MTI UK 
FWT
You've read our blogs, you've watched our videos and you feel like you have a basic understanding of how friction welding works.
Your brain is now filled with questions about this solid-state joining process. Could it help my company save money? Will it make my parts stronger? Would it make sense to buy a machine or should I let MTI do the friction welding for me?
Your hand reaches for the phone — you want to speak to someone at MTI so they can answer specific questions about your unique project.
But before you dial our number, you pause and think to yourself, "What if I'm not prepared for what they ask me?"
Push those worries aside.
The purpose of this blog is to walk you through our sales qualifying process so you know exactly what to expect when you reach out to MTI about your project.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
When you get in touch with one of our experienced sales engineers, likely one of the first questions you'll be asked is whether you're currently using friction welding.
If you're new to the technology, the sales engineer will then take some time to explain how friction welding works and highlight some of its benefits. (If you really want to do your homework, you can check out our Whiteboard Wednesday series ahead of time.)
If you're currently using friction welding, our sales engineer can then go into more detail about your specific application and what you're hoping to accomplish.
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
Since you're thinking about calling us, there's a pretty good chance you already have an idea of how you're hoping MTI can help you.
The best way to begin our relationship is to provide us with a part print or sketch of the application you're wanting to improve. Having that sketch is much more beneficial and will provide more detail than if you tried to describe your part over the phone or through an email.
Plus, it eliminates any misunderstanding on either side of the conversation and ensures we're accurately visualizing your request.
SMALL BATCH TO HIGH VOLUME
MTI has two divisions - machine build and Manufacturing Services, which is our contract friction welding division. Because of this, the next thing we will want to know is your anticipated annual volume.
If you're only looking to join a few parts here and there, we will likely focus the discussion on our Manufacturing Services team.
But if you're looking to produce multiple parts on a daily basis, it may be more cost and time-effective to have MTI design and build a custom friction welding machine that fits your company's needs.
Even if you do decide a custom-built friction welder is the best option for your project, our Manufacturing Services division can weld your parts while your machine is being built, meaning you don't need to wait until the friction welder is complete to jump-start your project.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEEDS
Once we determine whether you need us to friction weld your parts or build your company a machine from scratch, we'll want to understand why exactly you're considering friction welding.
Many of the most common reasons include:
- A specific joint strength requirement that isn't being met with your current process
- A quality issue with your current process
- A need to reduce cost
- Improved cycle time
- Trimming weight from parts (lightweighting)
Last but certainly not least, we need a clear understanding of both your project timeline and your anticipated budget. This will help us prioritize your request and will offer some realistic expectations about how long your project will take and how much it will cost to accomplish.
READY TO REACH OUT?
Even after reading this blog, you may still have additional questions about your project — and that's OK! Our sales engineers are ready to answer your questions and are eager to guide you through the process.
To begin the conversation, click here to reach out.
NOTE: If you would prefer the details of your project to be kept between you and MTI, we can choose to sign a mutual NDA at your request.