Being engineering-led is a phrase that gets used quite a lot in electronics manufacturing. But what does it actually mean?
For ADAPT, it isn’t simply about having experienced engineers in the business. It’s about bringing engineering knowledge into the way products are assessed, developed, manufactured and improved.
This approach is embedded throughout the organisation and led from the top by MD Guy Janney, an engineer himself, and Head of Engineering Mark Greenwood, who has spent more than 30 years in the electronics industry. It means engineering is part of the wider manufacturing conversation, rather than something that sits separately from it.
That matters because successful manufacturing is about more than getting an assembly line to produce it. Decisions around design, materials, testing, sourcing, processes and production all need to work together.
Engineering that starts early
One of the biggest advantages of working with an engineering-led CEM is getting its expertise involved early.
The earlier manufacturing expertise is brought into a new product, the more opportunity there is to identify potential issues while they can still be addressed.
That’s why areas such as design for manufacture and design for test are important during development. A product may work perfectly well as a design but still present difficulties when it comes to assembly, testing or repeatable production.
Bringing those considerations in at the right stage can help avoid problems later and make the move from prototype into production more straightforward.
Connecting the stages
Bringing engineering thinking into each stage of manufacturing can help make the move from development into production more efficient and reliable.
A decision made during design can affect assembly. Component choices can affect availability and supply. The way a product is built can influence how it needs to be tested. A change during new product introduction (NPI) can have consequences for volume production.
For customers, this means those knock-on effects can be considered from the outset, with the product and its manufacturing requirements looked at as a whole, from development and prototyping through to production, testing and ongoing support.
And the engineering focus continues once production begins. In-line 3D solder paste inspection and 3D automated optical inspection provide detailed checks during manufacture, helping to monitor the process and identify issues early. This gives the engineering and production teams real-time information and a clearer picture of how the process is performing and where adjustments may be needed.
Turning knowledge into solutions
Being engineering-led means not leaving customers to solve manufacturing problems themselves, but using the expertise within the business to find practical solutions.
That’s an important distinction.
A CEM can manufacture exactly what is specified. An engineering-led CEM can also ask whether there is a more effective way to manufacture it, whether a potential issue can be spotted earlier or whether a change at one stage could prevent a problem further down the line.
Sometimes that means identifying an issue during prototyping, finding a better way to approach testing or resolving a manufacturing challenge. It can also mean asking the right question before production begins.
The value is in having people who understand the technical detail as well as the realities of manufacturing.
Looking beyond the quotation
This approach also changes the nature of the relationship between a customer and its CEM.
Rather than handing over a finished design and simply comparing manufacturing quotations, there can be value in involving the manufacturer earlier in the process. Design for manufacture, design for test, serviceability and purchasing can all affect the overall cost and practicality of a product.
The lowest production price is not necessarily the lowest overall cost if avoidable problems have been built into the process earlier on.
An engineering-led relationship gives both sides the opportunity to look at those issues together, while there is still time to do something about them.
Your product, our passion
For customers, the value of an engineering-led CEM is having a manufacturing partner that understands both the product and the realities of producing it. The conversation can go beyond whether something can be built to how it can be built well, consistently and at the required scale.
That comes from bringing engineering, manufacturing and operational knowledge together across the business.
It also reflects the thinking behind ADAPT’s tagline, your product, our passion. Understanding the product is the starting point. The engineering knowledge, manufacturing experience and practical problem-solving needed to turn that product into reliable, repeatable production are what bring it to life.
How can we help with your next project?
If you’re developing a new product or looking to improve how it’s manufactured, our team would be happy to discuss your requirements and share their expertise.
Get in touch on 0345 868 2400 or email [email protected].