Our Process: Working with St. Marys Carbon

The First Impression

When you reach out to us here at St. Marys Carbon, you can expect a warm welcome and a dedicated team ready to assist you every step of the way. Our process begins with understanding your needs and requirements for the project at hand.

Whether you're a new or returning customer, our priority is to gather all the pertinent information to ensure we deliver the best possible solution tailored to your specific needs. This involves gathering prints/drawings, technical and quality specifications, along with details about the application or end-use of the part.

We understand that every project is unique, which is why we take the time to listen to your specific requirements and preferences. If you have any material specifications or special requests, we encourage you to share them with us during this initial consultation phase.

Our goal during this first impression is to establish a clear understanding of your project goals and objectives, allowing us to provide you with accurate recommendations and solutions that meet or exceed your expectations.

Rest assured, when you choose to work with St. Marys Carbon, you're not just getting a product – you're getting a partner committed to your success.

Offering a Fair Quote

We believe in transparency and fairness when it comes to providing quotes for our customers. Here’s our process for determining a fair quote for a project:

1. Internal Meetings: Our process begins with an internal meeting involving key teams, including product development, engineering, quality, and production.

During these collaborative sessions, we leverage our collective expertise to determine the ideal grade of carbon graphite for your specific application. Whether it's an existing grade from our extensive portfolio or a customized solution we need to develop, we carefully consider all factors to ensure optimal performance and durability.

2. Developing Our Plan: In addition to selecting the right material, we discuss the most efficient manufacturing methods to produce your part. This includes evaluating factors such as machining techniques, tolerances, and surface finishes to meet your exact specifications.

3. Determining the Cost: Once we've determined the best approach, our team calculates a fair and competitive price for the project. We consider the complexity of the part, the materials involved, and the required manufacturing processes to provide you with a quote that accurately reflects the value you'll receive.

After finalizing the quote, it is promptly entered into our system and sent to you for review. We understand the importance of efficiency and responsiveness, which is why we strive to deliver quotes in a timely manner, allowing you to make informed decisions about your project.

Fine-Tuning the Quote

Although we work hard to deliver a great initial quote, we understand that the path to perfection often involves a series of refinements. That's why we take the time to fine-tune and finalize every quote to ensure it aligns seamlessly with your vision.

Here's how we navigate this crucial stage of the process:

1. Open Communication: As soon as we send out the initial quote, we encourage open communicatiimpreon with our customers. We're here to address any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have regarding the proposed solution.

2. Clarification of Recommendations: If there are any aspects of our recommendations that require further explanation or clarification, we're more than happy to provide additional information. Whether it's understanding the properties of a specific carbon graphite grade or the rationale behind our chosen manufacturing methods, we aim to keep you fully informed every step of the way.

3. Flexibility in Adjustments: We understand that requirements may evolve as discussions progress. That's why we remain flexible and adaptable, ready to make adjustments to the quote as needed. Whether it's revising material specifications, refining manufacturing processes, or updating cost estimates, we're committed to finding the optimal solution for your needs.

4. Transparent Cost Discussions: Cost is a critical factor in any project, and we're committed to ensuring transparency throughout the quoting process. If there are cost-related discussions or negotiations, we approach them with honesty, integrity, and a focus on reaching a fair and mutually beneficial agreement.

5. Iterative Updates: Throughout the fine-tuning process, we provide iterative updates to the quote to reflect any changes or adjustments. Our goal is to keep you informed of any modifications and ensure that the final quote accurately reflects the agreed-upon terms.

6. Finalization and Agreement: Once both parties are satisfied with the proposed solution and all details have been ironed out, we move forward to finalize the quote. This involves formalizing the agreed-upon terms and confirming the pricing and delivery schedule.

By prioritizing open communication, flexibility, and transparency, we ensure that the fine-tuning process is a collaborative and productive experience for our customers. At St. Marys Carbon, our goal is not just to meet your expectations but to exceed them at every stage of the journey.

The Order Is Placed

Once all the details are ironed out and the quote is finalized, the next step is straightforward: the purchase order is placed. At St. Marys Carbon, we understand the importance of efficiency and accuracy, which is why we promptly enter the order into our system and begin preparing for production. This ensures that the process moves forward seamlessly, and we can begin working on bringing your project to life without delay.

Production Scheduling

At St. Marys Carbon, we take pride in our meticulous approach to production scheduling. Once an order is placed, we swing into action, ensuring that we have all the necessary raw materials, tooling, and components in-house to begin the manufacturing process.

Our experienced team carefully schedules each part throughout our plant, from the initial stages at the green end until it gets to shipping. This systematic approach guarantees that every step of the production process is meticulously planned and executed, allowing us to deliver high-quality products efficiently and on time.

Manufacturing

Our manufacturing process is tailored to meet the unique needs of each customer, whether they can leverage an existing carbon graphite grade or require us to design a new grade.

For customers who need a new grade of carbon graphite, our process begins with meticulous material selection. We carefully evaluate the properties and characteristics required for the application and handpick the finest graphite materials to meet those specifications. Once the materials are selected, we move on to the mixing and blending stage, where they are combined in precise proportions to create the desired composition.

From there, we proceed to molding, shaping the graphite mixture into the desired form. After molding, the parts undergo a series of baking and graphitization processes to strengthen their structure and enhance their properties. Finally, the parts are machined and finished to the customer's exact specifications, ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality and performance.

For customers who have an existing grade of carbon graphite in mind, our process is streamlined. As long as we have the required material in stock, we can skip the material selection and mixing stages and move directly to machining and finishing. This allows us to expedite the production process and deliver the finished parts to the customer in a timely manner, without compromising on quality or precision.

Delivery

We understand the importance of timely delivery. That's why we prioritize efficiency and precision in every step of our production process to ensure that finished products are delivered on time, every time.

Our standard lead times are carefully calculated based on the complexity of the project, the availability of materials, and our production schedule. We strive to provide accurate lead time estimates to our customers from the moment they place their orders, giving them peace of mind knowing when to expect delivery.

However, we also recognize that urgent situations may arise where rush orders are necessary. In such cases, we have developed specific processes to expedite production and ensure the fastest possible turnaround time. Our team is well-equipped to handle rush orders with professionalism and efficiency, without compromising on the quality of the final product.

Whether it's a standard order with a predictable lead time or a rush order requiring expedited processing, our commitment to delivering exceptional products remains unwavering. At St. Marys Carbon, we take pride in our ability to meet and exceed our customers' expectations, delivering quality carbon graphite solutions when they need them most.