AS 9100 Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Means Engineering, Inc.

Working at Means Engineering

May 1, 2020 By meiadmin

At Means Engineering, we believe our corporate culture is just as important as our design and build capabilities. That’s why we encourage each and every member of our team to take an active role in every project. In addition to ensuring team members have everything they need to complete projects in a timely and efficient manner, we strive to foster a friendly environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

You won’t find a drab factory floor when visiting our location in Carlsbad, California. Instead, you’ll find a bright and positive environment where everyone works together to complete projects as a team.

Technology

At Means Engineering, our leaders understand the importance of providing team members with the right tools to complete projects. We provide our team with access to the latest technology, machinery, and equipment. In addition to reducing the amount of steps needed to complete important tasks, providing our team with up-to-date technology allows them to complete projects faster and with greater accuracy.

Stability

The current COVID-19 pandemic has left everyone a little uncertain about their future. This is especially true for the thousands of people that have suddenly found themselves unemployed. As importing goods becomes less feasible or possible due to shipping and trade restrictions, more people and businesses are turning to U.S. based companies to fill the gap.

A proven leader, Means Engineering has the people, technology, and capability to produce a wide range of products right here in the United States.

About Means Engineering

Incorporated in 1996, Means Engineering provides contract manufacturing services to businesses across a wide range of industries. Our customer base includes businesses in the semiconductor, aerospace, defense, and medical industries. An ISO 9001 and AS 9100 certified company, our team strives to provide consistent, high quality products.

As a premier Southern California contract manufacturer, Means Engineering has worked with numerous businesses with the design, production, and testing of a wide range of products. Our specialties include electronics engineering, precision machining, and complex box builds. Our experienced team has years of experience and appreciates complicated engineering and challenging projects.

Means Engineering was founded by David Means. A leader with a keen focus on quality and customer service, David still serves as our President today.

Employment Opportunities

Means Engineering is looking for dedicated individuals to fill a variety of roles. We encourage anyone passionate about electronics design and engineering to contact us about our available employment opportunities.

Choosing a Contract Manufacturer for Complex Box Builds

March 20, 2020 By meiadmin

Box-build, or system integration, is an electromechanical assembly process which includes enclosure fabrication, installation and routing of cabling or wire harnesses, and installation of sub-assemblies and components. A complex box-build includes a fully integrated electro-mechanical system with pneumatics and electronics.

Box-builds generally include several steps. Companies often find the process too difficult and/or costly to handle in-house. This is perhaps the biggest reason why many companies enlist the help of an experienced contract manufacturer. Using a contract manufacturer not only keeps costs and production times low, it also ensures the correct assembly and testing.

When selecting a contract manufacturer to work with, it’s important to look for a CM with complex box-build experience. Make sure the company you choose has a quality management system in place and ISO certification.

Once you’ve selected a contract manufacturer, it’s important to prepare everything they need to complete the box-build.

Bill of Materials (BOM)

Be prepared to present the contract manufacturer with a Bill of Materials. The BOM is extremely important to the overall success of your project. The BOM helps ensure the contract manufacturer knows all the key components. It also lets them know which materials the company will provide and what the CM must source. Defining even smaller items in the BOM such as nuts, bolts, adhesives, tie wraps, washers, wires, etc. helps avoid unexpected delays and cost changes.

Assembly

3D CAD models help the CM visualize the finished product. These should be provided to the CM if possible. At the very least, you should provide the CM with a layout drawing. Many experienced CMs have CAD programs that allow them to easily convert drawings into build instructions.

Dimensions

It’s important to inform the contract manufacturer of the size and weight of the unit. This will help the CM determine handling and storage throughout the build process.

Testing

When working with electrical systems, it’s important to define basic electrical safety testing like earth bond and flash tests. It might be helpful to speak with your contract manufacturer to determine any additional testing required.

Means Engineering has extensive experience in both module level and product level manufacturing of complex box builds. Our skilled staff has the tools and experience necessary to provide a wide range of manufacturing services for fluid and gas handling systems, commercial and military displays, high tech vacuum systems, aviation electronics, and electro-optical systems.

Please contact us for more information about our services.

Ensuring High Quality Products

December 13, 2019 By meiadmin

Thanks to increasing demand and rising consumer expectations, manufacturers today are under extreme pressure to create new products. Modern day consumers expect more features and functionality than ever before. They also expect a constant stream of new products hitting the market. This is especially true for the electronic device industry.

In order to stay competitive, manufacturers must continuously create and release new products that include the features most desired by consumers. These products must meet extremely high expectations for quality. No one wants to purchase an inferior product, especially a higher priced electronic device. In addition to consumer dissatisfaction and loss of business, problems with quality could lead to dangerous device malfunction and recall. Manufacturers will want to do everything they can to avoid these types of issues.

Quality Testing an Important Part of Production

Manufacturers must ensure that all products pass rigorous testing for quality. Testing parts and components prior to assembly can help locate issues sooner, when they’re easier to fix. This can save the manufacturer a significant amount of time and money. It also helps the manufacturer locate areas of the design that could benefit from improvement.

Contract Manufacturer Help OEMs Increase Product Quality

Companies looking to increase the quality and consistency of products produced can benefit from utilizing the help of a contract manufacturer. While OEMs often turn to CMs to help fill periods of high demand, the right CM can also help reduce production costs and ensure the creation of high quality products time and time again.

Experienced CMs, like Means Engineering, have years of experience producing a wide range of products. These companies have a Quality Management System in place to ensure every product meets strict requirements for quality and consistency.

Means Engineering uses advanced equipment and techniques to test each product and component. This testing allows their experts to catch issues sooner, before they are able to affect the quality of the finished product. Using thorough evaluation and testing, Mean Engineering’s team can even locate ways to reduce costs and improve product quality.

Please contact us to learn more about our comprehensive contract manufacturing services.

Ensuring Quality When Using a Contract Manufacturer

December 6, 2019 By meiadmin

There are numerous benefits to using a contract manufacturer. In addition to reducing costs and time-to-market, outsourcing also allows for better allocation of staff and greater flexibility. Despite the benefits, many organizations still worry that outsourcing will equate to lower quality products. While monitoring quality is a little more difficult when you outsource, there are a few things you can do to ensure high quality products. In fact, partnering with the right CM can actually improve the quality of the products you produce.

Quality Management System

Companies that have a comprehensive Quality Management System in place have taken the time and steps needed to ensure quality assurance. Look for a company with AS9100 and ISO 9001 certification. It also helps to look for a CM that has experience working with a wide range of industries. This provides numerous benefits to companies looking to expand into new markets.

Clear Communication

Before partnering with a CM, make sure there’s a clear line of communication. It’s normal and expected to have regular meetings throughout the design and production process to ensure everyone is on the same page. It’s also important that the CM you work with notifies you of any changes before they occur. This should be clearly stated in your contract.

It’s also important to have a system in place to manage and interpret the information provided by the contract manufacturer.

Communication Timeline

It’s important to establish communication standards including response times and who will be responsible for managing communications. This is extremely important before beginning any project.

You want to make sure that you can get in touch with the CM if there is a recall or other issue with a part or component used in your product. Alternatively, you need to let consumers know if their device is not affected by the recall. The last thing you want is to have to wait for a reply.

Means Engineering has years of experience working with numerous industries. We work directly with each of our clients throughout the entire project, from design to completion. Please contact us to learn more about our contract manufacturing services.

Reducing Manufacturing Costs

November 15, 2019 By meiadmin

There are numerous benefits to partnering with a qualified contract manufacturer. In addition to improved quality and customer satisfaction, companies that outsource save a considerable amount of money. While the actual savings will vary based on industry and types of products being produced, all companies that outsource save in the following ways:

Equipment, Machinery & Quality Staff

Companies that choose to create products in-house must obtain their own equipment, technology, machines, and people. They must also find a location large enough for production, storage, and daily operations. This can take a lot of time and money. Most start-ups and small businesses simply do not have the capital needed to produce products in-house. Unfortunately, without the right equipment and knowledgeable staff, these companies quickly fall behind their competition.

Outsourcing provides companies with access to the latest technology, equipment, and knowledgeable staff without having to purchase or obtain anything in-house. Contract Manufacturers have everything needed to produce high quality products for a wide range of industries. This can make all of the difference in the world to a smaller business. Even larger organizations can benefit from outsourcing part or all of their production, especially when attempting to enter new markets.

Quality Testing

Experienced contract manufacturers follow strict requirements and perform testing throughout all stages of production. This helps catch potential problems early, before they are able to cause problems with the finished product. Quality CMs know how to solve a wide range of issues and can make recommendations on how to fix potential problems.

Regular testing of all parts and components helps prevent defects and ensures the quality and consistency of products produced. This can save a lot of time and money and help protect the company’s reputation with consumers.

Increased Productivity

Using an experienced contract manufacturer helps ensure products get to market faster. This improves customer satisfaction rates and helps companies keep up with consumer demand. Outsourcing also frees up in-house resources, allowing staff to focus on growing the business and marketing new products. While this isn’t a direct savings of using a contract manufacturer, increased productivity can definitely improve a company’s bottom line.