A digital manufacturing platform is only as honest as its supplier network. We turn down most applicants — not because we are picky, but because the dimensions we audit are hard to fake.
The 50-point audit
Every prospective supplier completes a 50-point audit before any orders flow. The audit covers eight dimensions, each scored on a 0-5 scale by an internal reviewer with shop-floor visit when feasible.
| Dimension | What we check |
|---|---|
| Equipment capability | Machine list, controllers, condition, redundancy |
| Process expertise | Programs, fixturing libraries, prior projects |
| Quality systems | ISO 9001, inspection equipment, calibration logs |
| Financial stability | Tax compliance, audited financials |
| IP and NDA hygiene | Document handling, supplier sub-NDA practice |
| ESG and safety | Waste handling, energy use, worker safety |
| Communication | English fluency, response time, transparency |
| Capacity and reliability | Lead time honesty, backup options, on-time history |
Why most applicants do not make it
About 10 percent of applicants are approved into the network. The most common reasons for rejection are missing inspection equipment, unclear quality records, and no formal NDA practice. We re-evaluate rejected applicants twice a year if they remediate.
Suppliers who join the network are scored continuously on every order: on-time rate, defect rate, communication. Falling below thresholds for two quarters triggers a remediation plan or removal.
How customer IP stays safe
When we route an order to a supplier, only the scoped data they need is shared (the part files for their job, drawings, finish callouts). They never see customer identity unless the customer agrees, never see other customers' work, and operate under a back-to-back NDA mirrored from the customer's NDA with us.
Ongoing scorecard
Each supplier has a public-to-the-team scorecard: on-time, defect, response time, customer feedback. The platform uses this scorecard during supplier matching: a part can technically run at three suppliers, but the order goes to whichever has the best score for that material and process. Reliability accumulates rewards.
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