When you’re in the U.S. and your manufacturer is in Asia, Mexico or some other remote location, how do you know you’ll enjoy sustainable high quality production throughout the life of your part or product?
September 30, 2019
How To Manage Quality Processes When Using a Contract Manufacturer
September 17, 2019
How Small Design Changes Can Affect Product Development Pricing
You’ve submitted your design, you’ve seen your prototype and… there’s something not quite right. Maybe a curve is deeper than expected, there’s a ridge or dimple where there shouldn’t be. Perhaps it just doesn’t feel the way you expected it to. But it’s a simple fix, right?
August 21, 2019
Mold Flow Analysis Can Save Your Plastic Injection Mold Design
One of the keys to a quality plastic injection molded part is an accurate mold – one that produces consistent pieces time and time again. So how is that accomplished?
December 05, 2018
Are You Ready for the Supply Chain Disruptors?
You wouldn't start out on a road trip without your GPS or a good road map, would you? So why face your future supply chain without an idea of what to expect?
November 14, 2018
Manufacturing Location Considerations: Where to Make My Product?
Have you ever wished for an easy, all-in-one-place guide to the most cost-effective locations for specific manufacturing processes? Maybe you’re thinking, “No, but now that you mention it…” 😊
October 10, 2018
Integrating Supply Chain Technology You Can Use Right Now
Robots delivering everything from diapers to pizza!
Artificial intelligence and augmented reality!
We’ve all read the breathless accounts of the ways technology is going to be integrated into the supply chain — from ordering materials, to manufacturing, to delivery. But many of those predictions of integrating supply...
August 29, 2018
11 Reasons Your First Production Purchase Order is Late
You made it through the RFQ process. Through the tooling, sampling and PPAP review. Now your world-changing product is
– say it with me
– in production. Oh, how good it feels. But don't be too quick to kick off your boots and celebrate. First production orders are notoriously plagued with unexpected delays (mostly minor!) that could throw a...
Overseas manufacturing is challenging enough. Distance, time zones, language barrier, cultural differences. We might as well tack on one more thing to the list: forecasting.
January 18, 2018
How Engineering Support Can Affect Quality Control
Here’s the scenario: You have a part that you’ve been making and selling but you’ve decided to put it out to quote. You send your drawings package and samples of the part to a contract manufacturer that has a reputation for providing quality engineering support. In reviewing the drawings, the project engineer picks up on a small but significant...
January 02, 2018
Sourcing PCBA: Can Your EMS Supplier Do More?
You’re in the market for some printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) for your new product and you need to find the right supplier. You've looked online, gotten recommendations from friends and the choices are dizzying. Should you look domestically or overseas? What do you do now? Sourcing PCBA doesn't have to be difficult, but there are two...
