carlsbad Archives - Means Engineering, Inc.

New Product Introductions (NPI)

May 24, 2019 By cscheafer

The NPI process is one of the most important parts of contract manufacturing. This is especially true for contract manufacturers responsible for the creation of electronic products and components.

It’s important to ask about NPI processes when choosing a CM to work with. The company you choose should have robust processes in place. They should take care to ensure every product is introduced into their manufacturing operation in a tightly controlled manner.

Visibility

Contract manufacturers often have several different projects going at once. It’s important that the CM you work with has a way to alert the engineering team of new builds. Ideally, the engineering team should receive a report detailing the customer name, batch quantity, part number, work order number, customer request date, order acknowledgement date, and the name of the customer’s account manager. Once the engineering team has the report, they can create an NPI number for the order.

Data Verification

While it’s not uncommon for additional data to come after the original request for quote, this can lead to problems with production. Before beginning any work on the project, the engineering team must first verify that they have all data and equipment needed to complete the first build.

Batch Size

Prior to production, the CM must determine how many products to produce. While it can be tempting to run the entire batch quantity on the first run, this is never a good idea. Running a smaller quantity allows CMs to catch potential problems with the product prior to volume manufacturing. This can save a considerable amount of time and effort in the future.

Assembly

It’s important that the NPI engineer oversees all parts of production including testing. The notes they keep throughout this process can be used to improve the quality of the next batch.

New Products

It’s important to note that the NPI process shouldn’t be limited to brand new products. It should also apply to products that are essentially new to the CM, meaning they’ve never worked on them before.

Means Engineering, Inc. provides a variety of contract manufacturing services. Our team works directly with you throughout the NPI process. Please contact us for more information about our comprehensive services.

How Outsourcing Can Give You a Competitive Edge

May 3, 2019 By cscheafer

Working with a contract manufacturer is an excellent way to cut costs on production. However, this shouldn’t be your only focus. The right contract manufacturer can provide your company with the competitive edge you need to excel in your industry. There are numerous benefits to outsourcing if you’re able to properly leverage the value of your manufacturing partner.

Free Up Resources

Companies spend a significant amount of time and money producing new products. Outsourcing part or all of your production helps free up your resources. This allows you to focus on what really matters; growing your business.

Improve Time to Market

Thanks to advances in technology, consumers expect new products at an alarming rate. Many companies find it difficult to meet consumer demand. Outsourcing increases operational efficiency and reduces the time it takes to bring new products to market. This allows you to react faster to consumer demand, putting you ahead of your competition and increasing consumer trust and loyalty in your brand.

Improve Quality

Quality is extremely important to consumers today. Outsourcing helps improve the quality of finished products. During the design process, a contract manufacturer can help locate areas of your design that could benefit from improvement. This further reduces the cost of production and results in a better quality product. Your contract manufacturer will fully test all components throughout production to ensure their proper operation.

Expand Into New Markets

A quality contract manufacturer has years of experience working with several different industries. This provides you with access to the right tools, resources, technology, and knowledge to expand into new markets.

Final Thoughts

Outsourcing can provide your business with numerous benefits. In addition to cutting costs, the right contract manufacturer can help your business improve its chance of success. This is especially important in today’s competitive world.

Means Engineering, Inc. has years of experience working with a wide range of industries to provide a variety of services. From design to production, our team is well prepared to help your business succeed. Please contact us for more information about our contract manufacturing services.

Top Myths About Working With a Contract Manufacturer

March 29, 2019 By cscheafer

The right contract manufacturer can help your business grow and expand into new markets. A CM acts as your partner, providing a number of services designed to compliment your business and improve customer satisfaction with your brand. Unfortunately, many people go into this partnership with unrealistic expectations. This is due in part to the large number of myths about working with a contract manufacturer. We have listed the top three myths and why you shouldn’t believe what you hear. This is important if you want a successful relationship with your CM.

Always Go With the Lowest Quote

While you might think that selecting the contract manufacturer with the lowest cost per unit is the obvious choice, this isn’t always the case. It’s important to find a contract manufacturer that provides consistent, quality results. They should employ a team of professionals able to create a wide range of products for a variety of industries. This is important if you wish to expand into new markets in the future.

It’s also important to note that the price per unit only captures about 70-80% of the cost of production. Several CMs will add various fees and charges to the final number. Select a contract manufacturer that is up front about the total cost of production. This can save you a considerable amount of trouble later.

Never Work With a Contract Manufacturer That Builds for Your Competition

It’s important that OEMs find the most capable and compatible contract manufacturer to work with. Often times, this will be the same CM their competition uses.

R&D Can Handle Production

Managing manufacturing and the supply chain requires the skill and experience of professionals. Although companies often try to include manufacturing under development, this usually doesn’t pan out well. Companies that attempt to handle everything in-house without the management tools and experience needed rarely succeed.

Means Engineering provides contract manufacturing services for businesses both large and small. Our services include design, production, and testing of a wide range of products. We employ a team of skilled professionals, each experts in their field. Please contact us if you would like more information about our services.

Is it Time for Your Business to Use a Contract Manufacturer?

March 22, 2019 By cscheafer

Every business owner has the dream of creating the perfect product. However, making this dream a reality is often much harder than believed. Taking an idea from prototype to production can take years of expensive trial and error for companies that attempt to handle the manufacturing themselves.

Sometimes companies find they simply do not have the people or resources needed to keep up with demand. This is especially true for organizations responsible for the creation of electronic parts and components.

For most businesses, giving up simply isn’t an option. These businesses can benefit significantly from enlisting the help of a qualified contract manufacturer.

Experienced contract manufacturers have the tools, equipment, and knowledge needed to create high quality products. These companies often have years of experience and employ industry experts, each prepared to provide their assistance if the project requires. Contract manufacturers take extra care to ensure products are completed to exact specifications and requirements. When involved in the design process, they can even suggest ways to reduce costs and increase the quality of the finished project.

There are a few things you’ll need to consider before seeking the help of a contract manufacturer:

Will People Buy Your Product?

Perform market research or ask people through social media whether they would be interested in your product. This can help ensure you create something consumers actually want. Consider asking your contract manufacturer what they think of your product. Accept their suggestions for adding or removing features to improve the functionality of your product. Remember, these are industry experts with years of experience.

Design Improvements

Even if you’re absolutely sure your audience will want your product, it’s always a good idea to have your contract manufacturer look over your design plans. As mentioned before, an experienced contract manufacturer will know how to make improvements that could end up saving you a lot of time, money, and hassle in the future.

Choose a Partner Over a Provider

The right contract manufacturer will ensure a long-lasting relationship with their clients. This is mutually beneficial for both parties. Select a contract manufacturer that can help your business grow and expand over time.

Cyber Attack Awareness – What you Need to Know

March 8, 2019 By cscheafer

Cyber-attacks are on the rise. Attacks are becoming more sophisticated putting organizations of all shapes and sizes at risk. It’s important that organizations learn all they can about the risks of cyber-attacks and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Several industries have implemented rules and regulations to help address the rise of cyber-attacks. These regulations aim to increase the security of electronic devices to prevent attackers from gaining access to sensitive information. This is especially important for organizations creating products for the defense and medical industries.

Companies that produce products for the military must take care to ensure that products comply with the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and other compliance standards. Organizations that do not ensure compliance of all of the products and components face multi-million dollar fines and possible jail time.

Ensuring ITAR Compliance

Any company that manufactures, sells or distributes goods or services covered under the United States Munitions List (USML) must be registered with the State Department’s Directorate of Defense trade Controls (DDTC). These companies must understand and abide by the ITAR as it applies to their USML linked goods or services.

Unfortunately, many businesses fail to meet compliance with the ITAR. This is often due to the fact that ITAR is full of complications that make it easy for companies to make mistakes.

It’s important that organizations take the time necessary to ensure proper licensing of all of the products they produce. These organizations need to invest in training someone in-house to handle the complex compliance process.

Partnering With an Experienced Contract Manufacturer

Organizations that do not have the time, knowledge, or resources needed to ensure compliance can benefit from partnering with an experienced contract manufacturer.

Contract manufacturers understand complex regulation requirements. They have the people and processes in place to ensure compliance with a number of industry standards. Means Engineering has extensive experience designing and producing parts and products for the defense industry. Our team ensures compliance with ITAR and other industry regulations. This protects your company from costly fines, and protects users from cyber-attacks.