Whether you’re creating a custom piece of machinery for your business or looking for a local organization to handle your manufacturing needs, you’ll need to find an experienced machine shop to handle the task. Finding a suitable facility with the right skills can be tough, especially if you’ve never had custom metal work done. The team at Alaska Tool Company in Fairbanks, AK, wants to help. Below, they recommend a few things to look for when picking a quality shop.

3 Must-Have Qualities for Top Machine Shops

1. Experience

Custom metal work requires precision and know-how that only comes from years of experience. When visiting the shop, ask about the team’s work history and how long they’ve helped businesses like yours. A quality industrial machine shop will be able to offer examples of their work as well as provide you with local references. Alaska Tool Company has been in business for over 40 years, helping individuals in Fairbanks with all their industrial machining needs. Their welding expert can create just about any part, no matter how large or small.

2. Capabilities

When visiting a shop, make sure you ask about the shop’s capabilities. The last thing you want to do is start working with a machinist who cannot handle the size or scope of your order, forcing you to find an additional shop to pick up the slack. It’s far more efficient to find a single company than it is to contract with multiple shops of varying degrees of quality. At Alaska Tool Company, they’ll provide you with all the information you need, from estimated cost to turnaround times. If, for some reason, their shop cannot handle your order, they’ll let you know before work ever begins.

3. Quality Control Procedures

Custom metal fabrication is only as good as the work itself. Before agreeing to work with a shop, make sure they have the right quality control procedures in place to consistently produce and fabricate the parts you need. Alaska Tool Company is happy to explain their quality control methods, so you’ll have peace of mind throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Whether you need custom metal fabrication for your building or are looking for a machine shop to help you repair an older piece of equipment, let Alaska Tool Company help. Their experienced steel fabrication expert can build and repair just about any tool, getting you up and running quickly. Call their shop today at (907) 479-5354 and set up a consultation.