Lesson 1Lead time, MOQs and flexibility: defining acceptable lead-time, ramp-up profile, minimum order quantities and batch strategiesThis part outlines expectations for lead times, minimum order quantities, and adaptability, guiding you on setting suitable lead times, ramp-up plans, batch sizes, and backup options to manage responsiveness, expenses, and stock risks effectively.
Mapping end-to-end blade supply lead timeDefining acceptable lead-time by product typeSetting MOQs and economic order quantitiesRamp-up and ramp-down volume strategiesFlexibility clauses and surge capacity plansContingency plans for supply disruptionsLesson 2Performance and safety standards: food contact regulations, electrical appliance safety, domestic appliance standards (e.g., NSF, FDA considerations)This part discusses performance and safety norms for blades in food-contact and household appliances, covering regulatory guidelines, certification processes, and integrating these into specs and supplier vetting for compliance assurance.
Food-contact regulatory frameworks overviewNSF, FDA and similar standard requirementsElectrical and domestic appliance safety basicsDefining performance tests for blade safetyDocumentation, declarations and certificationsIntegrating standards into supplier auditsLesson 3Functional requirements: blade geometry, hardness, edge retention, corrosion resistanceThis part covers functional specs for stainless-steel blades, such as shape, hardness, edge durability, and rust resistance, and how to convert them into testable standards, methods, and supplier validation protocols.
Defining blade geometry and cutting profileSpecifying hardness ranges and gradientsEdge retention tests and performance metricsCorrosion resistance tests and salt-spray useWear, fatigue and lifecycle performance needsTranslating functions into testable specsLesson 4Cost targets and total cost of ownership: unit price vs landed cost, incoterms impact, tariffs and dutiesThis part guides on establishing practical cost goals and assessing overall ownership costs, weighing unit prices against total landed costs, examining Incoterms, tariffs, duties, logistics, quality expenses, and sourcing's long-term business effects.
Building cost breakdowns for blade componentsComparing unit price versus landed costImpact of Incoterms on logistics and riskEstimating tariffs, duties and customs feesQuantifying quality, scrap and rework costsUsing TCO in supplier selection decisionsLesson 5Quality acceptance criteria and inspection plan: incoming inspection, AQL, sample testing, metallurgical checks, hardness testing methodsThis part sets out quality acceptance standards and inspection protocols for blades, including sampling approaches, AQL thresholds, incoming checks, metal analysis, hardness tests, and records to oversee supplier quality outcomes.
Defining critical, major and minor defectsSetting sampling plans and AQL levelsIncoming inspection workflows and recordsMetallurgical structure and grain checksHardness testing methods and frequencyControl plans and reaction to nonconformityLesson 6Material specifications: stainless-steel grades (e.g., 304, 420, 440, 316), heat treatment, coatings and passivationThis part specifies material details for stainless-steel blades, evaluating standard grades, heat treatments, coatings, and passivation, and their influence on hardness, rust resistance, production ease, and total lifecycle expenses.
Comparing common stainless-steel blade gradesSpecifying chemical composition tolerancesHeat treatment cycles and hardness targetsCoatings for wear and friction reductionPassivation processes and corrosion controlMaterial certificates and traceability needsLesson 7Dimensional and tolerance requirements: drawing interpretation, GD&T basics relevant to bladesThis part explains specifying size and tolerance needs for blades, emphasising drawing reading, critical measurements, GD&T notations for cutting efficiency, and ways to share and confirm them with suppliers and checkers.
Identifying critical blade dimensionsBasics of linear and angular tolerancesGD&T symbols most relevant to bladesRunout, flatness and parallelism controlsDrawing notes and revision control rulesMeasurement methods and gauge selectionLesson 8Volume, packaging and logistics requirements: monthly volumes, buffer stock, packing, palletization and labeling needsThis part covers converting demand forecasts into precise volume, packaging, and logistics specs, including monthly projections, safety stocks, packing methods, pallet rules, labelling, and docs for seamless, undamaged shipments.
Forecasting monthly and seasonal blade demandDefining buffer stock and safety stock levelsPackaging design to prevent blade damagePalletization patterns and load stability rulesLabeling, barcodes and traceability dataLogistics documentation and delivery conditions
