Folks,
Happy New Year to all! I’m expecting that 2021 will be a better year for all of us.
Stepping off on the right foot, my colleagues have taken the keys away from blog car this month and Jason Marietta our Engineering Director in Arizona is penning this installment. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy his message and appreciate his (much better) writing style.
How to Know When You’re Ready to Talk to a Manufacturer
Designing new products may seems like a turnkey process. A designer or engineer conceives and designs it, the manufacturer makes it, units fly off the shelf, and we’re all drinking champagne. Those in the business know new product development isn’t a linear process. This article aims to help you determine when to engage a manufacturing partner and what you should have ready.
Feasibility/Manufacturing Constraints Study
A client may engage a designer to rethink common products. Designers may draw up anywhere from one to ten concepts for the client to consider and some of the designs are really outside the box. In these cases, there aren’t 2D or 3D drawings, just renderings. At this point it may make sense to engage a manufacturer in a feasibility or manufacturing constraints study. A manufacturer can take a look at the design and determine if it’s feasible given their current constraints. A feasibility study can help you zero in on which designs should go forward and which should not.
In order to be ready for a feasibility study you’ll need to know: Any required product certifications (UL, CE, RoHS, REACH, FDA, etc.), any manufacturer requirements (ISO certification, capability, location), estimated annual usage (EAU), product renderings (2D and 3D drawings are a plus), and target price if you know it.
Project Launch
You know you’re ready to go when you have 2D or 3D drawings with hierarchical BOMs. The BOM has unique part numbers and identifies specialty components and materials. You’ll also need to know the items identified in the feasibility study section above.
As the project evolves, you’ll need to define the test and inspection criteria.
If you engage EastBridge in a Go Live project, you can expect three phases:
- In Phase 1 we aim to pre-qualify three vendors for your project, execute an NDA, and generate budgetary quotations.
- In Phase 2 we’ll finalize vendors and subcontractors, execute DFMA, negotiate secondary pricing and commercial terms, validate the tools, and inspect the first articles.
- In Phase 3 we’ll place the initial order, perform work in progress and finished product inspections, and supervise shipments to you.
Manufacturer Etiquette
If you’re a new project for a manufacturer, they’ll be evaluating you just as you evaluate them. They’re in the business of making and selling units. As such, they’ll be asking themselves when will this project go live, how many units will it be, and how does it fit in with other projects they have during that time. Having answers to these questions will help position you as a preferred customer.
If you’re years away, don’t expect a manufacturer to answer every email in twenty-four hours. Manage how much you engage them and be ready when you do. They often aren’t compensated for early feasibility questions and you don’t want to wear out your welcome.
Be flexible with your BOM where you can. Manufacturers have suppliers already qualified and under contract. For parts and materials that aren’t critical to the design, allow the manufacturer to submit samples for you to consider.
EastBridge Overview
EastBridge helps clients find, negotiate with, and qualify manufacturers all over the world. We navigate cultural, language, and technical hurdles on your behalf. We have staff in several countries that lead our manufacturing projects and make frequent factory and subcontractor visits. Reach out if you’d like to know how ready you are for a manufacturer. Because the new product development process isn’t linear, and clients want different levels of help, we have several variations of our services to get products to market.
Best,
Jason Marietta, 520.465.7289