FEATURE DISTRIBUTION Re-defining the levels of engagement
Debbie Rowland, Director at Charcroft Electronics investigates the ways in which specialist distribution is taking on roles which have traditionally been handled by manufacturers or customers
M
any of the specialist distributors, which were once the backbone of the
electronics industry, have been absorbed by the expansion of the global broadline distributors. But the few specialists that have remained independent are using their expertise and focus to re-define the level of engagement with their franchised manufacturers and with their OEM customers. A key indicator of this new level of partnership is the introduction of Designated Product Specialists (DPS) and Designated Supplier Quality Representatives (DSQRs). In both of these roles, specialist distribution is taking on responsibilities which have traditionally been fulfilled by either the component manufacturer or the OEM customer. A Designated Product Specialist, for
example, combines the conventional role of a distributor’s Field Application Engineer (FAE) with that of the component manufacturers’ Technical Representative. In effect, the product specialist is trained, by the manufacturer, to the same level as the manufacturer’s own engineers. This means that the product specialist can make product recommendations without the need for a joint visit and without referring back to the manufacturer. Similarly, the Designated Supplier Quality Representative is a named individual, employed by the distributor, but given the responsibility to undertake a full Quality Assurance check and sign-off each shipment of components before they are released to the OEM customer.
SHORTENING THE COMPONENT SELECTION PROCESS By placing technical support and component selection decisions with the distributor’s product specialist the manufacturer effectively shortens the design-in process. The typical design-in process for a thermostat demonstrates how this works in the real world.
Even on a standard thermostat, the multiple
design options can mean that the part number often has to be factory-assigned. Defining the specification of the thermostat and assigning a factory part number can often be a complex and time-consuming process which relies on direct input from the manufacturer’s technical team. A good example of this is the Klixon 4344
series of precision half-inch thermostats. These thermostats have a single pole, single throw, snap-action bi-metal switch in a
12 SEPTEMBER 2015 | ELECTRONICS
ungrounded cup for pilot applications. The leads and terminal finishes add to the complexity with options for a standard copper-nickel plating and silver contacts, or resistive gold contacts for low-wattage applications. Even the lead connections can be specified as heat-resistant rubber, neoprene, silicon rubber or Teflon and the whole custom-configured thermostat can be housed in a probe, strap-mount device or in an immersion package. Covering all of these options, and more,
directly with the distributor’s product specialist can streamline the design-in process by eliminating the need to consult the manufacturer and to wait for the manufacturer to assign a part number.
hermetically-sealed, glass-to-metal package. The design choices typically start with the switch configuration of normally open, for fan-based applications, or normally closed to turn-off the power to a product when it reaches its upper temperature limit. These are the easy decisions, but then, the choices become more complex, particularly when an application pushes a thermostat to or beyond its conventional performance limits. There is the re-set temperature to determine when the switch reverts to its normal open or closed state and also the electrical rating. Here the options would be a 720VA, 110-
600VAC device with a ‘break but not make’ ungrounded cup for motor or generator control circuits in hazardous applications; a 360VA, 600VAC thermostat with a ‘make and break’ ungrounded cup for general-purpose applications; or a 125VA, 24-240VAC ‘make and break’, grounded or
Figure 1:
Silicone rubber overmoulds protect thermostats from harsh conditions
KEEPING PRODUCTION LINES MOVING Just as the product specialist can help to reduce time at the beginning of the design-to-manufacturing process, the Designated Supplier Quality Representative is tasked with ensuring fault-free deliveries to keep the production lines moving. The named quality representative takes
Figure 2:
Specialist advice shortens the configuration and part building process
on many of the tasks traditionally covered by an OEM’s goods-in and Quality Assessment (QA) team. He or she checks that every detail of the delivery documents is correct and identical on the paperwork from the component manufacturer to the distributor and from the distributor to the OEM or CEM customer. This means physically checking the parts and also the part numbers, product descriptions, batch numbers, date codes and other vital information such as release documents or customer-specific part numbers. This attention to detail means that the quality representative can highlight and get the OEM’s agreement on any discrepancies before the goods are dispatched. The quality representative relies on comprehensive knowledge of the products and the OEM’s bills-of-materials to ensure continuity of supply and to act as an extension of the OEM’s procurement and QA team within the distributor. Both of these new roles enable specialist distribution to provide a shorter and more streamlined process, from design-in to despatch of the components. The critical factor in each of these new roles is the need for the specialists to have the highest levels of customer knowledge, product knowledge and authority. This ensures that they can make crucial decisions on behalf of their franchised manufacturers and their OEM customers.
Charcroft Electronics
www.charcroft.com 01591 610 408
/ ELECTRONICS
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