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

“Going Green” – What it Means for Electronics Manufacturing

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“Going Green” – What it Means for Electronics Manufacturing

 “Going green” means to learn about and utilize practices that lead to environmentally friendly decisions with the ultimate intention of protecting our environment and our resources for future generations. Going green is becoming more and more important every day.

Improper Disposal of E-Waste Creates a Number of Environmental Problems

When electronic devices end up in our landfills, toxic substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium leach into our soil, eventually contaminating our groundwater. Electronic waste must be disposed of properly in order to protect our environment from these harmful substances.

The toxic materials found in electronic devices are not only harmful for our environment, but also for the workers creating these products. Green electronics manufacturing seeks to reduce the amount of harmful substances used in electronic devices, and the risks associated with them.

Challenges Faced By Electronics Manufacturers

Electronics manufacturers are now faced with the unique challenge of designing, developing, building and installing electronics while paying special attention to the product’s environmental impact throughout its entire lifecycle.

Manufacturing electronics creates a lot of waste. Electronics manufacturers are encouraged to reduce the amount of e-waste by designing products that minimize the amount of harmful substances used and by recycling and reusing as much as possible. Green manufacturing also includes the manufacture of products with longer lifecycles. This helps further reduce the amount of e-waste created by the electronics industry.

Green manufacturing focuses on reducing parts, rationing materials and reusing components. When done right, green manufacturing allows electronics manufacturers to create environmentally friendly products while maintaining the same quality and reliability of the electronics they produce.

Consumer Responsibility

More than twenty million tons of e-waste is produced every single year. The U.S. alone produces 3.4 million tons per year. Electronic waste makes up as much as 5% of the world’s municipal solid waste.

Consumers are encouraged to dispose of e-waste properly. Computers, cell phones and household electronics should never be disposed of with regular trash. Most cities have special waste management services to handle e-waste. It’s important to check local guidelines regarding the proper disposal of e-waste.

 

 

 

Electronics Manufacturing Trends

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Electronics Manufacturing Trends

Changes in technology and the way in which people use electronics continue to drive change in electronics manufacturing. Demand for high quality and less expensive options is encouraging manufacturers to develop new practices and improve their manufacturing operations. Many of the trends in the manufacturing industry are focused on reducing costs and improving quality.

Green Technology

More and more organizations are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. As such, electronics manufacturers continue to search for ways to make electronics more environmentally friendly.

E-waste can have a significant impact on our environment. Electronics manufacturers are working towards developing greener electronics that have longer lifecycles and utilize more recycled plastics.

Changes in Medical Electronics

Global demand for medical equipment and devices is growing at an alarming rate. With this growth comes the need for increased quality control and assurance of medical electronic devices. Few devices can impact the lives of humans as much as those used in the medical industry. Quality and reliability is extremely important.

Many changes are taking place in medical electronics manufacturing. New materials are being used, power density is increasing and changes are being made to the way in which information is managed. Quality control in medical manufacturing is more important than ever before. Means Engineering Inc. has full ISO 13485 certification. This ensures that every medical device we deliver is high quality, safe, effective and reliable.

Evaporative Cooling

A lot of heat is generated during the manufacturing process. In order to keep costs down, many companies in the electronics manufacturing industry use evaporative cooling to reduce heat and control humidity. Evaporative cooling uses water to remove heat from the air. Very little energy is required to run the cooler.

Flexible Hybrid Electronics

New technologies emerge all the time. One of the most popular new technologies is flexible hybrid electronics (FHE). Flexible hybrid electronics combine elements of the electronics industry with high precision printing. Hybrid electronics are lighter and more flexible than any other type of electronics component. This makes it possible to incorporate electronics into clothing and other highly flexible products. This technology is dramatically changing the way in which electronics are being used.

 

How Do Printed Circuit Boards Work?

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How Do Printed Circuit Boards Work?

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are used to support and wire the components in many electronic devices. In fact, almost every electronic device available today contains at least one PCB. While many simple electronic devices use single layer PCBs, the PCBs in complex devices may have as many as twelve layers. PCBs provide electricity and connectivity to the parts of an electronic device.

How PCBs Are Made

PCBs are made by mounting components on a non-conductive board. These components are connected by small pathways called traces. In addition to the traces, PCBs have several small holes. These holes allow components to sit flush with the surface of the board.

When creating PCBs, electronic engineers must fit several components on a very small space. Components added to printed circuit boards may include microchips, diodes, registers and switches. The traces connect each of the components and provide them with electricity. These connections are crucial to the proper operation of electronic devices. This is why printed circuit boards are so important to electronic engineering.

The bottom layer of a PCB is non-conductive. The top layer is made from a sheet of metal. The metal layer is printed with etch-resistant ink. It is then etched with special chemicals that remove all but the printed design. The components are then connected through soldering. Thousands of printed circuit boards can be printed at one time.

PCB Design

PCBs are typically designed on a computer. This allows electronic engineers to thoroughly test the PCB before it is produced. It also allows for the ideal arrangement of the parts. After design, the printed circuit board can be printed. PCBs are typically designed with a Computer Aided Design or CAD program. CAD software has replaced the need for manual drafting, which is often inefficient.

 

Benefits of Contract Manufacturing

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Benefits of Contract Manufacturing

A contract manufacturer creates products and their components under the label or brand of the companies that hire them. Contract manufacturing is an excellent option for companies that wish to increase their product line but do not have the staff or resources necessary to do so. Contract manufacturing is used to create products for a wide range of industries. It has a number of benefits for companies of all shapes and sizes.

Contract Manufacturing Saves Time

Hiring a contract manufacturer can save a company a considerable amount of time and resources. Companies that use contract manufacturing services do not have to go through the lengthy process of hiring and training new employees to fulfill orders. They do not need to locate a new facility or obtain the equipment necessary for production. The contract manufacturer provides everything needed to produce high quality products. This provides more time for managers to focus on other important aspects of their business.

Contract Manufacturing Saves Money

Perhaps the biggest benefit of contract manufacturing is the cost savings. Companies that hire a contract manufacturer save money on equipment, facility fees and additional employees. In addition, contract manufacturers are typically able to produce parts at a fraction of the cost of in-house production. Contract manufacturing is ideal for the development and testing of new products. A contract manufacturer can also be useful in fulfilling orders when demand for a specific product is high.

High Quality Products

It takes a lot of training and experience to create high quality products. This type of expertise isn’t always feasible when producing products in-house. Sensitive parts, such as those used in electronic devices must be created in a cleanroom environment. This prevents contamination which can affect the reliability of the finished product. A contract manufacturer has the training, experience, equipment and quality control processes necessary to create high quality, reliable products time and time again.

When selecting a contract manufacturer to work with, consider a company that has experience working with a number of different industries. They should have a Quality Management System registered to ISO 9001 and AS 9100.

What is Contract Manufacturing?

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What is Contract Manufacturing?

Many companies require help to manufacture their products. These companies often enlist the assistance of a contract manufacturer. A contract manufacturer builds and distributes products under the label or brand of the company that hires them. Contract manufacturing is sometimes referred to as private label manufacturing.

Benefits of Contract Manufacturing

Contract manufacturing has many benefits. It frees up time so that companies are able to focus on other aspects of their business. It also allows them to expand into new markets. Companies that use contract manufacturers save money in two ways. Since contract manufacturers work with multiple companies, they are able to procure parts at a fraction of the cost. When companies use contract manufacturers, they do not need to have products produced in-house. This helps them save on wages, training as well as the facility and equipment necessary to manufacture their products.

When demand for a specific product is high, contract manufacturing can be used to meet that demand. By using a contract manufacturer to meet short-term demand, companies are able to avoid the additional costs involved with increased production. Contract manufacturing can also be used to test a product before it goes to market.

Contract manufacturing is useful in a number of industries. It is commonly used in the aerospace, defense, semiconductor and pharmaceutical markets. Contract manufacturing can be used to manufacture a variety of products or their components.

Choosing a Contract Manufacturer

The quality of a product says a lot about a business. This is why it’s extremely important to select a contract manufacturer with the skills and experience necessary to fulfill your arrangement. The contract manufacturer you use should have the capabilities to complete your request in a timely and cost-effective manner. They should have access to the equipment and the technology necessary to produce a wide variety of products.

Contract Manufacturer in Carlsbad, CA   

Means Engineering, Inc. offers contract manufacturing for a variety of industries. Our superior quality control measures ensure high quality products and consistent results. Our experienced team has many years of experience designing and producing. We work directly with our clients from concept to completion.

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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