contract manufacturer Archives - Page 30 of 33

Producing Electronics for the Defense Industry

December 8, 2017 By meiadmin

Producing Electronics for the Defense Industry

Electronics are becoming more important for every industry. In the defense industry, electronic devices are used for communication, navigation and the collection of important data. Reliability and quality are crucial when developing electronics for this important industry.

Electronics technology is constantly evolving. Military devices are getting smaller and more functional. The design and manufacture of electronics is focused on improving quality while reducing costs and power consumption.

Military Electronics

Military electronics are often used for long periods of time. They must be able to withstand extreme conditions. Any defect or failure could have serious consequences. Manufacturers producing electronic devices for the defense industry must keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and techniques.

Many military and defense professionals want the same electronic devices they use in their personal lives to be available in their professional lives as well. As a result, wearable electronics are being used more frequently by the defense industry.

Defense Industry Electronics

The defense industry has been leaning towards a purely digital mindset for years. Portable technologies enable military professionals to access critical information and become more efficient. New technologies can be used to enhance workflows and create new opportunities for the industry. These technologies reduce the chance of error and completely eliminate the need for travel.

Electronic products must be smaller, cheaper and faster if military companies wish to remain competitive. Most electronics manufacturers strive to create smaller, lighter products with increased flexibility and portability.

Protection of information is a top concern to military and defense professionals. Electronic systems should be able to reduce cross-channel interference.

Testing Military Products

Military products require sophisticated testing equipment. All devices and electronic components must be thoroughly tested to ensure quality and reliability. Due to limited defense budgets, the cost of electronics must be kept to a minimum as well. Strict budget and testing requirements create a number of challenges for electronics manufacturers. It’s important that the company chosen to produce electronic devices has prior experience with the defense industry.

Means Engineering, Inc. provides design, manufacture and testing of electronic devices for the defense industry. We are an AS9100 certified contract manufacturer.

Industries That Can Benefit From A Contract Manufacturer

December 1, 2017 By meiadmin

Industries That Can Benefit From A Contract Manufacturer

Businesses across a wide range of industries can benefit from hiring a contract manufacturer. Contract manufacturers help businesses produce more products, increase their product line and reduce costs and time to market.

A contract manufacturer can be used for all parts of production including design, manufacture and testing. Using a contract manufacturer can help increase the quality and consistency of products produced. A contract manufacturer can help businesses find ways to make production more efficient.

The following industries can benefit from working with a quality contract manufacturer.

Medical Industry

Products produced for the medical industry need to be high quality and reliable. Many medical devices are responsible for keeping patients alive. Any defect or error in design can be catastrophic.

The contract manufacturer you work with should be experienced with medical devices. They should have strict quality control measures in place, with testing occurring throughout the manufacturing process. The company you choose should be ISO 13485 certified.

Aerospace Industry

Aerospace products must be reliable, high quality and thoroughly tested for safety. Products used by the aerospace industry must withstand extreme conditions. Any failure in operation can have serious consequences.

A contract manufacturer can help companies in the aerospace industry design, manufacture and test a variety of products. To ensure the quality of products produced, always work with an AS9100 certified contract manufacturer.

Defense Industry

Contract manufacturers producing products for the defense industry must maintain extremely high standards to prevent mistakes that could lead to product failure.

The contract manufacturer you choose to work with to produce these products should be up-to-date with the latest technologies and techniques. They should have experience working with the defense industry. They should be able to help keep costs low while increasing the efficiency and reliability of products produced.

Means Engineering, Inc. provides contract manufacturing services to a wide range of industries. We have experience working with the medical, aerospace and defense industries. Our team members are committed to providing high quality service to our valued clients. We are a proud to be an AS9100 and ISO 13485 certified company.

New Product Development

November 24, 2017 By meiadmin

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.

Avoiding Problems Associated With Outsourcing

November 10, 2017 By meiadmin

Avoiding Problems Associated With Outsourcing

Most electronics manufacturers simply would not survive without the help of a contract manufacturer (CM). Outsourcing allows electronics companies to create more products, improve quality, save money and reduce time-to-market. Despite the numerous benefits, many OEMs have problems with outsourcing. It’s important to avoid the following pitfalls if you want your CM partnership to be a success.

Choosing the wrong contract manufacturer to work with

Whenever you outsource, you give up control of the manufacturing process. The biggest issues with outsourcing occur when you choose the wrong contract manufacturer. Working with the wrong CM can lead to a number of problems for your business. It’s extremely important that you hire a company you can trust. The right contract manufacturer will become a reliable partner that you can work with for years to come.

Before hiring a company, you need to find out as much as you can about their business. Consider all factors that could affect your relationship with them such as geographic location, technical capabilities, experience, quality control practices as well as strategic and financial fit.

Make sure that the company you choose is able to handle your needs. They should be up-to-date with the latest technologies and techniques. They should be able to handle a wide variety of projects. Experience with multiple industries ensures diverse capabilities.

Spend some time developing a clear set of criteria for your contract manufacturer. A well-developed plan and a methodical process can go a long way towards a successful relationship with your CM.

Inadequate NPI Product Management

New product introductions (NPI) are a crucial part of the OEM/CM relationship. NPI is a complex process, involving multiple steps. In order to successfully create and launch new products, you need the right contract manufacturer on your side.

A CM can help design, produce and test new products. They provide a second set of eyes for your project. They are well positioned to catch flaws in design that could affect performance. The right contract manufacturer will point out ways to reduce costs and time of production.

The right contract manufacturer can help you produce high quality, reliable electronics. This increases public trust in your brand.

Environmental Management Systems

October 27, 2017 By meiadmin

Environmental Management Systems

Technology is always changing. The electronics industry is under a lot of pressure to create new products. High demand combined with fierce competition in the industry has created a number of challenges for electronics manufacturers. Many electronics companies turn to questionable practices in an effort to save money. These practices often produce poor quality products.

Until recently, manufacturing practices have been based around improving efficiency and profitability, and environmental issues were seen as added costs. However, there is more pressure than ever before for electronics manufacturers to reduce their environmental impact. Fortunately, many manufacturers are learning the benefits of increased sustainability. Reducing environmental impact is good for both the manufacturer and the consumer.

What is an EMS?

An Environmental Management System (EMS) refers to the practices and processes used by an organization to reduce their environmental impact. An EMS is commonly used to decrease the impact of products, processes and services. An EMS can be designed in compliance with ISO 14001 standards. This ensures reduced environmental impact and increased product performance.

ISO 14001

There are a number of practices that can be used to improve efficiency and sustainability. Some of these practices are better than others. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed ISO 14001 to specify the international requirements for an EMS.

Sustainability is crucial to the electronics industry. ISO 14001 was specially designed to help businesses decrease their environmental impact. ISO certification helps consumers locate companies that are taking the necessary steps to ensure sustainability. ISO 14001 certified companies have proven they are doing all they can to reduce their organization’s impact on the environment.

Choosing a contract manufacturer

When choosing a contract manufacturer to work with, you should select a company that has strict quality control measures in place. ISO 14001 certification ensures the contract manufacturer has met the international Environmental Management System requirements. ISO 14001 is designed to help business owners become more aware of their impact on the environment.

Means Engineering, Inc. is an ISO 14001 certified contract manufacturer. This allows us to create high quality products while increasing sustainability of our products and practices.