Front End I News M
arl Manufacturing unveiled a ‘concept to manufacturing’ service last month, for businesses
who need to introduce a technology based product but have no technical skills or resources in-house. The product realisation service is a complete technical product creation and realisation package, and goes beyond the scope of traditional sub- contract manufacturing or electronic manufacturing services (EMS), covering initial electronic design, layout, prototyping and full production. According to Adrian Rawlinson, Managing Director of Marl International, “A great many businesses are finding that their competitive position can be greatly improved by adding an electronic control element or a display user interface to their products, but as their business is non- technical they lack the expertise to turn their idea into a design let alone create a prototype or put it into production. The new Marl Manufacturing service is for them.”
Marl Manufacturing puts tech into non-tech businesses
Explaining the new service Rawlinson said that Marl could literally take a drawing on the back of an envelope and working in partnership with a business work through the steps of turning that idea into a workable design, building a prototype and taking it into production.
“The concept to manufacturing service is aimed at businesses in non-technical sectors such as hobbies and leisure activity, medicine, safety and security,” said Rawlinson. The key strength of Marl Manufacturing is that the entire product realisation process from concept to design to prototype to volume manufacturing is conducted under one roof at its base in Ulverston, England. This creates a strong connection between the different stages of the product realisation process, and provides a unique flexibility to adapt and change if the customer’s needs evolve and develop during the course of a project. Rawlinson explained, “We can offer fast turn-around and competitive pricing on
There’s more to CIE - new website launched
C
IE has launched an entirely new web site that has been designed and built from the
ground up. A new, clean look with strong visuals and uncluttered typography means that the site has been designed to provide greater usability and flexibility for users. Visitors will find it easier to access key online content areas such as circuit components, display technology, semiconductors, power, interconnection and news and industry views and comment and the site will be updated daily. CIE will continue to look at
rolling out new social features and has included Twitter and video in the new site.
Commenting the magazine’s
editor, Neil Tyler, said that the new site “Underwrites our commitment to provide a high quality digital experience across a number of new and engaging platforms for our readers to enjoy. We are also developing an app for CIE which will be going live later in the autumn.”
Along with the new website CIE has also upgraded and relaunched the Distributor Directory website. Offering constant updates and extra linked content the site provides a faster and more effective search facility and has a much easier to use interface.
Visit:
www.cieonline.co.uk and
www.ciedirectory.co.uk
4 September 2012 Components in Electronics
small volumes, but with our sourcing and logistics expertise we can match offshore manufactured price levels on much higher volumes as well. We provide a very competitive and highly professional assembly and manufacturing service based in the UK to our wide base of customers. Our heritage is in lighting products, but a project doesn’t have to have an LED in it for us to be able to manufacture it competitively,” he concluded.
Marl is also able to offer cable assembly, wiring looms and box build services as well as sub-assembly or complete system build including electronic PCB assembly. Design and manufacturing of bespoke housings to
suit the application environment is a particular strength of Marl. The company recently invested £120,000 in tools for prototype and small batch production allowing it to offer a particularly strong service in this area.
Premier Farnell partners with Sony UKTec to manufacture Raspberry Pi in the UK
E
lectronics distributor, Premier Farnell, has agreed a multi-million pound deal with Sony UK Technology
Centre (UKTec) that will see the revolutionary Raspberry Pi computer manufactured in the UK for the first time. The deal is a major coup for manufacturing in the and represents a return home for the innovative British- designed Raspberry Pi, which to date has only been manufactured in China. Utilising Sony UK Technology Centre’s
state of the art lean manufacturing techniques, the site will initially produce over 300,000 units for customers across the world and is expected to create up to 30 new jobs. The product, which has been developed by the non-profit Raspberry Pi Foundation, is a
credit-card sized computer that looks to stimulate young people’s interest in computer programming. Mike Buffham, Global Head of EDE at Premier Farnell commented: “When it came to
reviewing our manufacturing strategy we were always keen to bring the production of the Raspberry Pi to the UK. The Sony brand is known for its quality and to have its broadcast manufacturing site on board and building the Raspberry Pi product, within the UK, is very exciting.
Eben Upton, Co-Founder of the Raspberry Pi Foundation said: “The Raspberry Pi was built to develop young people’s skills in computer programming and electronic engineering; we had always intended and hoped that the Raspberry Pi would also be manufactured within the UK. By bringing the production of a UK product back into the country alongside its development and distribution, we can help support our economy and demonstrate the capabilities the UK has in terms of technological innovation, invention, and manufacturing.”
In the assembly of the Raspberry Pi, Sony UKTec will be investing in additional equipment to fulfil the order requirements, providing flexibility and scalability to cater for potential increases in demand. This will include additional automated circuit board equipment and double side reflow machinery. Furthermore, the site will be extending its manufacturing process capability to include a technique called package-on-package (PoP). This process allows the processor and memory to be stacked on top of each other, reducing the PCB footprint and the distance that high-speed signals need to travel, improving overall reliability. Steve Dalton OBE, Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre, said; “We are now in our 20th year at the Pencoed site and by working with innovative companies like Premier Farnell, we are able to extend our manufacturing services offering and demonstrate our manufacturing capabilities, delivering high-quality technology products for UK companies.”
www.cieonline.co.uk
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