Since the rolling blackouts in California and the Northeast in the early 2000's, California has lead the way towards energy reduction in consumer products; creating initiatives such as the Energy Star Program for appliances such as refrigerators, heating and cooling systems, and computers.
Original equipment manufacturers whose products include circuit board assemblies have an interesting challenge. Whether you're looking to grow your business or sustain a legacy product line, you must be very detailed about the component inventory you carry and the way you plan for the future. The challenge comes in trying to forecast how many pieces you'll need and when. You need to keep circuit boards on hand for your end product - but how many? By managing your inventory and planning for growth effectively, you can better position yourself for success.
Finding a reliable contract electronic assembler that is qualified to handle your printed circuit board jobs can be a challenge for any business, but when your operation is small or mid-sized, it can feel downright impossible. In order for you to keep up with your production demands, to meet consumer needs and make a profit, you need your PCBs manufactured and returned to you in a timely manner. Unfortunately, if your batch sizes aren't large, you may find that your jobs just don't take priority. But why is this? Why should your orders go on the back burner simply because of their size? Your small jobs matter to you just as much as your high volume work does, but to a high-speed/high-volume CM, this isn’t the case. Because of this, your smaller PCB jobs may be treated as a hassle at best, and an annoyance at worst.
Last week I wrote a blog regarding analytics and why electronic manufacturing companies should be using them. I had recently attended a class called “Deep Dive into Marketing Analytics” and was hooked. Then, just a week or two later, Apple Inc. purchased a social media analytics company called Topsy, making me feel even cooler. I mean, if Apple thinks something is a big deal…it probably is. All jokes aside though, analytics really are something every electronic manufacturing company should be thinking about.
In a company that handles recurring small batch work on printed circuit board assembly, project requirements and specifications can vary a lot. The key to delivering high-quality work in a timely manner is to get the project methodology down to a science. It can't be done without a solid understanding on both sides of the contract: the assembling company must know what the customer needs, and the customer must validate that work undertaken by the company is accurate.
This morning I woke up thinking about analytics. Sounds odd, I know. But, while doing my morning current events browsing, I read that the tech company of all tech companies (Apple) acquired Topsy Labs, a social media analytics company. Apple, an electronic manufacturing company known for its innovative new products, is on to something again. This time it’s not a new iPhone or iPad. Nope, this time it’s analytics.
Most of the electronics manufacturers you'll see around these days are the giants – large batch powerhouses that can serve the largest needs and highest demands. But the market doesn't just consist of jobs with large batch requirements; and a traditional contract manufacturer often doesn't have the infrastructure designed to handle small batches. They may even be resistant to provide small batch services because the overhead is high and the profitability low.
Shops that are set up to handle constant large batch circuit assembly orders don't efficiently fill one-off, intermittent, or recurring small batch orders of custom circuit boards. The space and workforce needed to handle these orders has to either be:
