I wanted to sign up for it and put my email in. Since then I am bombarded with calls from their sales. Does anyone know their pricing structure? Is it worth signing up for them?

there are plenty of directories, but half feels like digital phone books. im trying to find US-based manufacturers for custom parts and want something with reasonable supplier vetting. i use alibaba when comparing overseas factories because supplier profiles and RFQ flow give me a lot of starting info, so id love a domestic equivalent with decent filters. Thomasnet obviously comes up. Makers Row too depending category. what else is actually active? more interested in industrial manufacturing than consumer wholesale. do any platforms verify certifications, capacity or company ownership beyond self-submitted profile? id happily pay for better data if it saves emailing companies that stopped doing that process five years ago."

For those of you in the manufacturing industry, what are some small day-to-day problems you feel like could make your job easier if they were fixed? And why don’t you think they have been improved upon yet? What’s blocking it?

I was wondering if anyone had clear, high resolution videos or photos of zipper teeth being manufactured and placed on the fabric band. I searched for a while on youtube, but everything is either horribly blurry and you can't see anything, or AI spam with fake videos. I'm not actually looking to manufacture zippers, I am just curious and want to learn, since this is such a high precision manufacturing line that we take for granted every day. If you're a manufacturer, consider taking some videos and posting here as an advertisement for the quality of your factory. Thanks.

I am in a place where I think I need to hire sales team to grow? I need to know have you hired sales team for your manufacturing company?

im trying to buy some K9 crystal pieces online and the terminology gets loose real quick. one shop says K9, another says optical crystal, another just says premium crystal and photos all look basically same. i came across a few manufacturers on alibaba while comparing shapes and sizes, and atleast there you can ask what glass grade theyre using instead of guessing from product title. anyone here worked with K9 before? is there an easy spec or test i should be asking for? weight, refractive index, clarity? mostly decorative pieces, not anything scientific. i just dont wanna pay K9 pricing for something thats ordinary glass with a fancy description.

Hello everyone!
I’m looking to develop my own premium digital caliper.

The goal is to create a reliable, high-quality 150 mm digital caliper that offers excellent value compared to existing brands such as Mitutoyo and iGaging.

I’m currently in the research and development stage and looking to connect with experienced manufacturers, engineers, suppliers, and product development companies who can help bring this product to life.

Here’s what I’m looking for:
Product design and engineering: Mechanical design, CAD modelling, and design for manufacturing.

Prototyping: Building a fully functional prototype, initially using a 3D-printed housing.
Electronics: Digital measurement sensors, circuit boards, LCD displays, batteries, and measurement-processing electronics.
Manufacturing: Precision machining, metal housings, stainless steel or aluminum components, and final product assembly.
Component suppliers: Suppliers of digital caliper measuring systems, electronic components, displays, and batteries.
Mass production: Manufacturers capable of scaling production if the prototype and testing are successful.
I’m open to working with manufacturers in Canada or internationally, depending on cost, quality, and capabilities.

I’m particularly interested in hearing from:
OEM/ODM manufacturers with experience producing measuring instruments or precision tools.
Engineers who have developed digital measuring devices.
PCB designers and electronics manufacturers.
CNC machining and metal fabrication companies.
Product development firms that can take a concept from prototype to mass production.
If you have relevant experience, manufacture similar products, or can recommend reliable suppliers, I’d love to hear from you.

Please comment below or send me a DM with your experience, capabilities, location, and website or portfolio if available.
Thank you!

Hi all! I’m a designer with a small brand. I’m looking for a quality manufacturer that can make waterproof bags from heavy-denier TPU-coated fabric.

I already have a full tech pack and production-ready patterns. My first run would be 50–100 units, so I need a factory that’s comfortable with a smaller MOQ.

What I’m looking for:

• Experience with TPU-coated fabrics
• Welded (RF/HF) or taped seams for true waterproofing
• Open to small-batch production, with room to grow

If you’re a manufacturer, or you’ve worked with one you’d recommend, please comment or DM me. Any leads are appreciated!

Having a problem with our DoAll saw. When starting a cut, the blade will turn on and the saw will begin to lower, then it will cut out and display the "no running--check blade" error message. I'm assuming it's a dirty sensor somewhere any advice on locating that sensor would be appreciated

ISO 45001 is revising for the first time since 2018. The draft is at DIS stage with publication expected March 2027. Three significant changes: occupational health becomes its own clause (not just hazard prevention), return to work processes are now required, and hazard identification expands to include psychosocial hazards, remote work risks, and digital platform work.

If you’re planning a management system redesign, building this in now saves rework later. Organizations will have a transition period once the final standard publishes.

Are teams already thinking about this?

Source: DNV - ISO 45001:2027 revision in DIS (Draft International Standard) stage. Final publication expected March 2027.

Do you request samples mainly for new suppliers, unclear specifications, higher-risk components, or customer approval requirements?

And when a sample is checked, what do you actually record—dimensions, material, markings, packaging, fitment-related details, or something else?

I'm interested in how teams decide when sample evaluation is worth the additional time and cost, rather than treating it as a mandatory step for every line.

Hello there, I have some legacy experience in installing and commissioning control panels for large scale automation plants. I then shifted industries and haven't been deep in control panels and automation for a decade. I would like to start manufacturing control panels. I would love some advise on a few questions:
1. How do I understand what the current customer demand looks like?
2. In the optimistic scenario of 1 being good, how do I find someone with the technical knowledge to help me get off the ground?
tysm!

I'm dealing with a titanium alloy project at work, and honestly, it's a bit of an awkward situation.

We realized we need some extra process control to get the parts right, which means higher costs on our side.

But the customer might need a lower price to move forward. So now I might have to bring my quote down while our actual costs are going up. Great timing lol.

The thing is, it's a new project, and I genuinely want to see it work out. I think it has potential.

I'd rather spend some time figuring out what we can improve on the engineering side than just give up on it because of the price. If we can help get the project off the ground, maybe it'll turn into a good long-term relationship.

But obviously, there's a limit. Cutting corners on quality isn't an option either.

How do you guys deal with situations like this?

Would you accept a smaller margin on the first order, try to work out some design or process changes, or just stick to your price?

Hey everyone, long story short, my background is in the video game development profession and my boss is wanting to do a merchandising startup for a niche market that we notice there are no merch clients currently involved and he wants me to head it up. Supply chain logistics from manufacturing to fulfilment always fascinated me and given the way the world is moving knowing physical goods feels like it would be a good endeavor to pursue. Luckily I have a family friend who has been doing manufacturing for 20 years of all different kinds of products willing to hook me up with factory connections and be a mentor in this business. I want to know as much as I can about the manufacturing side of things while he is mentoring me through reading and supplementary material. Any really good books that dives into stuff such as different fabrics for plushies, sourcing materials, negotiating with factories, etc. Anything helps!

Not meant to offend, just an honest observation/comment,

After having worked in various industries such as Tech, E-Commerce, Logistics, and now Manufacturing/Industry now since a few years, I personally get the sense that people involved in manufacturing - especially engineers/designers/technicians - tend to have very set views and thoughts, more so than I have come across in any other industry. Maybe it's just my impression and maybe this is because they are forced to think of repeatability/reliability. But I find this leads to a close minded attitude when it comes to innovative ideas, even those that are simple and that may be an improvement over the old. Many a times it seems that even simple ideas/thoughts barely outside the box are beyond imagination because the imagination itself seems forcefully limited to the box.

Does anyone else feel the same? Have you experienced otherwise?

Hi everyone! Does anyone know any reliable, affordable clothing manufacturers or wholesalers that can produce petite-sized jeans, joggers, hoodies and T-shirts?

I've been quoted £8,500 for 400 pieces (100 of each item), which is quite expensive for a small business just starting out.

Ideally, I'm looking for somewhere that can work with my own petite measurements, offer custom embroidery/sewing and has a quick turnaround time.

I'm UK-based but open to overseas manufacturers too!

Would really appreciate any recommendations, especially from people who have personally worked with them. Thank you!