FAQ
Answers before you send a drawing.
Straight answers on quoting, capability, tariffs and terms. Where the honest answer is "not yet" or "we are the wrong shop," that is what you will read below.
Before you quote
What is your minimum order quantity?
Between 5,000 and 30,000 pieces, depending on the process — die casting starts lower, sand casting runs higher. Below roughly 2,000 pieces we are not competitive and will tell you rather than quote badly.
How fast do you turn around a quote?
Within 48 hours — two business days — once we have a complete drawing package. STEP files and dimensioned PDFs move fastest; an incomplete drawing takes longer because we have to ask questions first.
What should I send for the fastest, most accurate quote?
A STEP file plus a dimensioned PDF is the fastest combination. Add your annual volume, material and finish, and any inspection or acceptance criteria, and we can usually quote without a back-and-forth.
Will you sign an NDA before reviewing my drawing?
Yes. Tell us you need one when you submit the RFQ or email us directly, and we will sign before we open the file.
Capability and quality
What tolerances do you hold?
±0.0005 in. (0.013 mm) is routine on turned features. On machined bores in castings we hold ±0.001 in. (0.025 mm), with GD&T concentricity to Ø0.003 in, and a surface finish to 125 RMS.
What materials do you run?
ADC12 aluminum and Zamak 3 zinc for die casting; brass and bronze for sand casting; steel grades 52100, C1117 and 12L14; aluminum 2011-T3 and 6061-T6; ASTM A513 DOM steel tube; and silicon bronze.
What finishes do you offer?
Electroplating, anodizing, gold plating, zinc plating, RoHS-compliant blue trivalent chromate, powder coating with pad printing, heat treatment, and oil-dip rust protection. We also cut ANPT and NPT threads to ANSI/ASME B1.20.1, and knurl.
Do you hold ISO 9001?
Not yet — certification is in progress, not held. What we can send today: a business registration certificate, an equipment and capacity list on request, first-article inspection reports, material certification on request, and salt-spray results. If a signed ISO 9001 certificate is a gate for your approved-vendor list, tell us before you send a drawing, not after samples ship.
What quality documents can you send today?
A business registration certificate, an equipment and capacity list on request, first-article inspection reports, material certification on request, salt-spray results at 96 hours, and RoHS declarations.
What work will you turn down?
Simultaneous five-axis work, single-micron tolerances, programs under roughly 2,000 pieces, and any program that requires a signed ISO 9001 certificate today. We would rather say no upfront than quote badly.
What is the difference between in-house and managed partner processes?
In-house means our own machines, our own people and our own scrap: CNC turning, CNC milling, die casting, sand casting, stamping, and surface finishing. Managed means we hold the drawing, the purchase order and the inspection with an audited Vietnamese partner, for aluminum extrusion, injection molding, sheet metal and laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and rotational molding.
Tariffs, origin and shipping
How does the Vietnam tariff compare to China's, as of September 2026?
As of September 2026, Vietnam's Section 301 rate is 12.5%. China's aggregate Section 301 rate is 37.5%. That gap is real, but it is Section 301 only — Section 232 metals duties and your specific HTS code still decide the actual landed cost.
Does Section 232 apply to parts made in Vietnam too?
Yes. Section 232 metals duties apply regardless of country of origin, so a Vietnam-made part is not automatically exempt. Landed cost has to be worked out per part against its own HTS code, not assumed from the country alone.
Can you prove the parts are Vietnamese origin?
Yes, and we treat it as an engineering question, not a paperwork one. We keep a material traceability file per part number covering the process routing, the material source and the value added here, plus a Certificate of Origin Form B issued through Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade. For your highest-exposure parts we will file for a binding ruling from US Customs.
What is the transshipment penalty, and what is the actual test?
The penalty is 40%, with no mitigation, if a part fails to qualify as Vietnamese origin. The legal test is substantial transformation under 19 CFR 134.1(b) — the part has to genuinely change character here, not just pass through on its way to the US.
FOB or DDP — which should I choose, and who handles customs?
Your choice. We quote FOB Ho Chi Minh City if you want to run your own import, or DDP to your dock if you would rather we handle customs and delivery end to end.
Commercial
How much does tooling cost, and who owns it?
Tooling runs US$950 to US$12,800, depending on the part and process. It is paid 50% up front and 50% on sample approval, and we maintain it for the life of the part.
How do you price, and how do we pay?
Quoted FOB Ho Chi Minh City, or DDP to your dock if you would rather not handle import. Tooling is 50% to start and 50% on sample approval. The first production order runs on deposit; once a part is qualified we move to open terms.
What happens if a lot fails inspection, or I need to change the design?
Tell us as soon as you find it — the right response depends on the part and the failure, so we will confirm the specifics on your quote and order. A design change moves a part back through first-article inspection before it runs in production again, so it stays qualified against the new print.
How is my part packaged and shipped?
Parts are individually bagged and packed in cartons under 30 lb. We quote FOB Ho Chi Minh City or DDP to your dock — see the FOB-or-DDP question above for how to choose.
Still deciding? Send a drawing and see the real numbers.
STEP or PDF, one part or a whole family. A unit price at your volume, the tooling cost, and a short DFM note — within two business days.