• About
  • Careers
  • Services
  • Partnership
  • Process
  • ConeMount
  • Blog
Menu
  • About
  • Careers
  • Services
  • Partnership
  • Process
  • ConeMount
  • Blog
Request a Quote
  • May 6, 2022
  • Reata Engineering

Can’t Find These 3 Popular Materials? Talk to Your Contract Manufacturing Partner

It’s no secret that material shortages are impacting the contract manufacturing industry.

The pandemic exacerbated existing supply chain issues, affecting material cost and availability, and now Russia’s war on Ukraine has added a new layer of complexity. Soaring oil prices are pushing global shipping and delivery rates to historic highs, and materials exported in large amounts by Russia and Ukraine are becoming increasingly difficult to source. 

Three popular materials are particularly tough for contract machining shops to secure: stainless steel, titanium, and highly engineered plastics. 

What’s Going On with Stainless Steel, Titanium, and Highly Engineered Plastics?

1. Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a staple in precision machining shops. It’s one of the top two materials we work with—a popular choice due to its strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion. It’s used across all major industries and is critical in the manufacturing of medical components, food service products, and precision parts in aerospace, defense, and other major industries. 

Manufacturers around the globe are having a hard time sourcing stainless steel because the price of nickel—a prominent element in stainless steel—has increased exponentially this year. 

In March 2022, the London Metals Exchange temporarily halted the nickel market and suspended its trading due to an unprecedented change in pricing. Overnight, the price of nickel rose 250%, jumping from around $30K per ton to over $100K per ton before falling to about $80K per ton. 

Our team is watching the stainless steel market closely for improvements in pricing and availability. In the meantime, materials like brass and some plastics are suitable alternatives for many parts.

2. Titanium

Russia produces much of the world’s supply of titanium, which is increasingly scarce due to the current war between Russia and Ukraine. 

Manufacturers in the United States are concerned that the Department of Defense could take over the whole titanium market. Strategic buying by government and defense contractors may leave little material available for contract manufacturers working in other industries. 

We’re waiting to see how this titanium crisis unfolds and will work with you to seek comparable solutions if titanium isn’t available for your parts.

3. Highly engineered plastics

Even in “normal” times, highly engineered plastics tend to be in short supply and have long lead times. Currently, it’s taking 12+ months for contract manufacturing companies to get some highly engineered plastics for customers, even if they only need a few inches of these materials.

Plastics with black pigment resin are especially hard to source. For example, we can get Delrin easily, but black Delrin is hard to come by. 

We’re also seeing continued shortages of KEL-F (also known as PCTFE) and PVC. The makers of PVC slowed production when the pandemic began, and now companies are taking action to ramp up and bring the PVC market back. Time will tell if their efforts are successful, and until then—we wait and watch for PVC availability.

When possible, switching to a standard plastic that still meets your part’s requirements is a good alternative. Additionally, we can look for generic materials that have comparable properties and can be seamlessly substituted for name-brand materials. 

Reata Can Help You Find Part-Specific Material Alternatives

When popular materials are hard to source, there’s an instinct to make “panic purchases” and buy up the existing supply—but this reaction drives material prices even higher. We recommend talking to your manufacturer about your part design and requirements before moving forward.

There are material alternatives available—choosing the right one involves understanding your part’s requirements and selecting a material that can meet your specifications. Our team of engineers can help you find the right substitute material for your part.

As your contract manufacturing partner, we are here to help and will work through any challenges with you. Submit a quote to get started on your next project, and we’ll be in touch soon.

Recent Posts

  • Why “Approximately Correct” Is Better Than “Perfectly Wrong” in Contract Manufacturing
  • Why Your Contract Manufacturing Partner Should Handle Production AND Inspection
  • Identifying and Overcoming Bottlenecks to Maximize Manufacturing Efficiency
  • “Do Or Do Not; There Is No Try.” Wise Words from Yoda, the Mascot of Our Precision Machine Shop
  • What Should You Look for in a Manufacturing Partner? A Can-Do Attitude!
  • Better People, Better Parts: How Reata’s Talented Team Drives Our Customers’ Success
  • Engineering Expertise at Reata: Supporting Complex Designs for Superior Results
  • Efficiency, Transparency, and Accuracy: Reata’s Journey with Datanomix
  • Why Reata Added Passivation and Laser Engraving to Our In-House Capabilities
  • Reata’s Partnership with NIMS Sets the Stage for Workforce Development
  • Reata’s Approach to Data-Driven Decision-Making
  • How Our New 3D Printing Technology Increases Versatility and Customization at Our Precision Machine Shop
  • How Reata Successfully Quoted a 1,000-Piece Medical Assembly in Record Time
  • Collaboration Is Key in Contract Manufacturing
  • How Reata Standardizes Training and Streamlines Production with STS
  • Optimizing Our Outside Processing Services with In-House Masking
  • Innovative Solutions Through Partnership: Our Approach to Problem Solving
  • Great Leaders Run Great Precision Machine Shops
  • Why New Part Meetings Are a Critical Step in Our Process
  • Reata Achieves ISO 13485 Certification for Medical Device Manufacturing
  • The Door to Our Precision Machine Shop is Always Open
  • How to Approach Tight Tolerances in Complex CNC Machining
  • How Our Cutting-Edge Proactive Maintenance Program Benefits Customers
  • Machining vs. Extruding Heat Sinks: Which Option Is Better?
  • How Our Turnkey Assembly Services Benefit Customers
  • DFM Tip: Why You Should Model to the Mean, Not the Nominal
  • Our Software Increases Visibility for Contract Manufacturing Customers
  • Why We Use Pre-Processed Parts for Complex CNC Machining Jobs
  • Reduce Contract Manufacturing Costs with Extrusion
  • The Future of Contract Manufacturing Requires Your Participation
  • How 5-Axis Machining Accelerates the Prototyping Process
  • 5 Ways Reata’s Kanban Approach to Assembly Benefits Customers
  • Use DFM Principles for Superior Prototype Machining Services
  • DFM 101: 3 Reasons Reata Is a Superior DFM Partner
  • DFM 101: Getting Started with Design For Manufacturability
  • The Importance of a Complete PO in Precision Machining
  • How Reata’s Software Investments Benefit Contract Manufacturing Customers
  • How to Use Datums to Get the Part You Want
  • Celebrating Our 30th Anniversary with a Look Back at How We Got Here
  • How We’re Using AI to Improve Our Manufacturing Processes
  • Why Low-Volume, High-Mix Shops Make Great Manufacturing Partners
  • A One-Stop Shop for Complex Assembly Projects
  • How Industry 4.0 Is Transforming Our Contract Manufacturing Shop
  • How Our New Scanning CMM Improves Inspection Capabilities
  • 5 Reasons Contract Manufacturing Customers Love Reata’s Quotes
  • Reata’s Customer Service Standards as Your Contract Manufacturing Partner
  • Decoding Machinist Speak: Surface Finish vs. Finishing in Contract Machining
  • Complex CNC Machining Is Our Specialty
  • 5 Reasons to Grow Your Contract Manufacturing Career at Reata Engineering
  • What to Know About Electroless Nickel Plating Services
  • How Measuring Our Performance against Manufacturing Industry Benchmarks Keeps Us Competitive
  • How 3D Printing Technology Improves Our Contract Manufacturing Services
  • Choosing the Right Aluminum Plating Method
  • What 5-Axis Machining Capabilities Tell You about a Machine Shop
  • Decoding Machinist Speak: Measurement Conventions
  • 6 Benefits of Electropolishing for Stainless Steel Parts
  • 4 Ways Reata’s Automation Solutions Benefit Customers
  • Why True Position Is a Precision Machine Shop’s Best Friend
  • Considerations for Plating Precision Machined Parts
  • How to Convey Intent in Precision Machining Designs
  • 5 Reasons to Reshore Manufacturing Operations
  • How to Avoid Tolerance Stacking Problems When Designing Mating Parts
  • Inside Reata’s Successful Summer Internship Program
  • How Lights Out Manufacturing Benefits Precision Machining Customers
  • 5 Ways Reata Is Mitigating Manufacturing Workforce Issues for Our Customers
  • 6 Reasons to Tell Your Precision Machining Partner about Your Part’s Application
  • Could Your Complex Parts Benefit from GD&T Profile Callouts?
  • How Industry 4.0 Helps Us Meet Customer Needs
  • 5 Ways Reata Overcomes Global Manufacturing Challenges
  • DFM Tip: 4 Facts to Know About Perpendicularity
  • Can’t Find These 3 Popular Materials? Talk to Your Contract Manufacturing Partner
  • What Makes Reata Engineering an Engineer-Friendly Precision Machine Shop
  • How a Happy Manufacturing Team Makes for Happy Customers
  • DFM Tip: 5 Best Practices for Revision Control in Contract Manufacturing
  • A Single-Source Precision Machining Solution for Assemblies
  • Could Your Part Benefit From 5-Axis Machining?
  • DFM Tip: 3 Ways to Improve Your Prints and Get Better CNC Machined Parts
  • Best Practices for Achieving Color Consistency in Anodized Parts
  • DFM Tip: How to Handle Flatness and Parallelism Specifications in Your Print
  • DFM Tip: Clarify Cosmetic Surfaces to Reduce Cost and Lead Time for Contract Manufacturing
  • Best Practices for Measuring Holes in CNC Machined Parts
  • 5 Benefits of Using GD&T in Complex CNC Machining
  • DFM Tip: Best Practices for Thread Design in Complex CNC Machining
  • Low Volume Swiss Turning Services for Complex Assembly Components
  • How Reata Engineering Expertly Manufactures Titanium Medical Components
  • Creative Solutions to Sourcing Problems in Contract Manufacturing
  • CNC Machining Case Study: TITAN CSR™ Retractor System for the Medical Industry
  • How Machine Monitoring Technology Helps Productivity for Contract Manufacturing
  • To Cast or Not to Cast? 4 Reasons to Convert from Casting to Contract Machining for Low-Volume Parts
  • 5 Ways Reata Engineering Solves Material Sourcing and Supply Chain Problems
  • How Availability, Machinability, and Cost Factor Into Choosing a Stainless Steel Grade
  • Top 3 Non-Machinable Features to Avoid Designing Into Your Part
  • Reata Engineering’s Customer-Focused Approach to Design Iterations
  • Reata Engineering’s Proven Process for Manufacturing Success
  • The Advantages of Working with a Digital Machine Shop
  • 9 Ways Our Assembly Services Will Make Your Life Easier
  • What It Means for Us to Be a Customer-Focused Company
  • Why Reata Engineering Excels at Manufacturing Complex Parts
  • Why AS9100 Certification Matters (Even If You Aren’t In Aerospace Manufacturing)
  • Reata Engineering promotes Christina Collette to Director of Operations – Denver Colorado USA February 12th, 2021
  • 5 Reasons to Find a Machine Shop with Multi-Tasking Machines
  • Reata Engineering appoints new Quality Manager
  • Reata Engineering gave a virtual shop tour at RMTMA Ignite
  • Reata Engineering showcased its capabilities at the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association B2B conference
  • More New Capabilities
  • Reata in the News!!
  • Done in One

7822 South Wheeling Court,
Suite AEnglewood, CO 80112

(303) 936-1350

(303) 936-1350

Facebook Twitter Linkedin

Standard Terms and Conditions of Sale

Privacy Policy 

About
Careers
Services
Machining
Assembly
Partnership
Process
Blog

© All rights reserved

Designed by Factur