Guide to decide the process for your next metal component manufacturing project: Investment Casting or other Fabrication process?

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A key to make any new project successful is the planning and right decision. Before starting any new component manufacturing project, you must have to plan the budget, manufacturing and delivery schedules, etc. Also, deciding upon the metal or alloy, design, the manufacturing process are vitally important to make the project successful.

Below given table will be helpful in deciding if the Lost-wax Investment Casting process is the right process for your metal components sourcing requirements:

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To conclude, choosing the right manufacturing process for your metal components depends on a variety of factors. To summarise it all, the Investment Casting process is best suitable for small/medium sized components with not so complex geometry and a requirement of aesthetically (good surface finish) pleasing components.

Whether it’s investment casting or other, choosing the right process is not enough. Choosing a competent service provider or manufacturer is an equally important and a decisive factor in the subcontracting industry. If you choose the right process but the manufacturer is not competent, the project may end-up costing a lot both financially and from a lost time perspective.

Reach out to none other than Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd for your Investment Casting requirements. We have one of the largest investment casting manufacturing facilities in Western India with in-house capabilities for testing & supplying fully finished castings. The state-of-the-art facilities include advanced manufacturing and testing equipment, skilled experts & workers and connected services. As Western companies re-thinks their sourcing course, India’s geo-political stability is also an added benefit when you source Investment Investment Castings from Austin Alloy Cast.

If investment casting is the most suitable process for your next metal component manufacturing project, Austin Alloy Cast is just a click away to connect and discuss how we can best support you.

Working with a truly global & a diversified corporate group and the advantages it offers

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A diversified business group consists of different companies with related or unrelated product & service offerings. These different companies act independently but have strings attached to one another. Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. is proud to be a part of such a diversified conglomerate. There are many benefits of working with such a diversified business group company. Before we learn about the benefits, let’s have a look into the group of which Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. is.

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Working with a truly global & a diversified corporate group and the advantages it offers

Easy availability of related products or services:

If a diversified business group has related products or services, it becomes easy for the customers to avail those products. For example, Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. offers investment casting manufacturing of steel alloys with the capacity of per piece up to 150 kgs. But if the project requires steel sand casting parts of higher weight, switching it to our sister concern Metflow Cast Pvt. Ltd. will be an option available for the customers. It offers a single vendor sourcing advantage.

Product vertical saves cost:

Product vertical from a group company saves cost and time. Suppose if some parts at Austin Alloy Cast require machining & CMM inspection, the process can be sourced from our group company Ayushi Engineering. This minimises the dependency on outside vendors for some value added processes and improves the quality as well as delivery time. If the customers do it from their end, they have to go through a process of sourcing other services, managing logistics, etc. However, at our group companies we take care of everything and offer managed solutions.

Employment or Business Opportunities:

Diversified business groups operate on a large scale so the employment or business opportunities are vast. There can be a chance for employment or business in one company or another. At a Group level, we take pride in generating employment opportunities for 1200 Team members.

Credibility Benefit:

Associated groups of companies symbolise strength and this strength is transformed into credibility. It’s very important to check the credibility of the company while purchasing any product or services. When you purchase any goods from a company which is part of an established group, the credibility level of the company is very high.

Our Group has customer presence in more than 35 countries, an overseas office in Singapore, representatives in Europe, North America, South America, APAC regions and a warehouse facility in the United States. Hence Truly Global yet Local.

Our group does not only have business interests but we also strongly believe in contributing back to society. Activities to uplift the not-so-privileged sections of the society and other CSR (corporate social responsibilities) are undertaken through Nirvaan Welfare Foundation.

Importance of collaborating with Investment casting manufacturers who can provide technical consultation for your metal component requirements.

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Outsourced manufacturing of metal components like Investment castings can potentially reduce your cost, effort and time and allow you to focus on other important tasks of your business. But be aware, outsourced manufacturing or contract manufacturing without technical consultation can prove disastrous. Investment casting sourcing pertains to highly technicality. Only investment casting companies with technical expertise and capabilities to tackle various types of situations can manufacture precise and high quality parts. Moreover, best investment casting companies will offer technical consultation to their clients. Technical consultation includes advice on best suited design, alloy and manufacturing process for different applications. Selection of the right metal forming process is utmost important to save cost and time.

There are many reasons one should have technical consultation with the investment casting manufacturing company:

1. You can gauge technical expertise of the manufacturing company:

Technical consultation with outsourced manufacturers before partnering will help you gauge the technical expertise & knowledge of the company. Technical know-how of the complete process of manufacturing, nature of alloys used in the parts or equipment, critical dimensions,etc. with the investment casting manufacturer is very important. You can gauge these aspects of technical capabilities of outsourcing manufacturers or investment casting companies during the technical consultation session.

2. Improve quality of the component:

Technical consultation will be helpful in improving the quality of the Investment cast components produced. Technical consultation with investment casting manufacturers covers alloy selection, feedback on critical dimensions, testing requirements, advice on metal forming process selection. To conclude, we do not work with customers to just win new business but to help them achieve cost savings on their metal components sourcing.

3. Estimation of cost and time of the project:

Without cost and time estimation, it’s not wise to start any project. Technical consultation with the outsourcing manufacturer of parts can give you insight of the cost and time to complete the project. To achieve a particular quality and precision level in manufactured parts, the manufacturers have to follow a certain process and choose the right mixture of alloys. If you have technical consultation, you get to know the mixture of process and alloy required for the project. Based on that you can estimate the cost and time of the project.

Technical & highly experienced team of leading investment casting company Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. can assist you to convert your fabrication, sand casting, forgings & machining requirement into one single investment casting. Investment casting process offers a wide range of benefits like better surface finish, complex geometries and near net shape. Contact us to know more about the technical consultation project references at Austin Alloy.

HOW OEMS CAN HAVE QUALITY CAST COMPONENTS BY CHOOSING THE RIGHT MANUFACTURING PROCESS BEST SUITED FOR THE APPLICATION.

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OEMs or ODMs are responsible to deliver quality components or products to the purchasing companies. To reduce the complaints from their clients OEMs or ODMs have to monitor each equipment manufacturing process. They not only have to monitor each process but also have to take some important decisions like choosing the correct process, choosing metal quality for the components, timely delivery from foundries, etc. OEMs have to work with the best alloy casting companies which have capabilities to deliver components on time and with perfect finishing. Especially, industries like food processing, oil and gas, marine and general engineering industries need to have commercial grade quality parts with precision and accuracy.

Just converting from one manufacturing process to another can be helpful to create quality components. To understand this let’s discuss converting your components/part manufacturing from sand casting process and forging process to investment casting process.

Convert from sand casting process to investment casting process:

If your casting supplier uses a sand casting process to make parts of the equipment then it’s time to consider changing to the investment casting process. It is a myth that the sand casting process is less time consuming than the investment casting process. Sand casting, eventually might result in the same lead time as it will require more machining and which will add cost and time to the overall process. Now, with the latest technologies and expertise companies like Austin Alloy Cast can process quality components in less turnaround time. Advanced lab testing facilities, skilled workers, robust infrastructure and global sales agent network are strengths of Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd.

Convert from forging to investment casting process:

The latest machinery and equipment used in any industry today are made to use components which are complex in design. To achieve the dimensional accuracy in the components with complex design, one must opt for advanced manufacturing processes like investment casting. The forging process has a limitation when manufacturing complex geometry components. We have helped numerous customers willing to change their forged component to an Investment casting component. Below is an example of it:

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This Investment casting component is used in the Oil & Gas Industry.

Secondly, a mixture of alloys are used today to manufacture parts of machinery or equipment for various reasons. Alloy versatility is much greater in the Investment casting process than the forging process. The limitation of alloy sections with forging might be restrictive for developing quality components. However, when you want to develop any parts with alloys ranging from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel based alloys and Cobalt based alloys, Highly experienced Team at Austin Alloy Cast can handle a wide range of Steel alloys with utmost ease in the investment casting process.

SOURCING TIPS FOR FINDING HIGH QUALITY COST EFFECTIVE INVESTMENT CASTING MANUFACTURERS FROM THE BEST COST COUNTRIES.

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For industries such as oil and gas, heavy earth moving, food processing and general engineering, using quality machinery components is very important. In fact, we can say it’s the most crucial aspect for those industries. Excellent quality i.e. precise dimensional accuracy and proper surface finish of the metal components can be achieved through the Investment Casting process. The production process in the above mentioned industries might be agitated if the quality of their machinery parts are not up to the mark. Imagine what happens if machinery components fail or crack down during production! Investment casting manufacturers can help you achieve desired quality in metal components of your machinery. Sourcing from the right investment casting manufacturer is a complex process as it’s not just about the quality of metal components used in the machinery but also cost, timely delivery, ability to supply consistent quality in bulk volume, etc.

Following are a few tips for sourcing investment casting which will help you achieve desired objectives.

1. Get sample developed from the investment casting manufacturer:
Before you start a business relationship with a new investment casting manufacturer, getting samples developed for the component or parts you are going to order is advisable. By doing that you will get the exact idea of the product to be delivered later and know the capacity and expertise of product development of the manufacturer.

2. Check testing method or facilities at investment casting manufacturer:
It is very important to test the product after being ready. Manufactured products passed through various tests like x-ray test, crack detect, UltraSonic test, etc. gives you quality assurance. Testing the products from third parties increases cost and delay in delivery. It’s always better if your investment casting manufacturer has an in-house testing facility.

3. Ask turn-around time:
Get statistics of turn-around time of each product or process and total time. Consider counting logistics and inventory time and cost also. It helps you plan your delivery and other schedules.

4. Value added services:
For investment casting OEMs value added services like machining, pickling and passivation, powder coatings, tumble blasting, blackening, electropolishing, painting are often required processes. If all these value added services are available at the investment casting manufacturers, a lot of time and cost can be saved. Apart from that the same manufacturer understands the product quality and requirement very well so they can provide value added services with ease.

5. Check employee and expertise strength:
If the manufacturer has good employee and expert strength, they will be able to deliver the products in stipulated time and exact product you are looking for.

6. Understand your own requirement before sourcing or ordering:
It’s most important to understand your own requirements of quality, quantity, turn around time, cost and payment convenience, etc. Based on the requirement, you can start sourcing investment casting manufacturers matching the requirements.

7. Green production:
Nowadays, due to increasing global warming and weather change, people have started adapting green production to save earth. If you believe in the values, then it is good to check if the manufacturer has green production facilities and certifications if any.

Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. (www.austinalloycast.com) has been offering investment casting solutions to OEMs in all the markets including North America, Europe, South America and APAC regions for years. The solutions offered are in a range of short term requirements to large and long time projects with varied requirements.

MAKING EARTH MOVING MACHINERY – HYDRAULICS WHICH HAS EXTENDED LIFE.

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Hydraulics are frequently used in heavy & earth moving equipment.
Since it has frequent use and bears so much load, it’s high maintenance equipment. A lot of complaints come from the machinery users of hydraulic system failure – oil leakage, misalignment or cracked hydraulic cylinders. Generally, contamination of the fluid or oil and side loads can cause the system failure.

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High quality Hydraulics Cap End Covers act as protective parts for the machinery. Cap End Covers keep off the dirt and grits and stop contaminating hydraulic fluids. Hydraulic Cap End Covers are strong enough to withstand stress on the cap end of the cylinder and extend hydraulic life and play an important role in the functioning of the hydraulic cylinder. Hydraulic Cylinder Components especially Cap end covers can be manufactured by metal working processes like Closed-die forging, Sand Casting and Investment Casting. We have also helped our customers on numerous process change projects. From Forging to Investment Casting. From Sand Casting to Investment Casting for their Hydraulic cylinder cast components requirement.

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Hydraulic machinery manufacturers rely on the equipment parts manufacturers to deliver high quality cast parts. Hydraulic Cylinders Cap End Covers casted at Austin Alloy Cast are precise in design and have life extending qualities. That’s why hydraulic machinery & parts manufacturers across the globe prefer Austin Alloy Cast as their investment casting solution provider.

Each hydraulic cylinders cap end cover at Austin Alloycast:

✓ is developed following precise measurements and design requirements based on discussion with clients and our development team

✓ follow stringent process
(link: https://www.austinalloycast.com/investment-casting.php#materials )

✓ pass through x-ray, crack detect and ultraSonic test as well pressure testing to check for leaks

Above given process makes perfect and long lasting hydraulic cylinder parts for your company. You can see the difference between normal parts and parts manufactured at Austin Alloy Cast below:

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Sand Casted cap end cover | Austin Alloy manufactured cap end cover

Hydraulic cap end covers casted at Austin Alloy Cast:

> has less misalignment chances as they are designed accurately. Investment Casting process helps achieve near net shape

> are leak proof and pressure tested

> don’t crack or bend easily as they are tested to the required mechanical strength

> Have better surface finish for aesthetically good looking Hydraulic cylinders

We would love to hear from you about your cast component project requirements for Hydraulic Cylinder application

WHAT ROLE DOES ALLOY SELECTION AND CONTROLLED PROCESS PLAY IN MANUFACTURING OF HIGH QUALITY COST EFFECTIVE INVESTMENT CASTINGS?

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Industries such as oil and gas, food processing, heavy earth moving or marine industry require corrosion and temperature resistant components for optimised performance. Equipment like valves, piping systems, processing tools are constantly in touch with high temperature and corrosive chemicals operating in the toughest environment. Alloy selection considering the metallurgical effects for Investment Castings used in such environments is crucial for safe operations. Using the right alloy best suited for each application makes the castings cost effective.

Costs can also be optimised when the right alloy best suited for application is used.

Alloys helpful in controlling metallurgical effects like corrosion and temperature:

Nickel:
Nickel has high melting points which is 1453 degree centigrade. This makes Nickel a temperature resistant material. Also Nickel resists corrosion as the oxidation rate of Nickel is at a very slow rate. Oxidation of Nickel is done at room temperature. Nickel also has good surface stability. For these qualities Nickel is used in manufacturing castings for applications like Oil & Gas, Chemical Plants.

Cobalt:
Cobalt alloy can be used to make parts for the machineries requiring high wear and tear. It maintains its core strength in adverse environments. Cobalt is melted at above 1495 degree centigrade. Components made from cobalt are durable and strong to stand against the adverse environment. Use of Cobalt alloy in making parts for applications like rotating machineries such as compressors. It all boils down to avoid costly downtime for the end user.

Stainless Steel:
Stainless steel is melted at a very high degree. Its melting point is 1510 degree centigrade. Stainless steel is a very high corrosion and temperature resistant alloy which can be used for parts like Food Processing, Hardware, Marine markets.

Any of the above materials can be combined with other materials and used by foundries or to manufacture different parts and components. The versatility of the Investment casting industry to make a wide range of alloy components is a big advantage the process has to offer.

Apart from types of metal alloy and its quality, the process plays an equally important role in making quality Investment castings. From wax injection to coating, dewaxing, melting, heat treatment and dispatch, a controlled process is very important to make defect free high quality castings.

When Right alloy selection plus controlled process parameters is combined, The Investment casting process offers the following advantages over other metal working processes:

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Austin Alloy Cast works with a perfect combination of alloy selection and process control as mentioned above. We have a Lifetime of experience in this industry and our experienced metallurgical Team can handle a wide range of alloy families like Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, Martensitic Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel Based Alloys, Duplex, Cobalt based alloys, and Heat Resisting Steels. What sets us apart is our experience in pouring and executing large orders of special alloys like CK3MCuN, CW6MC, CD4MCuN, Cu5MCuC and many more.

Our in-house Fe and Ni base Spectrometer with facility of N analysis gives us the ability to check the standards and chemical composition of the alloys poured accurately. Heat-wise Spectro reports are stored as per customer requirements and also shared upon request.

The investment casting process at Austin Alloy Cast results in:

● Achieving exceptional surface finish, which results in aesthetically pleasing castings.

● Tighter tolerance and complex passages can be achieved, which are not practically possible in the Sand Casting/Forging process.

● Near net shape products, which decreases the need of extra machining hence saving costs.

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For more details and enquiries, feel free to contact us. Our global network of sales agents spread across North America, Europe, South America and APAC regions is just an email/call away from you.

We pride in customer service unmatched in the industry by minimising cultural, linguistic and time zone differences.

HOW DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERS AT AUSTIN ALLOY CAN OPTIMISE PRODUCT DESIGN TO MAKE IT SUITABLE FOR THE INVESTMENT CASTING PROCESS ?

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The greatest value addition we provide is our expertise to provide technical consultation for the most economical manufacturing/fabrication process. We have supported numerous customers for their process change projects from forgings, welded assemblies, sand castings to single Investment Cast component. Furthermore, our engineers understand the application of the component and can also suggest the best suited material grade. Be it any alloys of Steel ranging from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel, Nickel based alloys and Cobalt based alloys, our Team can handle it with ease. We are able to extend this support because of A Lifetime of Experience in this Industry.

Design engineers are responsible for creating engineering equipment or product design which are efficient, non-destructive, durable and cost-effective for manufacturing. A Design engineer has to do a lot of research and work on prototypes. Best design is not about how it looks but also how it performs. High-end design engineers always strive for perfection in their designs. Affordability or cost savings comes second for them. But, companies still have pressure to make it cost effective and this pressure is passed onto the design engineers.

A design engineer can only be successful when they look at every aspect of product or equipment design with a detailed eye keeping in mind the end application of the part. It is very important that components used in engineering products are of high quality, perfect measurement and fits to the budget. Misfit components can destroy the whole design. Design engineers often coordinate with the procurement department for the purchase of quality and right configuration investment cast components required.

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A role of product design engineers involve;

Do extensive research on raw materials/investment cast components to be used in the final products and the manufacturing process based on availability and price factors.

Create detailed sketches of the design on computer aided software.

Create Prototypes and test them on a real-time basis. If required re-create prototypes.

Once the design is ready, get feedback on the design and make sure it is efficient and non-destructive.

Good product designers also look into the manufacturing process of the component suppliers and if they use green or eco-friendly technology while doing research.

Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. offers solutions for custom investment cast components demand which can help product designers create perfect designs. In our manufacturing process the energy we use is generated through solar panels – clean and green resources. Our in-house NDT testing facilities make you worry free about the quality of castings.

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Design engineers in oil and gas, food processing, heavy and earth moving equipment, marine and general engineering industry can reach out at the details given below for more details.

Spirit of truly a global company: Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd.

Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. is truly a global company for investment casting solutions. As a buyer from developed nations like North America and Europe, why is it important to deal with a global company who can better understand your sourcing requirements? Let’s understand here.

For the requirement of industrial products like investment casting components, companies frequently have to work with subcontracting partners in the Best Cost Countries (BCC). The outsourcing experience could be distressing due to many obstacles like cultural differences, linguistic barriers and time zone differences.

Language is one of the major obstacles that buying companies may face during the process. But, due to cultural and geo-political reasons some countries are stubborn to accept languages other than local languages. Many times this becomes an obstacle in trading with them in spite of other positive aspects of theirs.

Sales agent network of Austin Alloy Cast is efficient enough to minimise the cultural, linguistic and time zone differences. They are not only equipped with the skills and subject expert but also well versed with the gamut of trading aspects of buyer’s region. We have exclusive sales representatives in North America, South America, Europe and APAC regions who work exclusively within their territory. Their primary role is to develop new customers but they also play an important role in communication post customer acquisition. We are proud to let you know that our Team can communicate in English, Hindi, Danish, Portuguese, German, French and Japanese.

A truly global company will always offer cohesive customer services which have excellent communication, technical competency, range of services, customer focus and easy accessibility. Our customer service team at Austin Alloy Cast leave no stone unturned to offer you above mentioned qualities at customer service.

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While attending investment casting queries our sales agent or customer support expert will act like a consultant who will guide you with technical details and offer the solutions instead of focusing on closing the deal.

Moreover, the solutions offered by Austin Alloy Cast are customised to match the requirements of investment casting in different regions worldwide.
Be it any sector or application, our highly qualified Team is capable of handling a wide range special alloys. We cater to worldwide customers in markets like Oil & Gas, Food Processing, General Engineering, Pulp & Paper, Heavy and Earth Moving Equipments.

Does your Investment Casting Supplier Follow Sustainable Manufacturing Practices?

Today, the world is facing innumerable environmental challenges including global warming, climate change, soil degradation, waste disposal, etc. There is an increasing risk that it will affect the generations to come and wildlife across the globe. So, it is very important for everyone on the earth to work on it. Individual or small group efforts may not be that much effective but collective effort taken by individual organisations globally can make a big impact. And working on it is not an option but a necessity.

If global manufacturing industries embrace sustainable manufacturing practices then this can bring down a major chunk of increasing threat on the earth. For this every business has to follow sustainable practices and make sure their supply chain partners follow sustainable manufacturing practices as well.

Companies are increasingly setting goals to achieve net neutrality but can a company become net neutral without the support of supply chain partners. It has become really crucial for the whole value chain to follow green and sustainable manufacturing practices.

We, at Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd. setting up an example by taking such measures at our manufacturing unit. We believe sustainability is not only about environmental impact but also equally about human welfare.

Implementation of different sustainable manufacturing practices at Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd.

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At Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd., our approach to do business is not just monetary gains but also to add value in the global ecosystem (commercial and environmental). Following are a few examples of sustainable manufacturing practices we have adapted:

The first step towards sustainability is to adapt energy options which don’t produce harmful byproducts or reduce natural resources. Solar energy is clean and green energy that doesn’t create any adverse effect on the earth. Austin Alloy Cast uses 1.5 MW energy produced at our captive Solar Power Plant.
Our daily activities like driving a car, disposal of waste or using electricity generate a carbon footprint. This carbon footprint causes a rise in global temperature. Tree plantation is one of the solutions to bring down the temperature. Austin Alloy Cast frequently organises tree plantation programs around its facility every year.
To standardise responsibilities towards the environment, Austin Alloy Cast is planning to implement and acquire ISO 14001 certificate. ISO 14001 provides requirements with guidance for use that relate to environmental systems by ISO Technical Committee.
We also strongly believe to emphasise in workers safety and we are under the process of getting ISO 18001 certificate (occupational health & safety management system).Beyond sustainable manufacturing practices, quality assurance lab, expertise to advise on getting perfect investment casting solutions for your industry and capability to deliver it on time are a few of the positive points of Austin Alloy Cast Pvt. Ltd.Give us a chance to be your Green Investment Casting Supplier Partner and we will not disappoint. Our customer service is unmatched in the industry.