Plan volume before promising capacity

A forecast is not a release order

State demand by part number and drawing revision, using an explicit unit and period. A monthly requirement, an annual estimate and the number of complete assemblies are different inputs. Include the starting month, expected ramp, batch size and any seasonality.

Separate the forecast used for planning from purchase orders and agreed call-offs. The enquiry should also identify the expected duration of the programme, delivery location, required documentation and changes that would require customer approval.

Establish qualification gates

Our qualification process sets out how a drawing becomes a controlled requirement. For a recurring programme, the proposed review should cover sample approval, agreed inspection records and the conditions for releasing the first production batch.

The acceptance plan needs to identify who approves the part and which measurements support that decision. A successful sample alone does not establish repeatable output at the requested rate. Discuss production controls and evidence appropriate to the part before committing to a delivery schedule.

Ask what capacity actually means

An initial capacity statement is a starting point for discussion. Confirm which operations it covers, the relevant product geometry, tooling availability and any dependencies on outsourced finishing or material supply. Distinguish general plant output from the capacity proposed for your order.

A capacity reservation, if offered, needs written commercial terms: quantities, time window, release conditions, cancellation provisions and responsibilities when demand changes. EMTXI does not publish an audited monthly capacity figure or imply that production is reserved merely because a programme has been discussed.

Keep recurring batches identifiable

Agree the lot identification and records required with each shipment. The plan may include the drawing revision, agreed material designation, inspection results, coating specification and links to the available material records. Define the scope before ordering; documentation should not be assumed to exist retrospectively.

Changes to a producer, process, material or specification need an agreed notification and review procedure. The buyer determines when additional qualification is necessary. A backup route should be evaluated against the same requirement, including any shared upstream dependency.

Define the commercial mechanism

Use a framework agreement to distinguish fixed terms from variables that may be reviewed. If raw-material indexing is proposed, name the index or reference, currency, base date, review interval and adjustment method. Do not assume that a quoted magnet price moves one-for-one with a published Nd/Pr price.

Compare setup, tooling, inspection, freight and inventory assumptions alongside unit price. Our total landed cost guide provides a blank comparison structure. The resulting programme should make commitments and unresolved dependencies visible before either side relies on the forecast.

Programme questions