electronics Archives - Means Engineering, Inc.

Grow Your Business with Contract Manufacturing Services

November 27, 2020 By meiadmin

Businesses today face tough competition. In addition to keeping up with technological advancements and improvements, businesses must bring new products to market faster. Organizations wishing to remain competitive need to continuously locate ways to reduce costs and production time. Businesses often find this extremely difficult, especially during periods of economic downturn.

Outsourcing enables businesses to produce products faster and at a lower price than possible with in-house production. Utilizing the help of an experienced contract manufacturer provides access to the people, equipment, and technology needed to produce a wide range of products. These individuals often have years of experience and know how to produce high quality products quickly and efficiently.

What is Contract Manufacturing?

Contract manufacturing is a form of outsourcing between a manufacturing firm and a hiring company. The hiring company contracts with the manufacturing firm to produce parts and/or complete products. Depending on the needs of the hiring company, contract manufacturers might handle many different parts of product development and production including:

Product Design
Prototyping
CNC Machining
Tooling
Production

Benefits of Contract Manufacturing

In addition to improved quality and reduced time to market, contract manufacturing services eliminate many of the costs associated with in-house production. Hiring a CM reduces the amount of capital spent on the maintenance and operating costs of equipment and machinery. It also reduces the costs associated with hiring, salaries, wages, HR, and benefits.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of outsourcing is that it provides the hiring company with access to the people, equipment, and technology needed to ensure the production of high-quality parts and products.

What Types of Businesses Hire Contract Manufacturers?

Although most people assume only large companies hire contract manufacturers, nothing could be further from the truth. Many entrepreneurs and start-ups utilize contract manufacturing to bring new products to market.

Larger companies utilize contract manufacturing to fulfill periods of high demand and to test out new markets. Hiring a CM allows organizations to discover the profitability of new products, without having to invest the time and money into producing new products in house.

California Contract Manufacturer

Means Engineering offers contract manufacturing services to businesses across a wide range of industries. Our services reduce costs and time to market. Our team understands the unique challenges faced by organizations today. We work directly with each of our clients to ensure a mutually beneficial and long lasting relationship.

Please contact us for more information about our contract manufacturing services.

IOT Devices in the Defense Industry

November 16, 2018 By meiadmin

New technology is changing the way that people live and work. Consumers today expect more features and options than ever before. As consumer demand grows, connectivity is becoming more common in everyday devices.

Connectivity allows objects to connect to the Internet. These objects can include everything from smart home devices such as thermostats and security systems, to devices used in the medical and defense industries. As the Internet of Things (IOT) continues to grow and encompasses more of our lives, it’s becoming even more important for companies to provide their customers with smart devices.

Innovation in the Defense Industry

In the defense industry, the IOT presents great promise. Internet-connected devices provide access to real-time data, which can be used to make smart, data-driven decisions. The defense industry is already utilizing IOT technology to track performance, logistics, and unmanned systems.

Currently, industrial and commercial interests are leading the way for IOT deployments. However, the defense industry isn’t far behind. The search for new ideas and deployment opportunities is gaining momentum everyday and it won’t be long before smart devices and IOT technology is used throughout the military.

Those experimenting with IOT technology have experienced much success. Unfortunately, connecting to the Internet isn’t as easy on the battlefield as it is for the general public. Wireless battlefields must bring their networks with them. This takes a considerable amount of time and effort. Government agencies must also meet strict requirements for the handling and security of data. This presents a unique challenge when it comes to the use of IOT devices in the defense industry.

The creation of products for the defense industry is extremely complex. This is especially true for products with connectivity. The proper and reliable operation of devices used by the military is crucial to the safety of every American. This is why devices created for the defense industry must meet strict Government requirements for quality.

The creation of smart devices will become more important over the next few years as the defense industry dives deeper into the possibilities of the IOT. When this occurs, qualified device manufacturers will be in high demand. It’s important that companies prepare.

Contract Manufacturers Support Innovation

September 14, 2018 By meiadmin

In the past, contract manufacturing was thought of as a way to save money. While this is still true, a quality contract manufacturer is now able to offer so much more. Contract manufacturers today are relied on by many industries to support growth by bringing innovation, new technology, and a new approach.

Quality contract manufacturers have years of experience designing and creating a wide range of products. In order to meet demand, they must ensure that they are up to date with all of the latest technologies and techniques. This puts them in the best possible position to support innovation.

Until recently, contract manufacturers were chosen based on their ability to reduce costs and time to market. Now, the responsibilities of contract manufacturers are much more diverse. Contract manufacturers today are commonly used to help companies in competitive industries design and produce a wide range of products.

Producing High Quality Devices

In order to be successful, electronic devices must have more options and more features than ever before. This is especially true for devices made for the aerospace and medical industries. These products must meet extremely strict requirements for both quality and accuracy. Many manufacturers simply do not have the tools and resources needed to produce and test products for these industries. This is where a contract manufacturer can help.

Contract manufacturers provide the design, production, and testing of a wide range of products. They are often experts in their field, with access to some of the most advanced technologies available today.

Producing High Quality Products

Contract manufacturers are under more scrutiny than ever before. Companies want to know that their partner is following strict standards for quality and assurance. This is especially true for organizations in the medical or defense industries.

It’s important to ensure that the company you work with is qualified to handle the level of service you require. Contract manufacturers that are ISO certified have proven that they are committed to quality. This type of certification takes a high level of dedication to achieve.

Means Engineering Inc. offers high quality design, production, and testing of a wide range of products. Our team is well prepared to work with your company to help you excel and reach new markets.

What is Reverse Engineering?

September 7, 2018 By meiadmin

Reverse engineering involves taking apart an object to see how it works. This is typically done to recreate or improve a product. Reverse engineering can also be used to help determine patent infringement or when service documentation has been lost or is no longer available.

During reverse engineering, products are disassembled to determine the system’s components and the way they interact. The information gained through this process can be used to help manufacturers recreate or improve a specific product. This can be especially beneficial when design documentation is needed or when a manufacturer no longer produces a certain product.

Locate Issues With Existing Products

Sometimes reverse engineering is used to determine issues with an original design. For example, excessive wear could indicate potential problems. These issues aren’t typically visible without taking the object apart.

Reverse engineering can be used to help companies determine what works and what does not. Thorough analysis of an existing or a competitor’s product provides the tools needed to improve product design and create better products. This type of service can be crucial to a company’s continued success, especially in competitive industries such as consumer electronics and medical devices.

Part Replacement

Reverse engineering can be useful when OEMs refuse to provide replacement parts for a specific product. It can also help manufacturers update parts or replace old technology with newer, more readily available options. Specific parts, measurements, materials, and product specifications are captured through the process. The information collected can be used to develop new parts or locate areas that could benefit from improvement.

Reverse engineering has been used by numerous industries for a number of years. Today, reverse engineering is commonly used in software engineering, automotive, consumer products, microchips, chemicals, electronics, and mechanical design.

Reverse Engineering Services

Means Engineering Inc. has years of experience designing and creating products for a variety of industries. We are committed to providing companies with the tools needed for growth and success. This is why we provide ethical reverse engineering of a variety of electronics. Our services can been used to help companies recreate and improve a variety of devices.

Technology is Changing the Way Consumers Shop

August 31, 2018 By meiadmin

From cell phones to smart homes, technology has quickly become a part of our everyday lives. Technology changes at an alarming rate. Newer technologies are also changing the way that people connect, make decisions, and shop.

Instant Access

Consumers today have instant have access to a wide range of information. Prior to making a purchase, most consumers will search for reviews online. These can be found on social media websites, on the websites of retailers, and on business listings like those found on Google or Yelp. Everything a consumer needs to know about how other people feel about a product can quickly be found online. With more people purchasing and carrying smart phones, this information is always just a click away.

In addition to product information and reviews, consumers can also locate numerous retailers online as well. When searching for a specific product, consumers can easily compare prices across multiple businesses. This helps level the playing field for smaller and mid-size companies.

Options

Newer technologies make it possible for companies to offer more features and options than ever before. When creating new products, it’s important to consider the needs of your target audience. Being able to accurately predict these needs can help set your company apart from the competition.

Market research is an important part of new product creation. Common market research efforts include surveys, focus groups, and questionnaires. The information collected by these efforts provides valuable information about your consumers that can be used to improve your products and the service you are able to provide.

Consumer Expectations

As more businesses offer their products for sale online, consumer expectations rise. Consumers today expect faster shipping times, and more options regarding returns and exchanges. Competition is extremely fierce. From seamless ordering to shipping options, companies that wish to remain profitable must deliver a superior customer experience.

In the same way that technology helps customers find your products, it also provides an effective way to communicate. Online reviews, social media websites, and blog comments provide information about your consumers needs and allow you to instantly address any questions or concerns.