CEM
Taking ResponsibiliTy foR TomoRRow
Reliability and warranty issues increasingly fall to the CEM, which is why STI has boosted its test and analysis capabilities. Vice president of engineering services,MarkMcMeen, explains
Contract electronicsmanufacturers (CEM) of the future will be one stop solution providers according to STI Electronics, catering for all things required to design, build, warranty and deliver a complete electronic assembly.
The days of 'build to print' sub-
assemblies are diminishing with the new demands placed on CEMs. Now the expectation is for a CEMto build complete electronics assemblies, tested and boxed,manufactured to meet performance specifications, reliability expectations and perform within set warranty periods.
These new demands on CEMs
require a new businessmodel based on maintaining tremendous flexibility. CEMsmust also bemore sophisticated with in-house capabilities and staff in the following areas: design engineering, component engineering, failure analysis, reliability testing, test engineering and in-house training for industry- specific and customspecifications. STI has beenmorphing itself to fulfil these capabilities over the last six years as customer demands for high-reliability complete box built electronics assemblies becomemore frequent.
Reliability as standard
Customers are increasingly pushing design and reliability expectations down to the CEMas well as warranty period expectations and objectives. Thismeans CEMs must have expertise in the design and engineering disciplines that were previouslymanaged by customers’ in-house staff. STI embraces the one stop solution provider philosophy and as customers’ demands increase for these services, CEMsmust follow suit, creating the necessary resources tomeet these requirements.
In order to survive in today’smarket, CEMs will hire in-house
design and component experts capable of testing and validating warranty expectations and reliability objectives alongside traditionalmanufacturing tasks. STI will continue to invest in design and component engineering, analytical lab services and reliability lab services such as environmental and thermal testing.
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STI alsomaintains three classrooms equipped for lecture, hands-on assembly and solder training, as well as full rework and repair capabilities. These are used to train in-house personnel as well as outside customers around the world.
Manufacturing labs andmicroelectronic
Manufacturing labs andmicroelectronic cleanroomcapabilities are amust for CEMs of the future
cleanroomcapabilities are amust for CEMs of the future who will follow the miniaturization of electronics assemblies. Manufacturing electronic densities are shrinking and the demand to integrate 0201 and chip scale packages and bumped die and wire bonded die on the same assembly are pushing the CEMof the future to ultra-dense electronics assemblies and products.
Home-grown success
STI continues to invest inmanufacturing technology
These newdemands and expectations are driving a resurgence in American contractmanufacturing. STI has invested in people, equipment and facilities to be at the forefront of this business shift to one stop one solution contractmanufacturing. The future is bright in contract electronics manufacturing for thosewho embrace change and arewilling tomorph themselves into solution providers that add valuewith services and expertise to ensure productsmeet
end use expectations. The downward push of responsibilities to CEMs will only
continue to grow as companies streamline their organizations and outsource design formanufacturability and testability, warranty and reliability expectations and sourcing and logistical delivery systems. This change is a plus for the customer’s profitability, but mishandled, it could be a tremendous burden for the CEMtrying to fulfil these additional requirements without planning. STI has invested time, energy and resources in order to be considered a serious contender in today’smarket as a partner CEMfor its customers today and in the future.
www.stielectronics.com www.electronics-sourcing.com
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