Offshoring to China is now more expensive than building in the United States (for the United States). Using objective 3rd party databases and actual prices we demonstrate why building "in region for region" is now the hottest trend in outsourcing.
When a PCB is thin, small, oddly shaped, or requires SMT components near its edges, chances are these kinds of boards won’t fit properly into your pick-and-place, reflow oven, or automated inspection machines. That's why many manufacturing engineers use fixtures to secure and support these kinds of PCBs. But the cost of fixtures can add up. A new, custom fixture must ordered for every new design, and there’s usually a 3-4 day wait for it arrive. It ends up costing more for the customer, without adding significant value to the end product.
For small to medium size CMs, the cost of RoHS compliance can be high—5.2% of annual revenue, by some estimates. This figure factors in the cost of higher priced materials (solder paste and laminates), higher cost of manufacturing, increased administration and testing, as well as a lengthier exemption process. But a growing number of CMs are now learning how to manage those costs and, in some cases, reduce it.
Supplier Management starts with cultivating a relationship with your suppliers that will strengthen both businesses and create mutual profits. In 1 minute, here are 5 keys to consider for creating a prosperous business relationship between you and your suppliers.
Purchasing extra components to keep surface mount technology (SMT) production lines running is the main focus of attrition. During SMT manufacturing some components will be lost. Attrition ensures that the contract manufacturer has enough usable components to complete the job without costly machine stoppages.
According to the University of Arizona, Tucson, cost analysis is also called cost/benefit analysis, cost effectiveness, as well as other terms, depending on who is writing about it. It is no wonder some question, "Why haven’t I ever heard of should cost analysis?" Probably the number one reason someone is not familiar with this analysis is because too few companies avail themselves of the tool. Should cost analysis is a teacher and revealer of unseen things.
There's an old saying, Price, Quality, Speed: you can have two. If you want the best price and best quality, it will take longer. If you want the best quality and you want it fast, expect to pay a premium. And if you want the best price delivered fast, expect quality to suffer. Here's a look at these three common situations.
US manufacturers lose an estimated $450 billion annually to excess inventory. The best way to reduce inventory write downs is preventing excess in the first place. Here are three tips to help you avoid and deal with excess inventory.
Everyone talks about systems, but how relevant are they to helping you actually cut cost? Here are some software-driven systems to look for when choosing a contract manufacturer.
