FAQ

What kinds of products does ChinaForge^TM manufacture?

We primarily source high volume plastic and metal industrial and engineering parts and components, as well as circuit boards, and some consumer retail products. We service all industries, and some of our largest are automotive, aerospace, medical, construction, retail, and packaging.

What information is needed to obtain a quote?

It is normally best to have a set of three-dimensional CAD models for each of the product's parts, as well as a set of flat engineering drawings. The CAD models tell us the exact shape of your parts, but engineering drawings give us a lot of additional information in the form of specific dimensions, details, cross-sections, and notes. For simple parts without complex shapes only flat engineering drawings are necessary.

Product samples are helpful, but not required if the design documents are detailed enough.

What is the typical lead time for tooling production and product manufacture?

This depends on a large number of factors. If you are making plastic or metal products, it will probably take at least 30-60 days to get all the tooling manufactured and tested. Once the tooling is ready and samples approved, the time before we can ship the first order varies depending on the nature of your product and your order size.

How are finished products shipped from China?

Our freight forwarders will arrange for shipping with a major shipping line. Products are usually shipped from China in 20, 40, or 45-foot long shipping containers, but for smaller shipments we can also ship less than container load. Typical shipping times are 10 to 16 days from Shanghai to the west coast of the US, or 30 to 35 days to east coast US and most major European ports.

When your shipment is extremely urgent we can ship by air freight to most major airports, or by FedEx or DHL directly to your door. FedEx typically takes only 2 to 3 days to ship from China to most world locations. You save money shipping FedEx through us because we have high-volume discounts.

How can I ensure that the product will be high quality?

High quality product is our primary concern. To ensure that you are satisfied with product quality, we will send you samples by FedEx for your approval before we start large-scale manufacture, thus giving you a chance to verify the quality of the product. We inspect every order so that shipments containing defective products can be rejected before they leave the factory instead of as much as a month later when they get to your warehouse.

How do I know I'm getting a good price?

Manufacturing in China is inherently inexpensive, mostly due to the low cost of labor, both skilled and unskilled. Plastic injection molds in China often cost a fraction of their equivalents in the USA. The costs of molding plastic parts themselves can be considerably less in China as well.

For many products the per unit cost of manufacture varies with the number of units produced. As you require larger and larger volumes and make larger orders our production costs may diminish. Our policy is to pass these cost reductions on to the customer.

How can we prevent our designs from being stolen by Chinese competitors?

We make great effort to deal only with trusted manufacturers with whom we already have firm relationships. We can require that each manufacturer with access to your design sign a confidentiality agreement. If you desire even greater security we can have separate manufacturers make different components of your product.

However, you should be aware that intellectual property law is not well enforced in China. Even if the management of a Chinese factory is completely trustworthy your designs might still not be safe, because it may be possible for low-level employees of Chinese firms to steal data to sell to other firms.

We suggest you apply for patents and trademark registration in your own country and wherever your product is to be sold before you begin manufacturing in China. Once you have started the application process, then it may be safer to allow your designs to be seen by Chinese manufacturers. We can also help you with the process of applying for patent and trademark protection in China.

We are interested in purchasing an existing product. Can ChinaForge^TM help us to source it from China?

We primarily deal with custom manufacturing, sourcing from a small set of pre-qualified suppliers who only deal with specific manufacturing processes. If you want to source an existing product we suggest you deal with a Chinese trade company, since there are many Chinese trade companies providing these services. The amount of technical information that needs to be communicated is less when you are purchasing existing products, so dealing directly with a Chinese trade company is easier, and their profit margins are lower.

Can ChinaForge help my company sell our product in China?

We do not sell products in China, but we may be able to introduce you to firms that handle this kind of business.