Resources

The global supply base for robotics components is rebalancing. Robot builders and integrators who once specified suppliers in eastern China are now expected to qualify a second source in Southeast Asia, and Vietnam consistently lands on the shortlist for precision machined parts. The CNC market here is large, but the slice of it that can actually deliver robotics-grade components is narrow. The criteria that distinguish a good general-purpose machinist from a good robotics su

What is drawing semiconductor ecosystem suppliers to expand manufacturing operations in Vietnam, what the trend means for the precision machining supply chain that supports them, and why US and European sourcing teams should pay attention.

The evaluation of precision CNC machining suppliers typically starts with a yes/no determination about a single part. Having a set of specific questions related to that very part – questions about tolerance, material, turnaround – is necessary and valid. However, they test only one dimension of capability. The more revealing question, the one that predicts whether a supplier relationship will hold up over time, concerns the broader scale of the final output: can the supplier