Means Engineering, Inc.

Product development engineering in medical, industrial, semiconductor equipment & military with a standard of excellence in form, function and design.


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(760) 931-9452 | info@meanseng.com
5927 Geiger Court, Carlsbad, CA 92008-7305

Choosing a Contract Manufacturer

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Choosing a Contract Manufacturer

Companies of all shapes and sizes occasionally need help with the design, production, and testing of products. Sometimes, this is only necessary when introducing new products or fulfilling a period of high demand. Other times, companies may choose to outsource their entire product manufacturing in an effort to save time and money.

Contract manufacturers are skilled professionals with the equipment and technology needed to produce a wide range of products. Using a contract manufacturer can help reduce costs and time-to-market. The right contract manufacturer can also help improve product design and the quality of finished products. This increases consumer trust in your brand.

Choosing a contract manufacturer to work with can be a tricky process. While you may have several options, not all will be able to meet the requirements or expectations of your company.

Experience

The contract manufacturer you choose should have experience with a wide range of industries. This ensures the company you work with is well equipped to handle a variety of needs. While you might not foresee your company expanding into other industries or markets in the near future, it’s important not to limit yourself.

Quality Control

Choose a contract manufacturer with a reputation for exceeding expectations for quality. Choosing a contract manufacturer that has taken the time and effort necessary to become ISO certified helps ensure that the products produced are of the highest quality.

Technologies

Technology changes at an alarming rate. It’s crucial that you choose a contract manufacturer that can keep up with these changes. Select a company that offers the latest technologies and techniques. This helps you remain competitive in an ever-changing marketplace.

San Diego County Contract Manufacturer

Means Engineering, Inc. offers contract manufacturing services from our location in Carlsbad, California. Our team of professionals has experience with multiple industries. We are well equipped to handle new product design, production, and testing.

We are an ISO 9001 and AS 9100 certified contract manufacturer. We utilize state-of-the-art technologies and techniques and strive to provide the highest quality products at reasonable rates. Please contact us for more information about our services.

 

Developing an Effective Process for New Product Development

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Developing an Effective Process for New Product Development

New product development is crucial to success in an ever-changing marketplace. New products help businesses reach new clients, expand into new markets and increase trust in their brand. Unfortunately, many companies have difficulty with new product development. These companies are either too optimistic or too aggressive.

With technology constantly evolving, the advantages of new electronic devices are often short lived. Companies wishing to stay afloat must constantly develop new ideas and innovations.

In order to create an effective process for new product development, you need to consider your people, products and process. These factors are crucial to success, even if you outsource your new product development to a contract manufacturer.

Team Members

When it comes to your team, it’s important to determine exactly which team members will be responsible for making important decisions. In order to figure out your team members’ roles, you need to thoroughly evaluate the skills and attitudes of each team member.

Every successful team includes people that are willing to attempt new things and make tough decisions. Each person on your team should have a specific job to do based on his or her individual strengths.

New Product

When deciding whether to add to your existing product line or to take a new direction, you’ll need to take a close look at what works and what does not. Evaluate your portfolio for patterns relating to member satisfaction and ROI.

The Process

You’ll need to develop an efficient process for product approval. It’s also crucial to determine exactly how you’ll measure the success of new products.

Outsourcing New Product Development

Many small businesses have a difficult time with new product development. These companies often do not have the space, people, technology or equipment necessary to produce new products. Small businesses can enlist the help of a contract manufacturer.

An experienced contract manufacturer is able to help with the design, production and testing of new products. They provide valuable expertise to help you locate areas to cut costs and make production more efficient. This helps small businesses keep up with ever-changing technologies.

Why Prototypes Are Necessary to the Design Process

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Why Prototypes Are Necessary to the Design Process

Prototypes provide a usable version of your product for testing and experimenting. This can help you locate errors in design and provide proof of your concept. Prototyping is a crucial part of the design process. Unfortunately, many companies fail to recognize the importance of prototyping.

While sketches and blueprints can provide you with the general feel and texture of your product, prototyping enables you to actually touch and experience it. Occasionally a design will look good on the screen but will fall short during production. Creating a prototype gives you the insight necessary to solve any issues with your product before beginning production.

Benefits of Prototyping

Many companies choose to skip prototyping in order to save time and money on design. However, skipping this step could end up costing you more in the long run.

There are numerous benefits to creating a prototype. Prototyping helps with the collaboration, design and testing of your product.

Communication about needs and wants can easily be misinterpreted. Creating a prototype can save your company time and resources on redesign and production.

Prototyping Saves Time and Money

Creating one prototype of a useless product is far less expensive than producing large quantities of the same product. Prototypes are cheaply made versions that can be tested and experimented with.

Prototypes Help Sell Your Product

Prototypes are essential when pitching your idea. Skeptical clients are far more likely to jump on the opportunity if they are able to see and touch a prototype. Prototypes do not need to be elaborate to be effective. Your company’s needs will determine how detailed your prototype should be.

After creating a prototype, it should be fully tested to locate any potential problems. It’s much easier to deal with these issues when they are caught early in the design process. For the best results, prototyping should occur early and often. This helps keeps your team grounded when making important decisions.

Creating Prototypes

Means Engineering, Inc. offers design, production and testing of a wide range of electronic devices. We have experience with a variety of industries. Our team of professionals can help your company create high quality prototypes. Please contact us for details.

 

 

Top 4 Things to Look For in Contract Manufacturer

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Top 4 Things to Look For in Contract Manufacturer

Both small and mid-size companies sometimes find it difficult to meet the increasing demand of the electronics industry. These businesses often do not have the space, people, technology or equipment to fulfill large orders or produce new products. Instead, they must outsource production to a contract manufacturer.

A contract manufacturer can help with the design, production and testing of electronic products. An experienced contract manufacturer has the proper technology and equipment to complete large and/or difficult orders.

When selecting a contract manufacturer to work with, it’s important to ensure the company you choose can help keep your customers satisfied and your business growing. There are a few things you should look out for when hiring a contract manufacturer. Let’s take a look at the top 4.

Experience

When selecting a contract manufacturer, you will want to make sure that they have the skills and experience necessary to produce your products. They should have experience working with a variety of industries. They should have a reputation for providing consistent, high quality products. Highly trained individuals should operate the company and demand the same level of excellence from their staff.

Flexibility

The needs of your business can change. While you might only require assistance with the production of products in high demand now, you might need help with new product development later. The best contract manufacturers will offer a variety of services on an as-needed basis.

Up-to-date Technology

In order to remain competitive in the electronics industry, you need to be able to provide cutting-edge products. Choose a contract manufacturer who stays up-to-date with techniques, technology, industry standards and equipment.

Quality Control

The quality of your products says a lot about your business. High quality products increase consumer trust in your brand. It’s crucial to work with a contract manufacturer with a comprehensive Quality Management System. This helps ensure the reliability and quality of products produced.

Means Engineering, Inc. offers high quality contract manufacturing services to a variety of industries. We offer a wide range of services including design, production and testing. We are an ISO 9001 and AS 9100 certified Southern California contract manufacturer.

 

 

 

 

New Product Development

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New Product Development

New product development is a complex process involving multiple steps. Developing new electronic products requires a lot of time, experience, equipment, knowledge and technology. As such, it is often difficult for small businesses and start-ups to create new products. The following tips can help simplify the process.

Schematic Circuit Design

In order to create a printed circuit board (PCB), you must first produce a schematic circuit design. This provides the blueprint for your PCB. Designing a schematic circuit requires extensive knowledge of electronic devices.

It can helpful to have a second set of eyes look over the plans to see if there are any ways to improve the design or reduce the cost of development.

Printed Circuit Board Design

The next step involves the creation of a PCB layout. It is extremely easy to make errors during this process. Any mistakes made with power or RF circuits can negatively affect the performance of the finished product. Before beginning the PCB layout process, you will need to find out the specifications required by your PCB manufacturer.

Although a portion of the board might be automatically routed, most boards will still require some amount of manual routing. The software used to design the PCB should tell you whether or not your design matches the schematic.

Testing the Prototype

After receiving the first prototype, it will need to be tested and debugged. Issues are extremely common, yet difficult to predict. It’s impossible to know how long it will take to debug the prototype until it has been created and tested for defects.

Programming the Microcontroller

Most modern day electronics are equipped with a microcontroller. The microcontroller is crucial to the operation of these electronic devices. After debugging the PCB prototype, the microcontroller must be programmed. Someone with knowledge of computer language should be in charge of this step.

3D Modeling

3D modeling helps your product stand out from the competition. A 3D modeling expert can help make your product look good. Make sure that you work with someone that has experience with injection technology.

Creating new products is a complex process. A qualified contract manufacturer can help. Contract manufacturers provide a second set of eyes for your project. They can help with all aspects of new product creation from design and manufacture to testing.

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT US

MEI features depth of experience in medical, industrial, semiconductor equipment and military products. All product development efforts start with a unique set of requirements, yet we deliver results that share a common standard of excellence in form, function and design.

Our turn-key capabilities provide smart, simple solutions to cumbersome outsourcing issues, and provide our clients with an intelligent route from concept to market.

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