🏭 Real Factory · Real Audit · Real Results

Outdoor Power Equipment Steel Chassis

Stamping & welded assembly — first-article approved in 8 weeks from an audited Vietnam factory

Stamping MIG Welding Powder Coating Dolphin Audited

88/100

Dolphin Audit Score

8 wk

Tooling to First Sample

Quality Rejections (8 mo)

42%

Landed Cost Saved vs China

The Brief

A buyer of commercial outdoor power equipment needed to source welded steel chassis assemblies from Vietnam. They had been manufacturing in Guangdong, China, but 25% Section 301 tariffs had turned a competitive supply chain into a costly one. The project scope: 11 stamped steel components, 18 MIG weld joints, powder coat finish, and hardware assembly — 5,500 units per year.

They came to us because they needed more than a factory referral. They needed a team on the ground in Vietnam who could verify the factory, manage the first-article process, and provide ongoing quality oversight. That's exactly what we do.

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The Factory: Dolphin Audit Results

Our Vietnam-based team conducted a full 50-point Dolphin audit at the selected stamping and welding facility. This is the same rigorous inspection process we apply to every factory in our 179+ supplier network.

Equipment Verified

• Aida 800T and 630T servo progressive die presses
• 8 Lincoln Electric robotic MIG welding cells
• In-house 5-stage zinc phosphate powder coat line
• Brown & Sharpe CMM for dimensional inspection
• Magnetic particle weld inspection equipment

Certifications On File

✓ ISO 9001:2015 — verified on-site
✓ ISO 14001 environmental management
✓ AWS D1.1 certified welders (structural weld)
✓ SPCC/SPHC steel mill certs — per batch traceability

QCLDM Dolphin Score / 100

Qualification threshold: 80. Factory exceeded by 8 points. Rated: Approved — Primary Source

Process: From Drawing to First Article

Our on-ground team managed the entire qualification process — from initial drawing review to first-article sign-off — without the buyer needing to travel to Vietnam once.

Drawing Package Review

Our Vietnam engineers reviewed all 11 component drawings plus weld assembly drawing. Identified SPCC grade, gauge, and tolerance requirements. Flagged 2 DFM improvements to reduce tooling cost — accepted by buyer.

Factory Shortlist & Audit

Three factories from our audited network were assessed. Dolphin audit completed within 2 weeks. Factory A (88/100) recommended as primary. Factory B (81/100) qualified as backup.

Tooling Fabrication

Progressive dies for 7 components built in the factory's in-house toolroom. 3D scan comparison on die tryout — all 7 parts within profile tolerance on first tryout. Weld fixtures built and validated simultaneously.

First Article Inspection

5 complete chassis built and 100% inspected by our QC team before shipment. Full CMM report, weld visual per AWS D1.1, coating adhesion test (ISO 2409 rating 0). Buyer approved on first submission.

Ongoing Production Oversight

Pre-shipment inspection every container. Monthly factory visits. Tooling condition review. After 8 months: zero quality rejections, production on schedule.