Means Engineering, Inc.

Product development engineering in medical, industrial, semiconductor equipment & military with a standard of excellence in form, function and design.

(760) 931-9452 | info@meanseng.com
5927 Geiger Court, Carlsbad, CA 92008-7305

Outsourcing Custom Electronics

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Custom electronic projects take a lot of special consideration. When outsourcing these projects, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your needs up front. These needs must be communicated with your contract manufacturer to ensure the project’s proper completion. It’s important to consider the following prior to outsourcing.

Volume Requirements

Storing massive amounts of inventory is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the fastest ways to lose money. Outsourcing allows you to create smaller batches of custom electronics. This costs significantly less than producing small batches in house or producing large quantities to store.

Discuss your volume requirements with your contract manufacturer. This lets them know what to expect now and in the future. An experienced CM can provide you with suggestions on the best way to move forward.

Budget

Producing custom electronics takes a lot of space, people, equipment, and technology. In order to produce high quality custom electronics, you’ll need to consider the skills and expertise of your staff. If you feel that you have what it takes to produce these products on budget in-house, then this is probably the best option. However, outsourcing is the better choice if you think you’ll need to acquire more people or equipment to complete the project.

Time

Partnering with an experienced contract manufacturer can reduce the time it takes to complete your project. However, it might also cause delays moving product from one place to the next. It’s important to speak with your contract manufacturer about expected deadlines. Once you have a better understanding about how long the project will take, you need to compare it with the length of time it will take to produce the same custom electronics in-house.

Quality Control

Many small businesses do not put enough thought into quality control. This can cause a major problem, especially if electronic parts or components will be used in dangerous or demanding situations. Working with an ISO certified contract manufacturer helps ensure that products meet strict requirements for quality and reliability. These contract manufacturers have taken all necessary steps to ensure the quality and consistency of every product produced.

Outsourcing Your Custom Electronics Project

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Outsourcing Your Custom Electronics Project

Any new project can create concerns. This is especially true for those involving the creation of custom electronics. An experienced contract manufacturer can help with the design, production, and testing of a variety of electronics.

Outsourcing can be an effective way to increase the quality of products produced, save money, and reduce time-to-market. The decision to outsource will be dependent on the unique requirements of each project. The following considerations should be taken into account.

Volume

If you only need to produce a small quantity, it might be more cost-effective to outsource production. Producing products in-house requires a significant amount of space, money, and other resources. An experienced contract manufacturer can help you produce the exact quantity you need, saving you the hassle of having to store large amounts of inventory.

Budget

Budget plays a big role in the decision to outsource. In order to determine whether outsourcing is right for your particular situation, you need to consider both your budget and expertise. If your team has the experience necessary to complete the project within budget, it might be a good option to keep production in-house. However, if the project is outside your level of expertise, and the budget is going to restrict your process, outsourcing is probably your best option. Outsourcing is an excellent way to make the most of both your budget and your customer’s.

Timeframe

The right partner can help reduce the time it takes for your products to reach consumers. It’s crucial that you make sure that the contract manufacturer you choose is able to complete the project in the timeframe you require.

Quality Control

Quality is extremely important to the success of any project. Outsourcing can help increase the overall quality and consistency of products produced. For the best results, check that the contract manufacturer you choose is ISO certified.

Anticipate Changes

As your company grows, so will your needs. Choose a partner that has experience with a wide range of industries. Ensure that they are able to produce a variety of products. This way, you’ll be well prepared for any changes your company experiences in the future.

 

 

ABOUT US

MEI features depth of experience in medical, industrial, semiconductor equipment and military products. All product development efforts start with a unique set of requirements, yet we deliver results that share a common standard of excellence in form, function and design.

Our turn-key capabilities provide smart, simple solutions to cumbersome outsourcing issues, and provide our clients with an intelligent route from concept to market.

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