The right electronic contract manufacturer (ECM) can save you time and money throughout the life of your product. If you need electronic circuit design, choose an ECM with an in-house design team. If you already have an electronic product design, you can still benefit from the contact manufacturer’s design experience.
Look at the size of the ECM’s business as well. Also, find out whether their surface mount technology (SMT) capabilities are sophisticated and if their automated optical inspection (AOI) is advanced. Finally, evaluate the ECM’s quality system and consider how their culture aligns with yours.
Watch the video above to learn more and then read the Q&A below for additional insights.
What if you need electronics design services?
Whether or not you need a circuit design, there’s value in choosing an electronic contract manufacturer with end-to-end services. If you need a design, however, remember that you’ll need both electronic design and manufacturing services. At Z-AXIS, we think it’s easier to use a one-stop shop for both services.
At Z-AXIS, the job of our design group is to get your printed circuit board (PCB) ready for manufacturing. In other words, it’s not to make money on electronics design services. That’s an important difference from outside design houses and the financial incentives that they have.
If you work with a design house instead of Z-AXIS, you might assume that the designer will work as cost-efficiently as possible. Yet, this is seldom the case. That’s because you pay the designer a fixed fee to meet certain requirements, and this incentivizes the designer to finish the job as quickly as possible.
Remember that designers can make choices that are good for them financially, but that are not in your best interests. For example, to shorten the design time, a designer may come up with an eight-layer board instead of a four-layer board. As the customer, you’ll pay an electronic contract manufacturer more to produce a board with eight layers.
By contrast, Z-AXIS will take the extra time to reduce the board’s complexity and design a four-layer PCB. Ultimately, this will save you money for the rest of the board’s life. In other words, the board will cost less to produce because it has fewer layers and is significantly less complex.
When it comes to part selection, design houses may also pick the fastest and easiest solution for them instead of what’s most cost-effective for you. For example, let’s say a designer can choose a single part that’s available from a sole-source or multiple parts that are available from several sources.
If it reduces design time, the designer will probably choose the single sole-source component. This introduces risk, however, because that part might not be available the next time you need it. Since the design house has already received payment, asking for additional assistance could prove frustrating.
What if you already have a circuit design?
Some design houses build things that don’t work. Others build things that could have been designed differently so that they’re cheaper to make. With the latter, many ECMs will just build a board from what you give them. In other words, they might not consider design changes that could save you money.
Even if you have a design, it’s helpful to choose an electronic contract manufacturer with in-house design services. It’s also worth looking for an ECM with technical expertise. For example, if a relay doesn’t work, the right manufacturer can offer a solution.
Why does the size of an electronic contract manufacturer matter?
Is a potential ECM the right size for you? It’s an important question, so take the time to size up potential manufacturing partners. It’s easier to evaluate publicly-owned companies, but you can still gain insights by performing due diligence with privately-held firms.
If you’re a low-volume buyer, you probably don’t want to work with a large, billion-dollar ECM. Larger companies generally want perfect documentation, and what you submit may not meet their standards. With a smaller ECM, you may be able to get some help with fixing your documentation. Smaller electronic contract manufacturers also tend to be more flexible with unusual or atypical projects.
How do you evaluate ECMs based on their SMT capabilities?
Today, almost every electronic contract manufacturer (ECM) supports surface mount technology (SMT). Therefore, it’s important to evaluate their specific SMT capabilities. In addition to board size, determine the board density, fineness of pitch, and number of supported parts.
For example, let’s say your board has 200 different parts. Does the ECM have lines that can add all 200 parts? The reason that the number of lines is important is that a single machine may only be able to add 120 parts. If the ECM has a second machine, however, the contract manufacturer can get the job done.
What are some specific issues with quality?
Large electronic contract manufacturers usually have better quality and more on-time deliveries. Yet, that’s not always the case. Z-AXIS has only 90 employees, but our quality management system (QMS) is robust enough that we do work with billion-dollar medical power supply companies.
Today, most ECMs are at least ISO 9001:2015 certified. When comparing potential manufacturers then, consider whether they have a formal engineering change notice (ECN) process. Also, don’t underestimate the importance of preventative maintenance (PM). If an ECM doesn’t have a PM database, machines may go down more often than they should.
Smaller ECMs might make jigs and fixtures, but do they validate them? The reason that this matters is that you don’t want a fixture to become so worn that quality suffers.
Why is automated optical inspection (AOI) important in electronic contract manufacturing?
Z-AXIS isn’t a large contract manufacturer, but we match the capabilities of larger ECMS in that we use automated optical inspection (AOI) equipment and can program it to a higher level. Many smaller ECMs don’t have AOI or, if they do, don’t use it check enough variables.
For example, automated AOI at Z-AXIS can look at the volume of solder on a joint. A more primitive AOI system would inspect a joint to see if some solder was present, regardless of solder quantity.
How can you tell if an electronic contract manufacturer has the right culture?
The size of the ECM is more important than its culture, but don’t discount the role that company culture can play. Do you value the ability to communicate with a supplier on-demand? If you do, then look for an electronic contract manufacturer who will readily take your calls and answer your emails.
Also, find out about fees. Some ECMs charge for any changes that you make during a production run. They may also charge you a flat fee for any change after documentation. There’s a lot to consider when choosing an electronic contract manufacturer, but Z-AXIS is ready to help.