At Reata, we’re constantly seeking ways to evolve and expand our capabilities to serve our customers better. In 2023 and 2024, we invested strategically to bring passivation and laser engraving services in-house. These extensions to our contract manufacturing services certainly added a level of convenience—but, more significantly, they ensure quality, reduce lead times, and ultimately provide greater value for our customers.
Here’s how these additions elevate our precision machine shop and what they mean for your projects.
Why We Brought These Processes In-House
Outsourcing can sometimes limit our ability to meet our customers’ expectations for speed, quality, and flexibility. When evaluating our outsourced services, we often ask, “Is this a process we can manage better ourselves?”
Sometimes, the complexity or overhead associated with a service is outside our scope at a given time. However, when we contemplated whether or not we should bring passivation and laser engraving in-house, the answer was a resounding yes.
While we appreciated the work of our external partners, we knew we could better meet our customers’ needs by managing these processes directly. By bringing these capabilities under our roof, we’ve streamlined operations and reduced turnaround times. These changes allow us to maintain control over timing and quality,
Reata’s In-House Passivation Services
Passivation is a finishing process that removes surface contaminants from stainless steel to enhance corrosion resistance. This service is an essential step for the aerospace, medical, and semiconductor industries (among others), where durability and longevity are critical.
Why We Added Passivation
Our team recognized a growing demand for passivation services paired with long vendor lead times. By bringing this capability in-house, we’ve eliminated those delays, enabling faster turnarounds—even offering same-day shipping when possible. Additionally, avoiding outsourcing expenses translates into cost savings for our customers.
Our Passivation Process
At Reata, we primarily handle the passivation of stainless steel components, conforming to ASTM A967 standards. We utilize the citric method, which is safer for the environment and a more intuitive process for our team. To complement our passivation services, we conduct in-house copper sulfate testing to cut costs and lead times further.
This capability integrates seamlessly with our ERP system, Fulcrum. From pre- to post-processing, all test values and in-process tracking steps are digitally recorded. This ensures traceability, enhances quality control and keeps our process modular and flexible to meet specific customer requirements.
In-House Laser Engraving Services
Why We Added Laser Engraving
We added laser engraving to our in-house capabilities in March of 2024 in response to a handful of customer requests:
- Exact specifications: Many of our customers require precise visual and cosmetic features. In-house control ensures the highest quality and consistency for your parts.
- Cost efficiency: As with passivation, bringing this service in-house cuts out an added expense so we can quote parts more competitively.
- Improved shipping and delivery: As a rule of thumb in our industry, fewer touchpoints reduce the risk of damage during transit, ensuring your parts arrive in perfect condition.
The Value-Adds of In-House Laser Engraving
Reata’s engineers initially oversee new processes (such as laser engraving) to identify and resolve potential issues, create standard operating procedures, and train team members. With this SOP in place, our team is equipped to:
- Scale: Our team has planned for scalable laser engraving enclosures to handle increased capacity as demand for this service grows.
- Partner with local shops: Beyond serving our machining projects, we offer engraving as an outside service to other shops. This collaboration aligns with our interest in supporting our local manufacturing community while helping businesses meet their needs more efficiently.
Constantly Evolving, Continuously Improving
At Reata, we always look for ways to better serve our customers. Passivation and laser engraving are just two examples of how we’re investing in new capabilities to deliver faster, high-quality results. By strategically evaluating what makes sense to bring in-house, our team stays at the forefront of innovation while ensuring you get the best possible service.
If you’re curious about how our in-house services add value, discuss your next project with our team today!