Page 30
www.us-
tech.com
December, 2014
Finding the Right Manufacturer for Your Design
By Nancy Viter and Rocky Catt, Sunstone Circuits, Mulino, OR D
esign engineers should be pre- pared to choose the most capa- ble manufacturer-one that can
deliver the right solution for each project. Each printed-circuit-board (PCB) design brings unique chal- lenges and no one manufacturer will be the right fit for every design. PCB manufacturers should be evaluated for their different strengths and weaknesses to find the best fit for a particular design. The search for a most suitable
PCB manufacturer should begin with open, two-way communications with potential manufacturers. Circuit de- signs vary in complexity, as do pro- duction volumes and schedules. Re- gardless of what the top priority is for a given design, a suitable manu- facturing partner should be available for consultation at every stage of pro- duction. A good manufacturer will re- spect a designer’s expertise but not be afraid to identify design pitfalls. Access to a manufacturer is an
essential part of two-way communi- cations. Good communications can- not exist without round-the-clock ac- cess to a fabricator. Although many fabricators promote their 24-hour- per-day, 7-days-per-week (24/7) availability, few actually provide it. As Jim Donnett of the Bio-Signal
The ability to deliver high-quality circuit boards is essential.
ufacturing partner with people man- ning the phone at 1 a.m..-experts who can actually respond to my needs.” The amount of access is a clear indicator of a manufacturer’s
ble of determining if a manufacturer offers the right production capabili- ties for a specific design. Most de- signers will prioritize their require- ments according to basic categories:
Group notes: “I used to never expect replies from U. S. West Coast compa- nies until after I shut shown on this side of the world. Now, I have a man-
commitment to delivering value. Once communication between a
designer and manufacturer has been established, a designer is more capa-
l Service l Speed
l Quality, Innovation, and Scalability l
Price Setting priorities can some-
times prove difficult. Every aspect of production should be considered as part of the decision-making process. The service provided by a manu-
facturer will impact every element of production. Learning more about a manufacturer’s commitment to quali- ty service is a matter of performing some straightforward research about how that manufacturer conducts its business. Such research involves in- vestigating how a manufacturer han- dles guarantees, testimonials, and col- leagues. For example, does the manu- facturer offer guarantees of service de- livery or call-back windows? Are the manufacturer’s customers publicly en- dorsing the manufacturer in forums, social media, or website testimonials? And what are other designers saying about a manufacturer in question? Such simple research can provide an invaluable perspective on a particular manufacturer. Great service can mean better
technology solutions. Design errors and production holds and delays can result from the process of converting Continued on next page
Page 2
Abreath offresh air in gross leak testing
No more helium, fluorocarbons, or radioactive gases. Norcom 410 finds gross leaks fast with air pressure alone.
Fast, simple, clean and safe, the NorCom 410 is the all-electronic alternative to bubble leak testing. In seconds, it accurately detects open packages and gross leaks. In minutes, it reports actual leak rates. All without consumables, radioactive gases, or pollutants.
Call for a demonstration on your metal, ceramic, silcone, or glass-lidded devices and discover a fresh approach to leak testing.
610-592-0167
www.norcomsystemsinc.com
1055West Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 19403 USA
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80