OEMs and Machine Builders what are your normal lead times?

[theColonel26]

For custom stuff at my last company we usually did 12 weeks.

My current job is much more standardized and configured stuff, but we also handle more orders at the same time with less engineers so, I have been telling customer 12 weeks from PO is standard, but that there order will probably be ready to ship, around 6 to 8 weeks.

I got tired of things getting delayed and having to apologized to the customer, so I figured it was just easier to under promise and over deliver.

The last few customers have just seen the 12 weeks and flipped out, maybe I should give them "6 to 12 weeks" so they process the concept better?


Thoughts?

 

[atc222]

I'm assuming your delays are component based.

After seeing nothing but bad news regarding supply chain delays, our customers overall have been understanding.

Let your customers flip out, don't take it personally. We're all in the same boat.

Try ordering a generator or a transformer...

 

[theColonel26]

I'm assuming your delays are component based.

After seeing nothing but bad news regarding supply chain delays, our customers overall have been understanding.

Let your customers flip out, don't take it personally. We're all in the same boat.

Try ordering a generator or a transformer...

basically

Almost always the delay is because we don't have parts. In the past is has been because our inventory system was messed up and not accurately reflecting what we actually had in stock,or because something was miss configured so it didn't get automatically ordered. We have spent a lot of time getting that sorted out.

So now it basically comes down to even finding parts, and then keeping track to make sure the lead times do not change even after we order the stuff. That happened with several different parts on our last machine we just shipped. We ordered a part with a 2 week lead time, then check back in later, and they say now it is 10 weeks.

 

[janner_10]

We are retro fitting a machine which needs 16x kinetix 5700. We ordered in December, delivery end of July!