Electronic Devices Archives - Page 13 of 15

Electronic Devices – Understanding How They Work

March 30, 2018 By meiadmin

Electronic Devices – Understanding How They Work

Electronic devices are a big part of modern day life. From cell phones to appliances, these devices make our lives more comfortable and convenient. If you’ve ever held an electronic device in your hand and wondered how it works, you’re not alone. Most people do not fully understand how electronics do the things they do.

Electronic devices are used by almost every industry to perform a number of tasks. These devices contain electronic circuits, which supply power and control the device. Electronic circuits bring electronics to life.

Electronic Circuits

Electronic circuits are made with a number of electronic components including resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors. The resistor restricts the flow of the current, the capacitor stores an electric charge, diodes allow the current to flow in one direction, and the transistor controls the current flow. All of these components are contained inside electronic circuits.

The number and type of components contained on a circuit depends on the type of application the device is being used for. The only similarity between each circuit is the fact that all circuit wires begin and end at the same point.

Printed Circuit Boards

Most electronic devices used today require complex circuits. To make these, designers must carefully arrange components on a circuit board. Many companies use printed circuit boards (PCB) to save time and cost. These plastic boards have their layout chemically printed on their surface.

Integrated Circuits

As technology evolves, electronic devices are getting smaller and more efficient. These devices require complex circuits with several thousand components. Integrated circuits (IC) are commonly used for these situations. ICs are tiny circuits that fit inside a silicon chip. ICs are used in cell phones, laptops, and other advanced electronics.

Contract Manufacturing

Companies wishing to create complex devices often enlist the help of a contract manufacturer (CM). A CM helps improve design and create cost-effective, high quality electronic devices.

An experienced contract manufacturer provides a second set of eyes during the design process. This helps locate areas that can be improved. Companies use contract manufacturing services during product development to help cut costs and reduce time-to-market.

Developing an Effective Process for New Product Development

March 3, 2018 By meiadmin

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

February 23, 2018 By meiadmin

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.

Using Value Engineering to Improve Quality and Reduce Costs

February 16, 2018 By meiadmin

Using Value Engineering to Improve Quality and Reduce Costs

Companies around the globe are under a lot of pressure to create high quality products at the lowest cost possible. This is especially true for the medical, defense and aerospace industries.

Understanding Value Engineering

Value engineering involves finding creative new ways to produce products at a lower cost. Although many companies associate value engineering with a reduction of quality, the main goal should be to increase quality while reducing the costs of production. This benefits companies in all industries.

There are currently two main types of value engineering used by manufacturers. Process value engineering involves removing waste from the production process. This boosts efficiency and lowers costs. Product value engineering involves changing the design of a product to reduce costs and waste while improving the quality of the finished product.

While process value engineering focuses on waste and is an important part of lean production, it does nothing to increase the quality of products produced or the overall efficiency of the production process.

Benefits of Product Value Engineering

Even though product value engineering helps cut costs, this isn’t the only benefit. Product value engineering encourages companies to search for creative new ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Product value engineering comes from a truly technical perspective. The engineer creating the product must fully evaluate its design to locate unique ways to improve the efficiency of production. This can add significant value to the product produced.

Using a Contract Manufacturer

Companies looking to improve product quality while reducing costs often seek out a second set of eyes. A qualified contract manufacturer can provide a thorough analysis of product designs. They can help you locate areas that can benefit from improvement.

Contract manufacturers help with the design, production and testing of a variety of products. Means Engineering, Inc. has experience working with a wide range of industries. Our experienced engineers are skilled at locating ways to improve efficiency and reduce the costs of production.

We are an AS 9100 and ISO 9001 certified contract manufacturer. This helps ensure the quality and reliability of products produced.

Top Industries That Benefit From Contract Manufacturing

February 9, 2018 By meiadmin

Top Industries That Benefit From Contract Manufacturing

Contract manufacturing benefits businesses in a wide range of industries. A qualified contract manufacturer helps businesses design, produce and test a variety of products. This is ideal for small businesses and start-ups as well as businesses in industries with strict regulations.

Although contract manufacturing can help businesses of all shapes and sizes, there are some industries that benefit most from outsourcing.

Medical Industry

People all around the world use medical devices. These important devices help diagnose, treat and monitor millions of people everyday. It’s no surprise that companies creating medical devices must follow extremely strict regulations. Using a contract manufacturer helps reduce costs and ensure the creation of high quality medical devices.

ISO 13485 certified contract manufacturers are committed to providing high quality devices that meet or exceed regulations and requirements.

Defense Industry

In the defense industry, electronic devices are used for communication, navigation and the collection of important data. Proper operation of these devices is crucial. Manufacturers designing products for the defense industry must focus their efforts on increasing quality, while reducing power consumption and costs.

An AS9100 certified contract manufacturer helps companies create high quality, reliable products for the defense industry. A qualified contract manufacturer should be able to design, produce and fully test a wide range of products.

Aerospace Industry

When designing devices to be used in space, care must be taken to ensure that they are able to withstand extreme forces. These devices must be fully tested before use.

Companies working in the aerospace industry often utilize the help of a contract manufacturer to create their products. These products are carefully designed to resist damage or malfunction when placed under extreme forces.

Working With a Contract Manufacturer

There are many benefits to working with a contract manufacturer. Companies in the previously mentioned industries often hire contract manufacturers to design, build and test products or the parts of a product. Contract manufacturing can also be used for new product development and to fill orders during times of high demand. Using a contract manufacturer allows companies to create new products without having to obtain new technology or equipment.