How Do We Determine Lead Time?

“What’s your lead time?” is one of the first questions customers ask when starting a new project or placing an order with Birk Manufacturing. We understand how important lead time is for planning and keeping projects on track.

At Birk, our goal is to provide lead times that are realistic and accurate. While customers sometimes have a target date in mind, we try to focus on what is possible based on the requirements of the project. A dependable lead time starts with clear communication with our customer – so let’s talk about some of the things that affect our estimate.

What factors determine lead time?

One of the first factors we consider is whether we have manufactured the part before or if it’s brand new to Birk. For repeat orders, we already have the drawing and bill of materials. We’re also familiar with the production process and aware of any issues that may have presented during previous production runs. The team can then review the required components, source what is needed (taking into account supply chain lead times), and determine where the order fits into the production schedule.

New parts require more review and communication. First, we need the customer’s drawing to evaluate manufacturability and identify possible challenges up front. It’s very helpful if we have a full understanding of the project so we can try to anticipate potential bumps in the road.

Complexity and customization also affect lead time. Some components may be readily available, while others that are custom-made or specialized may take longer, such as thermostats, sensors, and other non-standard components. We must also consider outside services like plating or coating, since those lead times are outside our control and will include additional transit and vendor processing time.

Quality requirements, beyond our standard inspection criteria, are important to know at the quote stage. While we always inspect to our own quality standards, we’ll need to consider any special testing, documentation, or reporting. New parts will often require a First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) before shipment and our quality team will need time to properly prepare the paperwork. Aerospace projects that require an AS9102 FAIR, may take a bit longer.

These are all considerations used when quoting lead time.

What information can a customer provide to help us estimate more accurately?

Customers can get the most accurate lead times by making sure we have complete information upfront, including drawings, a complete bill of materials, specifications for custom or hard-to-source components, details about any required suppliers, quality or specialized testing requirements, and any other project-related information we would need to consider.

Knowing these details early helps us account for them when we’re quoting a timeline.

How customers can help improve lead time

In addition to providing complete information up front, there are a few things customers may be able to do to help speed up their lead time.

Sometimes our customers have better relationships with their suppliers than we do. If the project stipulates a supplier our customer already has a relationship with, it can help when customers step in to expedite getting the components or materials to us.

Similarly, a customer may already have a required material available at their facility. Sending it directly to us as a customer-supplied component may help move the project forward.

In addition, when customers can provide a forecast or estimated annual usage, we can work with our suppliers and better manage the component side. Taking this a step further, blanket or master orders give us even more leverage with suppliers and help us to plan deliveries to meet customers’ needs.

Issues that can extend lead time

Some factors are outside of our control, including unexpected challenges during a first-time build and long supplier lead times. Customer-specified components or suppliers can also limit sourcing flexibility, making the supplier’s timeline an important part of the overall schedule.

Birk’s commitment

Whenever possible, our engineers work directly with customers’ engineers to understand the bigger picture behind the part and the full project. That collaboration helps the team identify challenges early and explore practical solutions while providing a lead time that reflects the real scope of the work.

Our goal is to build a solid relationship with our customers, not just to quote a date. We feel it’s always better to do things right the first time and we never want to compromise quality. We want our customers to feel confident in their choice to work with Birk Manufacturing.

Please use our contact us page to start a quote or talk to us about a new project.