provide fast and accurate services. With our base plate cutting services, you’re guaranteed consistency, exceptional detailing, accuracy, superior edge finish, and a seamless output.
Work Quality and Track Record
Reputable manufacturers tend to keep extensive records of their past work and their quality management processes. During this vetting process, ask questions about their work standards, their inspection steps, and their work portfolio. This will give you valuable insights into what kind of work you can expect from them.
Base plates are crucial for the structural integrity of your construction project. You should never cut costs in this area, as it could endanger you, your team, and your clients. Your chosen metal fabricator must deliver reliable products for this job.
We highly recommend going with a metal fabricator trusted by many companies in the industry, like RISI. Years of top-notch service and dedication to quality resulted in our products — including our base plate services — being used by a wide variety of construction clients all over the Philippines.
Communication Skills
Good customer service is always a given consideration when you’re choosing a service provider. But, many fabricators will say they are dedicated to excellent customer service. So how do you discern who will actually provide this?
Pay attention to how well your potential partners communicate with you during this interview process. Do they listen to you well? Do they ask good questions about your project and its needs? Do they get their ideas and thoughts out clearly? These are indicators of good communication skills, which are critical to a good partnership.
Clear communication is critical to getting a job done efficiently and accurately. It allows you to understand and respond to issues at a moment’s notice.
At RISI, we take steps to keep our clients updated at every stage. We make it easy for you to send your ideas, update information, and inquire about your project. while responding in the soonest possible time frame.
Project Flexibility
Lastly, consider their project flexibility. Partners who have this quality will help you fulfill all your metal product needs, rather than outsourcing them to multiple places to finish the job. Working with a flexible and diverse partner ensures a streamlined and cost-efficient project flow.
Look for a fabricator who can do both routine and specialized orders for metal and structural products. If your potential partner has a wide array of offered services and products — like RISI — they should be able to make just about any metal product you need.
Key Takeaway
A quality base plate cutting service serves as a key partner to ensuring your building’s safety and success. From equipment to flexibility, the factors for choosing a base plate cutting service discussed here can help you choose the right partner for your work.
If you need a metal supplier and fabricator for your project, message Regan Industrial Sales, Inc. today! Send over the details of your project here, and we can discuss how our company can help you.
