Dr Steve Pudney

My experience with fabrication in China is that it may appear cheaper but there are hidden costs and unexpected expenses. Quality control can be very expensive especially if rework is required. Language can be a huge bottleneck. If the fabricator has only a few that understand english, your communications can be slowed significantly. Even if they speak English, written language communication can be difficult and the nuances of meaning can be misunderstood. I had experience with one Chinese fabricator that I later discovered did not own a workshop but was renting workshop space from another fabricator. There are many traps so you must go into it with your eyes wide open. In the end, I believe China fabricators are not much cheaper and could result in significant delays.