Means Engineering, Inc.

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

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

Reducing Manufacturing Costs

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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.

 

Contract Manufacturers Help Companies Succeed

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Consumers today expect businesses to release a constant stream of new electronics with more features and functionality than ever before. It’s clear that start-ups and smaller companies need to look for alternate ways to produce and deliver new products if they wish to succeed.

Unfortunately, many companies simply do not have the time, resources, space, and quality management system in place to produce high quality products quickly and within budget.

Working with a contract manufacturer makes it possible for companies to produce a wide range of products without having to obtain the people, space, equipment, and technology needed to design, produce, test, and store new products and components.

Access the Right People, Technology, and Equipment

With so many companies producing electronic devices, quality and consistency can set a company apart. However, it’s important to note that even with the best quality management system in place, companies need to have the right people, technology, space, and specialized equipment to create high quality electronic devices. Without these pieces, there is no way a company can succeed in today’s fast-paced environment.

Reduce Costs

An experienced contract manufacturer, like Means Engineering Inc., works directly with your company from design to completion. During the design phase, the right CM can help locate areas in your design plans that could benefit from improvement. This might include switching out a certain material or adjusting measurements. When utilized during the design phase, an experienced CM can provide valuable advice to improve the quality of finished products and/or reduce the cost of production. This could be just what your company needs to get ahead of the competition.

Improve Quality & Consistency

When you work with a contract manufacturer, you can rest assured that all products produced meet strict requirements for quality. CMs understand the importance of quality control and have years of experience designing, creating, and testing a wide range of products for a variety of industries. This puts them in the best position to produce high quality products time and time again.

Means Engineering can help your business succeed! Please contact us for more information.

 

 

 

 

What to Look for in a Contract Manufacturer

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Deciding to partner with a contract manufacturer is one of the best decisions you can make for your business. CMs help reduce costs, improve quality, and reduce time-to-market. However, it’s important to learn all you can about the contract manufacturer before making your selection.

Capabilities

During the interview process, you’ll want to find out the capabilities of every contract manufacturer you talk to. Remember to consider both your current and potential needs when evaluating each company. It’s important to select a CM that can help your business grow and expand.

Experience

The work performed by contract manufacturers can vary greatly from one company to the next. Don’t be afraid to ask about the types of projects and industries each company has worked with. Choosing a CM that has experience with multiple industries puts you in the best position to expand into new markets later.

Process

Each company will probably have their own way of handling production process. You’ll want to find a company whose process matches your own business operations.

People

The overall success of your project will depend heavily on the people assigned to it. When speaking with potential candidates, make sure you talk to the people that will actually be working on your project. These are the people who can provide the most insight and help you understand how the project will progress. Make sure you speak with everyone involved including those responsible for assembly and testing.

Equipment & Technology

Creating electronic devices requires specialized equipment and technology. Make sure the company you partner with has access to up-to-date tools, techniques, and equipment.

Capacity

The contract manufacturer you choose should have the capacity to handle your project. Consider the size and complexity of your project when selecting a company to work with. Keep in mind that if your project is their biggest, the CM might run into trouble completing your order. Another extreme, if your project is their smallest, they might not give you the attention you deserve. It’s best to sit somewhere in the middle.

There are many things to consider when choosing a contract manufacturer. If you have questions or would like to talk to someone about your project, Means Engineering can help. Please contact us for details.

 

Creating a Prototype

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Creating a prototype is an extremely important part of the invention process. A prototype is basically a 3-D version of your idea. Creating a prototype provides you with a physical version of your vision that you and others can touch and feel.

Prototypes are often used for demonstration and presentation purposes. They can help attract investors and help your business appeal to your intended audience. Although your prototype probably won’t look exactly like the finished product, it provides an excellent starting point for any project.

Test and Refine the Functionality of Your Product

While your idea might look great on paper, it’s not until you actually begin creating it that you get to see how well it works. Building a prototype allows you to test your design and fix flaws that you might not have considered during the design process. This is possibly the greatest benefit of developing a prototype.

Test the Performance of Your Materials

Although you may have decided to use metal for your project, sometimes when you start building you realize plastic performs better and/or costs less. This type of situation happens more often than most people believe. Creating a prototype allows you to test out various materials and discover what works and what does not.

Understand Your Product Better

Building a prototype helps you better understand your product. This enables you to describe the product more efficiently to both your team and potential business partners.

Others Will Take You More Seriously

Being able to present a prototype allows you to show potential clients, business partners, investors, and even your attorney that you are serious about your idea. This might be just what you need to get the attention you deserve.

Developing a Prototype

You have two options when it comes to the creation of your prototype: you can attempt to build it yourself or you can partner with an experienced contract manufacturer. Many start-ups and small businesses begin by making a prototype out of everyday materials. If the company decides to move forward with their invention, they will typically need to create a pre-production prototype as well. This is when a contract manufacturer can help. A quality CM can help locate flaws in the design and discover ways to cut costs and improve the overall quality of the finished product. These are experienced individuals capable of creating a wide range of prototypes.

Turning Ideas Into Products

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Many of us don’t think much about the electronic products we use every day. However, these products have become an important part of our daily lives.

The companies responsible for making appliances, smart phones, and other electronic devices all started out the same. They each had an original idea. While it might seem like these products popped up overnight, this wasn’t how it happened at all. Turning ideas into reality takes a lot of time, trial and error, and research.

Research

Creating a new product requires a lot of research. It’s important that companies take the time necessary to familiarize themselves with the manufacturing process and their intended audience. It’s also crucial to look up information about patent protection. The last thing a company wants is to create a product that infringes on someone else’s copyright or intellectual property.

Timing

Timing is one of the biggest factors affecting the success of new products. Companies that wait too long to release new products often find that their competition has already beat them to it. On the other hand, companies that release new products before anyone else could face a market that’s not quite ready for what’s being offered. It takes time and a lot of research to figure out the perfect timing.

Experience

Start-ups and small businesses don’t typically have the funding or experience necessary to bring new products to market. While these companies may have fresh and exciting new ideas, turning these ideas into products takes more than good intentions.

Smaller companies could benefit from working with an experienced contract manufacturer. Hiring a CM provides instant access to the tools, techniques, technology, and people needed to bring new products to market. These companies understand the electronics market and know what works and what does not.

Testing

It’s important that companies test each component and part throughout the entire production process. This helps locate problems sooner, when they are easier to fix. Regular testing also helps ensure the finished product performs as expected.

Means Engineering, Inc. offers contract manufacturing services for businesses of all shapes and sizes across a wide range of industries. Please contact us to learn how we can help your company turn ideas into products.

 

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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