Levison Enterprises Blog

Employee Spotlight- Kay Seiple

At Levison Enterprises, we strongly believe that our success is driven by the hard work of our employees. It's why we like to take the time to give credit where credit is due. Today, we would like to shine a light on Kay Seiple, a production manager here at Levison Enterprises who has been with us since the very beginning.

5 Factors That Influence Military and Aerospace PCB Design

Aerospace and military grade printed circuit boards must be as tough and reliable are these who use them in the field. There is no room for error when you are counted on to be mission ready. This makes PCB assembly and manufacturing for military unique. Knowledge and understanding of what must be done to create circuit board with high reliability that contributes to the long service life of electronic products under extreme conditions is a must. Therefore, it's important to find an electronic contract manufacturer that has the quality standards, certifications, and experience to handle the demands of these kind of projects.

Does Your ECM Have the Technical Knowhow to Handle Your Project?

You're looking for an ECM with the ability to take your project from idea to consumer's hands. How do you know if an ECM will provide quality work on time? After all, your project’s success depends on it. An ECM with sub-par technical chops opens you up to defective and generally poor-quality products. You need an electronic contract manufacturer that can do it all - a turnkey PCB assembly. So, what sets a turnkey operation above the rest?

Is Your ECM Robust Enough to Build for the Military?

Tough, accurate, rugged, precise - these are all words that come to mind when talking about the military. But how do they translate to military grade electronic assemblies? Only the most tenacious ECM with a mastery of electronic assembly can live up to unique military standards and deliver a product with proven precision. Military grade electronic assemblies go into products that are put through their paces in demanding environments on land, in the air, and at sea. They need to have outstanding functionality. They must also be compatible with developing technology. Is your ECM ready for the challenge?

What is Supply Chain Management and Why is it Important to Your ECM?

Sometimes it's hard to fully understand and appreciate what goes on behind the scenes to get a PCB off the drawing board and into a product. Supply chain management is one such element of PCB development that can be easily overlooked. It's an essential part of manufacturing as a whole; one that directly impacts your project's success. Your supply chain is the foundation. PCB parts are required for your product. A strong supply chain will make or break the manufacturing process —and ultimately your bottom line. Supply chain management should be important to your ECM. If it's not, maybe you need a new ECM.

Benefits of a Domestic Medical Device Contract Manufacturing Partner

For years, medical device companies relied heavily on overseas manufacturers for production. There is a long-standing thought that you could save a lot of money by relying on foreign manufacturers for medical device contract manufacturing. However, that is not necessarily the case. With the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tightening regulatory standards and the US government's trade war with China, the med-tech industry is increasingly turning its eye to domestic electronic manufacturing services. Many companies are now finding that they are getting more than just manufacturing when hiring a domestic contractor. They are getting a true partner and all of the added benefits that come with that relationship.

Rely on Turnkey ECM for Quick Turn PCB Assembly

You have a killer concept for an amazing product. The printed circuit boards you need are the backbone of your project’s success. But mistakes along the PCB assembly process can quickly lead to its downfall. So why are you letting it bounce between multiple contractors? You've heard that too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup, right? The same thing can happen when using several different ECMs, and your quick-turn project becomes anything but quick. You just might spend more time fixing errors with too many hands on the project. Turnkey PCB assembly can help.

Avoid Delays in Your Next PCB Prototype

Mistakes happen. It’s a fact of life. But many are avoidable, especially when it comes to your PCB prototype. A simple oversight can delay your whole project. If you get behind while building a circuit board, the issue can quickly snowball, and your entire project timeline can become derailed. The problems can continue to compound. So, it’s best to stay on track from the get-go. To do this, you need to avoid the most common pitfalls that cause PCB prototype delays.

How Design Impacts PCB Manufacturing Process

PCB design is a complex process. Careful considerations, down to the tiniest detail, must be made. All of your design choices will affect one or more stages of the PCB manufacturing process. This includes everything from shape and size to what type of drill hole technology you use. Failing to pay attention to how your design will affect the PCB fabrication process can take weeks of work right down the drain as you go back to the drawing board for a redesign. To keep everything on track, it is important to truly understand the PCB manufacturing process from beginning to end so you make the best possible design choices right from the start.

Employee Spotlight: Mary Domonkos

Here at Levison Enterprises, we like to take time to focus on the people who help drive the success of our company -- our employees. Today, we would like to shine the spotlight on Mary Domonkos. Mary oversees our cable and wire harness assembly department as the department manager and is actively involved with the production area where she performs assembly for units and harnesses ordered by our customers.

Is Turnkey PCB Manufacturing Right for You?

The PCB manufacturing process can be pretty involved. At times, upwards of 11 physical prototypes could be required before moving forward with production. This means the traditional approach to PCB board manufacturing can be pretty slow because it wasn't designed for prototypes and small batch runs. It can also be expensive and prone to errors. Enter turnkey PCB manufacturing.

Are Certifications and Testing Really Necessary in Your Electronic Assembly?

When you set out to create a product, you want it to be the best. You aim for quality, not just a passable product. So why settle for simply adequate when it comes to electronic assembly manufacturing? Certifications and testing are crucial to making sure your product delivers. Settling for less than that just won't do. You want an electronics manufacturing partner that will put your product through its paces.

4 Tips to Save You Money on Your Next Test and Measurement Electronic Assembly

Advances in technology are driving up the demand for more efficient and accurate test and measurement capabilities. Some test and measurement suppliers need help keeping up. That's why they are outsourcing to sophisticated electronic assembly and manufacturing partners. Working with a contract manufacturer for electronics manufacturing services comes with an added bonus. It can save you money. Here is how:

Benefits of Reverse Engineering in Test and Measurement Contract

Manufacturing quality counts when it comes to test and measurement instruments. Technology is constantly evolving and improving, which allows for even more accurate products. Perhaps your devices need an upgrade. Or maybe you just need to increase the speed and accuracy of your instruments. If so, there is no need to go back to the drawing board.

Partnering with an Electronics Manufacturing Service Can Save You Time and Money

Outsourcing has become the way of life for original equipment manufacturers. A third-party electronics manufacturing services partner (EMS) handles assembly of circuit boards and other electronic devices leaving you to focus on the big picture of your project. A manufacturing partner can streamline your production process and dramatically cut costs. Here are some examples of how you can save time and money with an electronics manufacturing services partner:

Electronics Manufacturing Services for the Food Industry

Quality and safety are of the utmost importance to the food manufacturing industry. Failure of process standards for contamination control could result in sickness for hundreds or thousands of people or even lead to someone's death. Needless to say, there are strict standards in place. And you should expect the same when it comes to electronics manufacturing services.

Finding the Right ECM for Your Digital Food Testing Device

Food-borne illness is a serious matter. Maintaining cleanliness, sanitization, and contamination control in a food processing plant is challenging even under perfect conditions. According to the CDC, food-borne illnesses and infections are a big public health problem in the United States. However, changes in food testing to detect harmful bacteria can curb that. Unfortunately, the modern way of testing isn't so modern. That is why more and more companies are turning to digital solutions, and allowing technology to lend a hand in food quality control and inspections.

Benefits of an EMS Manufacturing Partnership

Companies are always looking to get an edge on the competition and improve their bottom line. As technology evolves, you may not have the proper resources you need to competitively get a new product from concept to market. You may need to consider turning to an outside electronics manufacturer.

Food Safety Testing: How An Electronics Manufacturing Partner Can Help

There were 20.55 million food products recalled in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This has food processing companies struggling to battle food-borne illnesses. High-tech food safety testing is their best defense. The rapidly evolving world of electronics helps with the accuracy of detection and measuring devices needed to meet and maintain food quality standards.

Use an Engineering Consultant To Take Your Product To Next Level

You’re really good at what you do, you’ve got a sweet product that you are so close to taking to the next level, but you’re stuck. Stuck in design, stuck in function, STUCK. You need some new ideas to move your product forward. Consider using an electronics engineer to breathe new life into your design.

Electronics Troubleshooting Hacks With On-Site Engineers

In the world of Murphy’s Law, if it can go wrong, it will. If your mechanical assembly needs an electronic assembly inside, you really want an electronic contract manufacturer with engineering on staff to help with your electronics troubleshooting. On-site engineering means someone is ready to tackle your PCB repair challenge at a moment's notice. But, it goes beyond that. When your ECM has engineers standing by, there will be solutions to issues you didn't even realize could pose a problem.

Finding The Best PCB Design Services Partner

In-house engineering is paramount for PCB design services. They need to have an eye on your design but are also looking at it from a production standpoint. Is it manufacturable? Can they make small adjustments to the design, but not function, to assist with manufacturability? Look for a design services partner that also has assembly and manufacturing on-site. Here are some things to look for:

Getting the Most Out of Box Build Assembly

It is common for electronic manufacturers to partner with multiple ECMs for a project. One may handle design, another for the printed circuit, and yet another ECM for the final assembly. However, sometimes it makes sense to keep your product all in one place from perfecting your design all the way through to a product being placed in the hands of a consumer. In some cases, a box build assembly can be the perfect solution for a company up against a deadline. A box build could increase quality, reliability, performance, productivity, and manufacturability by keeping a few key features in mind.

PCBA Optimization In 4 Simple Steps

When you outsource assembly of your printed circuit boards, you want the most bang for your buck. You want a high quality product done right, the first time. You want to be efficient, so your PCBs are completed in a timely fashion. And you want your product to go from your drawing board to your ECM's assembly line with as little headaches as possible. PCB assembly, or PCBA, done right is a seamless collaboration between you and your contract manufacturer. Steps taken early on can optimize the entire PCBA process.

5 Advantages To Using SMT

The old saying "bigger is better" just isn't accurate in the world of electronics. This is especially true when it comes to surface-mount technology (SMT.) SMT places components directly onto the surface of a printed circuit board in order to create a circuit. It has become a preferred method of creating circuits in the electronics industry. Both surface mount technology and through-hole can be used on the same PCB. However, in many cases, SMT versions of through-hole PCB designs can be produced. Surface mount technology can make a big impact on design and development. Here are some of the advantages of using SMT:

5 Warning Signs Design Engineers Should Look For in an ECM Partnership

The right electronic contract manufacturer with the right team and the right tools will successfully serve all of your needs from prototype to production. After all, electronic contract manufacturing plays an important role in industries around the world. However, the relationship with your ECM can be a lot like any other relationship. When it’s good, it’s good, but when it is bad it is really BAD. Here are some warning signs that will make you pull off those ECM rose-colored glasses.

7 Common Features of a Box Build Assembly

Many electronics manufacturers work with multiple vendors on projects. They source components from one company. Another ECM handles sub-assembly. Yet another partner tackles the final assembly. This can waste valuable time and money. Plus, little bits of your quality can fall between the cracks.

The Top 5 Reasons Mechanical Engineers Should Reconsider Their ECM

Sometimes we find the best quick fix, and then stay because we know it’s currently working. But what if there is something better out there for you? Working with the right electronic contract manufacturer can mean the difference between your project being a huge success or a big flop. While outsourcing is a way of life for electronic manufacturers, working with the wrong ECM is at the root of many problems. Here are some ideas to help you figure out if you’re really getting the best deal from your current ECM.

PCB Component Factors That Are Driving Up Your Electronic Assembly Quote

The cost of electronic assembly can vary as much as the design of a printed circuit board (PCB.) Most think the cost is driven by the availably of the multitude of components needed for PCB assembly. While that may be an influence, there are a whole host of other factors that comes into play too. Add them all together and your costs can skyrocket. Component shortages are real, but here are some other factors that may be driving up the cost of your PCB.

Employee Spotlight-Steve Bishop

Here at Levison Enterprises, we enjoy a reputation as not just a quality electronic manufacturer, but as a company that goes the extra mile to provide our customers with the service they deserve. Of course, we are fully aware that this stellar reputation wouldn't be possible without our hard-working employees. It's why we want to take this opportunity to spotlight our sales director, Steve Bishop.

What Comes First in Your PCB Development

As you develop your printed circuit board, it is important to know the way PCB manufacturing works. You can waste a lot of time and run into trouble early in your PCB development process without a clear view of the PCB manufacturing industry. There is a lot of labor and machining that go together to take your board from design to a fully fabricated product.

Electronics Manufacturing Companies: What Services Do They Provide?

There is never any shame in asking for help. This is especially true in the manufacturing field. An expert hand guiding your electronics can give your product a leg up on your competitors. Electronic Manufacturing companies exist to assist original equipment manufacturers with designing, testing, building, and distributing electronic components.

What Should a Mechanical Engineering Firm Look for in an Electronics Manufacturing Partner?

As a mechanical engineer, you create some pretty cool stuff. But does any of that stuff have electronic components? Have you just been winging it? Don't play DIY with your electronics manufacturing. You may have been lucky up to this point, but it could burn you if your electronics project goes boom.

Avoiding 3 Common Problems During PCB Manufacturing Process

PCB manufacturing isn’t rocket science, but it does take some attention to detail. The design and quality of printed circuit boards directly affect how well the boards work in the final product. Designing and manufacturing PCBs can be a complex process. There is a risk of PCB failure as a result of oversights while a project is prepped for production. Luckily, most issues can be avoided by being aware of the most common PCB manufacturing problems. Being aware of these issues and the best ways to prevent them can save you from a PCB catastrophe.

PCB Development: The 5 Step Process

Printed circuit boards have come a long way. PCB evolution has led to so much innovation that you can find boards in everything from the simplest electronics in children's toys to sleek, cutting edge smart phones. But the PCBs for these projects don't magically appear. There is an entire PCB development process that occurs before you can even start manufacturing the final product, and there could be lots of lag time in between.

Employee Spotlight - Dwindal Webb

Every once in a while, we like to shine a spotlight on the people that have helped to make Levison Enterprises so successful and who continue to help drive our company forward. Today, we want to introduce you to Dwindal Webb, who works for us as a buyer material planner. It's employees like Dwindal that help to maintain and build our reputation as a trustworthy, reliable, and high-quality electronic manufacturing partner.

6 Things That Might Be Missing From Your Medical Device Electronics Design

An effective medical device design addresses a medical need and offers a solution. It is also compliant with healthcare regulatory mandates and delivers functionalities that satisfy the end user’s needs. However, electronic medical devices are only as useful as their design dictates. Before the manufacturing of your medical device, it’s a good idea to have a Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis done on your electronic design to make sure it’s optimized for manufacturing.

Seamlessly Outsource Your PCB Design to a Box Build Manufacturer

Many electronics companies require a contract manufacturer for not only their printed circuit board assembly but also the final assembly of their innovative products. In some cases a box build assembly can be the perfect solution. A box build is a systems integration that includes all electromechanical assembly housed in an enclosure. They can be used in a wide array of applications, and can range from small and simple to large and complicated. A box build can be the perfect turnkey solution for all your outsourcing needs. Once you have decided this is the route for your next project, there are some simple steps to seamlessly transition your design to a box build manufacturer.

What Is A Box Build In Electronics Manufacturing?

Not all electronics projects are created equal. Neither should the assembly. Luckily, you have options. A box build is a fairly recent development in electronics manufacturing. For complete systems integration, a box build may be the right option for your next project.

Features Of A Partnership With An Electronics Manufacturer

When you are looking to partner up with an electronics manufacturer, you need more than someone to simply do a production run. You need someone you can trust to offer customized solutions to create a successful product. A production partner should be someone you can count on to be as dedicated to your assembly and manufacturing as you are. You and your CM must operate as a team. With that in mind, there are some characteristics you can count on to let you know if an electronics manufacturer is worthy of being considered as your project partner.

5 Ways To Find A Medical Electronics Engineering Partner For Your Medical Device

You’re a chemical engineering or mechanical engineering firm and are tasked with creating the next big medical device. You’re already working on the design and interface, but there are electronics inside your design. Maybe you dabble. Maybe you know a guy. Maybe you took a few classes in school. But is that the knowledge you can trust to develop what could become the next big medical device breakthrough?

5 Reasons Why Your Engineering Firm Needs Electronic Manufacturing

It is hard to trust just anyone with a project you and your team have spent countless hours designing and developing. But outsourcing your electronic manufacturing could be a major advantage for your engineering firm. Here is one way to look at it. You wouldn't trust a dentist to diagnose you with a heart valve problem, right? A dentist and a cardiologist are both doctors. But they focus on different specialties. Electronic manufacturing should work the same way. Partnering with a great ECM allows you to focus on developing products. Let the ECM focus on production. And manufacturing is not just about keeping the line moving. There are a lot of reasons your engineering firm needs electronic manufacturing.

Optimize Your PCB Electronics With A Prototype

Prototyping is an important stage of PCB electronics design. Why leave it to chance? Your staff already has enough to do. They do not need to take on duties typically handled by an electronic engineer. Your product deserves better, too. Don't just dabble in prototyping. Retain the services on an ECM who has an engineering staff to support you and your product.

Keeping Production with the ECM Who Does Your Electronics Prototyping

The world of electronics, prototyping and manufacturing can be a complicated place. Some companies choose to have one ECM do a prototype and another do the production run. While some believe this is a smart move, there are many benefits associated with hiring a company that does everything under one roof. It is possible to save significant money and time by starting with an ECM who does prototypes in house and can also handle your production run. After all, you already trust their prototyping skills; why not also trust their assembly?

An Electronic Prototype Will Optimize Your Design

Prototyping is an important stage of product development. This useable representation of your design allows you to understand your product. The working model allows you to test various design features, verify design functionality and identify issues as early as possible within the development stage. Prototyping is often well worth the time, effort, and investment. If done well, the prototyping process will allow the design to be completely optimized before full production occurs. This will not only save you time and money, but guarantee you will deliver a dynamite product.

7 Ways To Reduce Your Labor Costs During PCBA Manufacturing

Labor cost can add up to the biggest part of your PCBA manufacturing budget. So how do you cut costs without sacrificing the quality of your project? It is actually easier than it seems. It all starts with finding the right electronic contract manufacturer to partner with in order to create your printed circuit boards on a budget.

Lost In Translation: Electronic Design For Manufacturing

PCBs can get lost in translation between the designer and the manufacturer. What may look like an amazing design on paper may be difficult, costly, or even impossible to actually make. It’s important that your design for manufacturing analysis (DFM) is taken into consideration.

5 Tips to Optimize Your PCB Design for Manufacturability

You and your team work hard to bring a product to market. However, overlooking one tiny detail can mean the difference between a printed circuit board’s success and sending your PCB back to the drawing board. A Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis will take the worry out of the process. Performing DFM before production starts is proven to save time and money by making sure your design meets the requirements of manufacturing processes to actually produce the PCB.

Medical Device Manufacturing: How To Stay Competitive

Industry demand has kept most medical device manufacturers engaged in a constant battle to stay on top of the growing medical device manufacturing market. However, the industry is splitting.

Reverse Engineering is Important To Your Legacy Electronic Assembly

Your legacy product has served you well. But is it time for an update? Bringing your legacy assembly up to speed with current and future technology doesn't mean going back to the drawing board. When the designs are no longer available, reverse engineering might be the solution you’re looking for. With reverse engineering you can have your ECM figure out exactly how your legacy components work and start looking for ways to update that technology for the future.

Top Traits for Your Next Medical Device Manufacturer

The medtech industry is constantly changing. Technology evolves at a rapid pace and companies are working hard to keep up. The pressure is on to bring new and improved medical devices to market to revolutionize healthcare and to better (or save) lives. At the same time, companies need to improve efficiency and keep costs low. That is why finding the right medical device contract manufacturing partner is so important. You want a medical device contract manufacturer who cares as much about your product as you do and can stick to your budget. So, it is important to consider several top traits of a CM while searching for your next partner.

3 Questions To Ask Before Outsourcing Your Medical Device Manufacturing

Rapid technology growth and evolution is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, and your company is leading the way to groundbreaking patient treatments. But you can't do it alone. When considering outsourcing production of your medical device, there is a lot you need to consider when talking to medical device contract manufacturers.

What Is Medical Device Contract Manufacturing?

As Baby Boomers age, and technology advances the ways in which consumers interact with medical care, medical device manufacturing is seeing new growth. Demand for new and improved medical devices continues to grow, meaning more demand for medical device manufacturers. When demand gets high and changes are happening quickly, contract manufacturing always has an important role to play. This will be and is true especially in medical device contract manufacturing.

Outsourcing Your Medical Device Prototype

Prototyping is a crucial part of designing a new medical device. Without it you will never know if your idea is viable. Of course, creating a prototype is easier said than done. Today most medical device companies prefer to hire another company to breathe life into their designs. Outsourcing your medical device prototype can bring many benefits along with it. Working with the right partner can speed up the medical device prototyping process and cut your time to market.

How Important is it for Your ECM to Invest in Technology?

Technology is often developed to solve a problem or meet an opportunity. The world of electronic contract manufacturing changes on a daily basis. So when it comes to outsourcing, you want a partner that has a forward-thinking approach and adapts with technology. Your electronic contact manufacturer (ECM) must be up on the latest advances and employ high tech know-how.

New Pick and Place Machine

If you’ve worked with Levison Enterprises in the past, you know that we are not ones to be satisfied with “good enough.” We are continually investing in the latest safety and quality standards, the best customer service experience, and ongoing education for our team members.

Benefits of Reverse Engineering

We are currently in a great time for the electronic products industry. The business is evolving at an unprecedented rate. However, this growth is putting pressure on companies to look more closely at efficiency, design, and manufacturing. As a result, reverse engineering has become a popular practice. It is a tool that is becoming easier to afford and use, and it can improve your bottom line in a highly competitive market.

Using Reverse Engineering in Electronic Assembly To Bring A Better Product To Market

As tech companies grow, so has the popularity of reverse engineering. Reverse engineering is the process of disassembling a product or component in order to study it to find out how and why it works. From exploring incomplete design data and understanding design flaws to sustaining competition, the advantages of reverse engineering are widespread.

Product Problems? Why Reverse Engineering is the Solution

You’ve got a product that just isn’t functioning quite right. Maybe it’s in production, but you’re not convinced it’s going to perform how you originally intended. Or, maybe it’s still in prototype and technically it’s meeting your needs, but already you can imagine some of the future issues that are going to crop up.

3 Reasons To Reverse Engineer For Parts Obsolescence

You know you have a great product, but as times change, perhaps the product needs to change a little too. A big issue in the tech industry is parts obsolescence. This means there is a continuous need to update successful product designs. Tweaking and troubleshooting a successful product does not equate to reinventing the wheel, and you don't need to rely on pre-made parts because you can fabricate the components you need. How, you ask? It is achieved with some simple reverse engineering.

How To Rebuild Your Legacy Product

Most companies adhere to the old adage “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Unfortunately, that philosophy can be hard to stick to in the ever evolving world of electronics. Even with rapid pace electronic breakthroughs, older technologies are still extremely valuable in countless industry applications. These legacy systems, products, and components sometimes just need a little bit of attention to bring them up to date and keep them functional. If you have a great product and you want to keep it viable, you need to update it. Here is how to rebuild your legacy product.

Why Prototype: Advantages to Prototyping Before Production

In the world of electronic manufacturing, pre-production work, such as PCB prototyping, is vital to building a cost-efficient, quality product. In a marketplace that demands the latest technology yesterday, we often feel pressure to get right to production. Printed circuit boards are intricate and perform vital work in your product. Prototyping your PCB is always recommended, but particularly if your product is headed for the consumer market. There are many advantages to PCB prototyping.

2019 Resolutions For Your Electronic Assembly

Ah. It's the New Year, a time for resolutions and fresh starts. Get healthy, take that vacation, spend more time with the kids, but don’t forget professional resolutions in addition to your personal ones in the New Year. It is time to tackle the big things, like the product you’ve had on the back burner. 2019 is the year of the flux capacitor, after all. Now is the time to take your electronic assembly baby to production, and here is how you are going to do it.

New Year, New PCB Assembly ECM

It’s a new year! Time to start thinking about your relationship with your current PCB assembly ECM. Are they really working for you and your best interests? At the start of a fresh new year, we are inclined to think about where we’ve been and where we’re trying to go. What goals did we achieve last year? What do we hope to accomplish in the new year?

How to Start Your Reverse Engineering Project

There is no need to scrap a product that doesn't work properly or is obsolete. Give it new life with reverse engineering. Reverse engineering is a way to duplicate a product, subassembly, or component and find out what once made it tick. This is especially handy when you don't have documentation or original drawings for your PCB assembly.

6 Tips For PCB Design

It is sometimes said that PCB design is 90% placement and 10% routing. That may be the case, but both beginners and experienced designers can get caught off guard by simple oversight. It doesn't take much to turn a successful design of a printed circuit board into a high-tech disaster. It is best to know what to watch out for in order to avoid potential problems. Here are some tips to help you avoid function and reliability problems in your PCB design.

The 12 Benefits of Working with an ECM in 2019

You’ve worked hard all year, but there is no rest for the weary. No doubt you are already looking toward projects that need tackling in the new year. Give yourself a gift and find an electronic assembly and manufacturing partner to take some of the workload off your shoulders while still making your electronic project a success.

6 Budget Busters in PCB Assembly Quotes

PCB fabrication and assembly is a pretty straightforward process, however, there are factors early in the production process that could hold up your production and bust your budget before your printed circuit boards are even close to rolling off the assembly line. PCB designs and set ups can vary greatly, and so can the price to produce them.

5 Tips To Save You Time and Money On Your Next Electronic Assembly

Producing a printed circuit board is no easy feat and it’s also not an inexpensive one. When it comes to your electronic assembly you want to get the most bang for your buck without compromising your product.

Why Outsource Your PCB Prototype Assembly

As electronics evolve and technology becomes more complicated, companies no longer have the facilities or capabilities to assemble PCBs. This is especially true when it comes to prototyping. Turning to an electronic manufacturer to help with the prototyping process just makes sense. Electronic assembly manufacturers are experts in their field. There are a number of advantages to outsourcing your prototype to an electronic manufacturer.

Fast Does Not Equal A Quality Electronic Assembly

What do we want? Quality products! When do want them? Yesterday! Sound about right?

Cost Savings and Efficiency in An Electronic Assembly Product Redesign

Have you ever thought of a product redesign as a cost-saving process? Typically, we think of redesign as a way to fix a problem or improve a product’s functionality. With rapid advancements in technology and manufacturing processes, a redesign can also mean cost savings.

How to Select Components for PCBA Optimization

If you're using an electronic contract manufacturer for your PCB assembly, then you will need to provide a thoroughly defined set of instructions for your board fabrication and PCB assembly, including the selection of components to be used based on the equipment capabilities of your electronic contract manufacturer. Your choice of components will have an impact on the final quality of the assembly as well as the efficiency of the assembly. Keeping that in mind, the following are a few tips on how to select components for PCB assembly optimization:

Hand Soldering: Why It’s the Right Call For Your PCB Assembly

Through-hole assembly, once the most common electronic assembly technique, has become rare in a world where tiny components with many connectors are the norm. Through-hole assembly is an excellent choice for producing a high-quality PCB assembly, but it cannot perform well when small size is the top priority. In some instances, particularly in unpredictable or extreme environments where high reliability is important, through-hole assembly is still the best way to go.

Guide to Understanding the PCBA Process

The world of electronics is constantly changing. It’s an industry with a rapid pace evolution and shows no signs of slowing down, but the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) process is one standard among this swift progression.

What To Have Ready Before Your PCB Assembly Quote

Obtaining a quote from your electronic contract manufacturer (ECM) for printed circuit board assembly sounds simple. But don't let that impression fool you. Your quote is, perhaps, the most important factors in your PCB assembly project's success or failure.

Why Use a Domestic PCB Assembly Manufacturer

When it comes to selecting your PCB assembly manufacturer, what do you look for? Obviously, you’ll need a partner that can do the job, but what else is important to you and your product?

4 Ways In House Engineering Support Helps Your Electronic Assembly

When you’re choosing an electronics contract manufacturer (ECM), there are lots of options you need to weigh. Whether you’ve already got a concept for your project, or need design help to bring your idea into reality, an important factor to add to your list of considerations is whether or not the ECM has engineering support. While this may seem like just a “nice to have,” when it comes to quality electronics design and manufacturing, engineering support really should be on your “must have” list.

Multi-Layer Printed Circuit Boards: Advantages and Disadvantages

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are right in the center of the rapidly growing and changing world of electronics. The push for faster, lighter, and more robust electronics products has given birth to multiple ways to use PCBs in order to meet those demands. One way that printed circuit boards have been shown to help increase these capabilities is by use of the multi-layer printed circuit board.

Using A Flexible Circuit In Your Next Electronic Assembly

Flexible electronics. A generation ago, we thought that a flexible electronic meant you could hoist your boombox up on your shoulder and carry it around. Although this idea of flexibility produced the iconic look of the 1980s, it comes nowhere near what modern flexible electronics can do.

Tricks and Treats in Electronic Assembly Contracts

Whether it’s your first time contracting with an electronic contract manufacturer or your hundredth, there are things you want to land in your contract and things you want to avoid. By watching for a few key tells, you can be the kid with all the king-sized candy bars and none of the tricks after trick-or-treating.

Why Project Managers Shouldn't Be Scared to Hire an Electronics Manufacturer

It’s that time of year when there just might be a clown or a fright around every corner. But don’t let that stop you from hiring a quality electronic contract manufacturer.

Risk Mitigation in the New AS9100D

When ISO 9001:2015 rolled out, along with it came the complementary revisions to AS9100, called Revision D. The core concept of risk-based thinking has been placed at the center of both these important standards. As an industry, aerospace has always held risk management in high regard, given the risky nature of its work. This is why AS9100 takes risk-based thinking a few steps further than ISO 9001.

Changes Your ECM Will Make Transitioning From AS9100C To AS9100D

In order to participate in the aerospace or defense industry, nearly all manufacturers and suppliers must make themselves AS9100 compliant. This set of standards is followed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United States Department of Defense (DoD), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as well as many large prime contractors in the aerospace industry.

New AS9100D Changes

With the recent changes to ISO 9001, AS9100 standard has also evolved to reflect those changes. AS9100 is the international quality management system specifically for the aerospace industry.

What Changes In The Latest Revision In ISO 9001:2015?

You may have heard that there are new standards in the electronics manufacturing world. Among those are changes to ISO 9001, which now some variations to note between ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 9001:2016.

5 Principals of Design for Manufacturing can Lead to 10 Levels of Savings

Design for Manufacturing or DFM is a process that aims to make parts, components, and products less expensive by easing their manufacturability. It’s how you avoid getting a very pretty part that cannot function properly. It’s how you avoid manufacturing an outdoor part for your Northern Michigan operation that cannot operate in freezing temperatures. It’s how you avoid a lot of avoidable headaches.

What to do When it Breaks? Electronics Manufacturing and Return Material Authorization

Even with the best designs, supply chain management, and manufacturing standards, mistakes sometimes happen. You don’t go into a project anticipating problems, but good project management means considering what might happen if your product has errors. You’ll want to know ahead of time how your electronics manufacturing service will handle troubleshooting and repair for your electronics manufacturing.

Levison Enterprises Celebrates 10 Years

Our commitment to our customers is at the core of everything Levison Enterprises does. The dedication to our high-quality certifications and standards, sets us apart as an electronic contract manufacturer and we know this is reflected in our partnerships with our customers.

Lead Free vs. Leaded Solder

Prior to 2006, most of the metallic components in electronic devices were created using tin or lead solder. These materials were reliable, easy to observe and understand and readily available. Assemblies were designed specifically for use with tin/lead solder, including the temperatures required to work with these materials.

Benefits of Surface Mount Technology

If you have held a TV remote control in your hand, punched a button on a microwave or adjusted a digital thermostat, you have interacted with surface mount technology, or SMT. Since the 1980s, nearly all mass-produced electronics are now manufactured using SMT.

Flexible Printed Circuit Boards and Rigid Circuit Boards

When you hear the term “PCB,” what do you think of? Most people probably imagine a rigid PCB (printed circuit board) with traditional copper pads and wiring harnesses. More and more, however, PCB can also refer to a flexible PCB, also known as a flexible printed circuit board. With the growth in small electronics, the possibilities for shaping, twisting, and folding a flexible PCB have increased its popularity.

Levison Enterprises Recommended for Certification to AS9100D

Since our beginning, Levison Enterprises has been about quality and partnerships with our customers. We set out to be an electronic assembly manufacturer that our customers could count on. We are proud to be an electronic contract manufacturer that works and trains our team to make the best quality products, on time and on budget, for every one of our customers. Today, we honor that commitment to quality in every project, piece, and part.

Principals and Considerations for Design For Manufacturing

When you’re manufacturing a product, there are usually three considerations you need to meet by the time it’s finished. The product needs to meet your desired level of quality, it needs to meet your performance standards, and it needs to be able to be priced competitively.

What is the difference between SMT and SMD?

SMT and SMD. These two little acronyms get mixed up a lot in the electronics manufacturing service world. On paper, they only vary by a single letter, but in practice, there’s a lot more separating SMTs and SMDs. Chiefly, one is a process and the other is a device.

Types and Purposes of Common Cable Testing

Much of what goes into the design and manufacture of quality electronic components revolve around testing – individual parts and the assembly itself, once completed. For the electrical connections that make up cables, harnesses, or any other wired assemblies, cable testing is performed to check for conformity to plans, quality, and functionality.

What to Look For In An Electronic Manufacturing Service Providing Solder Paste Printing

For an electronic device that requires any kind of reliability, the solder paste printing process is arguably the most important step in its assembly. Taking a close look at how an electronic manufacturing service does its solder paste printing is, a reliable way to separate a good electronic manufacturing service from one of lower quality.

Designing a Custom Cable Assembly

Electronic products from home electronics and appliances, to military and aerospace, to medical and industrial all rely upon one important kind of component: a custom designed cable assembly.

The Importance of Continuous Improvement in your Electronic Manufacturing Service

Continuous improvement is a philosophy. It plays out in an organization’s culture as it drives progress and growth. It comes from culture because, ultimately, continuous improvement is about people.

Difference Between Through-Hole and Surface Mount Technology

Two assembly types are prevalent in electronics manufacturing: through-hole technology (THT) and surface mount technology (SMT). Selection of SMT or THT plays an important role in manufacturing efficiency and cost. This means it is important for customers to be aware of their definitions, differences, and applications.

Why Your ECM Needs to be ISO Certified

The electronics industry is extremely diversified. It includes manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, retailers, and many more. This sector has been growing at a rapid pace with the invention of innovative technologies. However, in an industry like electronics manufacturing that moves at a rapid pace, it is imperative that mistakes are kept to a minimum. Additionally, if and when errors occur, they must be corrected immediately in order to stop the trickle down effect that could cost customers valuable time and money.

IPC Standards and Why They Matter to Your Electrical Assembly Process

/p> When we talk about standards, we often think about processes. When we talk about IPC Standards, however, what we’re really talking about is the actual manufacture of your project. We aren’t talking about tools, we’re talking about the people, training, and background to make your highest-quality product. We’re talking about keeping those people trained so that your product stays top-of-the-line as technology and regulations change.

Four Characteristics to Look for When Hiring a Quality Electronics Manufacturing Service

The term Electronic Manufacturing Service took off in the early 1970s. Up until that point, most large-scale production was handled by in-house assembly. As manufacturing evolved, smaller electronic manufacturing services sprang up to deliver low-cost assemblies by taking advantage of economies of scale. Manufacturing, material procurement and the pooling of design and customer support services made this an attractive alternative to costly in-house operations.

Electronic Component Shortages Are Real

Does it seem like everything you need – all your parts and materials – are either going way up in price, taking longer to get, or completely inaccessible altogether? It doesn’t just seem that way.

5 Ways To Clear Your Path To Successful Electronics Design

You already know that your design package is key to a well-manufactured end product. Without good design, timelines, quality, and basically all your money may as well be forgotten.

Good Electronic Design – Beyond Nuts and Bolts

There is much to be said about how clearly you communicate your goals, how accurate your bill of materials, and how detailed your drawings are in drafting a solid design plan. Without these pieces, your design will probably not turn into the product you had in mind.

Electronic Design and Electronic Redesign 101

A good electronics product design (or electronic redesign) is foundational for creating a quality and timely product. When the important basics of electronic design get glossed over or forgotten, processes get delayed, products lack specificity and you’re likely unhappy.

Seagate Security Solutions Case Study

Seagate Mobile Security Solutions prides itself on keeping job sites secure for its customers. The company aims to save clients money while protecting valuable tools and materials on their construction sites.

Why Your ECM Should Use Automated Optical Inspection

Automated optical inspection or AOI uses an autonomous camera to scan devices for missing components or quality problems. This method of automated visual inspection is a preferred method because it is non-contact and can be implemented throughout the manufacturing process.

How Levison Enterprises Builds A Quote

Have you ever received a quote from a vendor and wondered what they were thinking when they wrote it? Sometimes they come back over-simplified and you know there are things missing that will come up and haunt you later.

Outsourcing Your Product Design to Your Electronic Manufacturer

The saying goes, “measure twice, cut once.” In manufacturing, we could probably apply that saying everyday and in a multitude of ways. As we literally measure and cut things every day, it’s a good standard to live by. Even when we step back from the cutting saws and lasers, that core message still holds strong meaning in electronics manufacturing. Think about what you’re doing before you actually do it.

Additional Services Your Electronic Contract Manufacturer Should Offer

Basic manufacturing is not enough in the highly-competitive electronics manufacturing world.

Get Efficiency with a Dedicated Project Manager

The saying goes that if you want a job done right, do it yourself. But when it comes to getting your high tech and multifaceted manufacturing projects completed, it’s just not possible to do it yourself.

What a Good Project Manager Can Do for Your Electronic Assembly

In all complicated projects, the best-laid plans and good intentions are only good until the first real project hiccup. Realistically, even a project that you’ve had produced before can still run into problems. Parts go out of production. Part numbers get accidentally transposed. Assemblers make mistakes.

What is IPC-A-610 J-STD-001 For Electronic Assembly?

J Standard, or it’s more official title IPC J-STD-001 is a standard that lists the requirements for the manufacture of electronic assemblies. This standard is published by the IPC as “Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies” and includes guidance on materials, manufacturing methods, and verification criteria.

IPCA610 Standard Certification

At a very basic level, IPC-A-610 amounts to high-level inspection and passage requirements for printed circuit board (PCB) assemblies.

The Highest Level of Trust for Your Electronic Assembly

Imagine you are traveling across the Atlantic by plane. You are standing on a tarmac, bags by your side, when two different aircraft roll up. You are offered a choice of either plane to take you to your transatlantic destination. The first aircraft is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, the other has no certification.

How to Turn Your Idea into Reality

You've got this great big idea. You can’t believe no one else has thought of it before. You're going to sell millions! But one small problem.

NIST SP800-171 at Levison Enterprises

Levison Enterprises is proud to commit early to standards that improve our client's data security.

Importance of Being NIST SP800-171 Compliant

The National Institute of Standards and Technology published the standards in NIST SP800-171 for all contractors and subcontractors for the United States Department of Defense (DoD). This was required by Dec. 31, 2017 and focused on safeguarding Covered Defense Information (CDI) and reporting cyber security incidents.

6 Reasons to Consider a Box Build

A box build isn’t the only way to complete your project, but for quality, high-efficiency projects, a box build is a process worth considering. Here are 6 reasons you may want to consider a box build for your next project.

How an ECM Helps You Meet Your Flow Down Needs

Flow down helps keep counterfeit parts out and improves supply chain accountability, but it may make your business harder, too.

Build Efficiency Into Your Project with an All In One ECM

No matter what you’re looking to manufacture, you’re looking for efficiency. An all-in-one ECM means cost savings and high-level quality for your project.

3 Ways Counterfeit Parts Affect Your Assembly

Transfer Your Project to an All-in-One Manufacturer

Go ahead. Put all your eggs in one basket with Levison Enterprises. Once you’ve decided to outsource part or all of your project to an electronic contract manufacturer (ECM), you still have a big decision to make. Which all-in-one ECM is best suited to handle your projects and to handle them to your specifications?

Alphabet Soup: OEM, CEM, EMS, ECM, CM, & ODM

In the manufacturing world, we see all kinds of acronyms bounce around. Depending on your project and specialty, you might need a pocket dictionary to keep track of all the abbreviations you’ll hear. At Levison Enterprises, we call ourselves an ECM or, electronic contract manufacturer. But we see plenty of others and figured it was time to get them all organized in once place – for our own benefit, if not for yours.

The ITAR Advantage for All Projects

In the electronic contract manufacturing (ECM) world, it’s likely that you’ve needed to sub-contract work at times. With a host of competing factors to consider, sometimes it just makes more sense to sub work out to another ECM.

5 Historical Events That Shaped Printed Circuit Boards

The printed circuit boards (PCBs) we use today have evolved over the last 100 years and beyond. PCBs have an exciting history, borne first from the earliest ventures into electronics and later reimagined by a desire to revolutionize point-to-point wiring boards. Learning about the important events that molded the modern PCB can lend a better appreciation for this technology and an idea of what’s to come for the future of PCB assembly.

Where Did All the Plasma Manufactures Go?

Or, more to the point, how do we keep our plasma projects running when no one seems to support them anymore? To be clear, we're not talking about the large plasma TV in your basement. We're talking about the plasma display that for many years was the industry standard for electronic instruments. First, a little primer on how we got into this plasma problem.

Build A Better Bill Of Materials For Accurate Quotes

It might seem like tedious deskwork to you, but a well-organized bill of materials can be the difference between an on-time and on-budget project and one that is, well, not. So let's keep the boss happy and brush up on how to make an excellent Bill of Materials (BOM).

In-House TAB Bonding, At Your Service

Levison Enterprises' in-house TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) solutions keep your circuits and your costs small. Almost as soon as the first personal computers arrived, there was a push for them to be smaller. In 70 years we've seen computers the size of a room scale down to something you absent-mindedly wear on your wrist.

The Importance of Your ECM's Plan Do Check Act Cycle

Companies may use the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA,) or Deming Cycle as part of their project management approach. But do you know what it is? Plan-Do-Check-Act is actually a part of the AS9100 Quality assessment. It is a four–step model for carrying out change. The PDCA cycle is intended to be repeated again and again for continuous improvement. This is an important part of many companies’ methodology. Its success as a quality approach should not be overlooked.

Internal Quality Audits are a Must for an Electronic Manufacturer

Clients depend on their electronic contract manufacturing company to provide efficient, compliant, and secure services to produce their products. That's why your Electronic Contract Manufacturer, or ECM, should consider internal audits a must. It's how you can ensure your ECM is doing what they say they are doing and identify gaps in policies and procedures.

Save Money & Ensure Quality: Source Your Materials With Your ECM

Every manufacturer has two priorities that guide every decision. They want to make and deliver a high-quality product while saving every dollar on materials, assembly, and delivery. This is where a partnership with the right electronic contract manufacturer (ECM) can make a significant difference.

6 Questions You Should Ask Your Current ECM That You Likely Haven't

Have you become comfortable and complacent in the current relationship with your electronic contract manufacturer? That can be both good and bad. It’s good because you've developed a strong relationship and level of trust with them.

5 Benefits From An AS9100 Certified Electronic Contract Manufacturer

Recently, a movie theatre in our area decided to rip out the stadium style seating traditionally found in theatres, and invested in all leather recliners and enhanced technology for their movie viewing customers. One might think this would be tied to a higher ticket price. However, they didn’t raise their prices.

Benefits of Utilizing a Single Source EMS for Your Complete Assembly

Are you looking to streamline your assembly process, reduce your shipping timelines, and possibly reduce your overall cost? Who isn’t? Your best bet may be a single source electronic manufacturing service or ECM.

Complete Drawings Equal Sucess For Your Electronic Project

Are you looking to get the most quality out of your electronic manufacturing project but aren’t sure how detailed to make your drawings? When you tell your electronic contract manufacturer what you need through a complete picture, it’s much easier to achieve the end product you are looking for.

Levison Enterprises Preserves the Lost Art of Through Hole

Are you hitting a dead end trying to get your through hole board replaced or fixed? Many electronic contract manufactures don’t do it anymore. Though the benefits of surface mount assembly may have largely displaced through hole assembly, there are many applications where through hole assembly could remain the best choice.

Considerations for Your Next Electronic Contract Manufacturing Partner

Searching for a new electronic manufacturing partner can be a lot like the dating game. Companies will wine and dine you, make you feel like you’ve found a match, but then disappear when a problem arises. You need to make sure you find the right “match” for your company.

5 Things an Electronic Contract Manufacturer Can Do for You

In today’s competitive landscape, businesses must continually innovate to improve their products and inspire brand loyalty. For small to mid-sized businesses, leveraging new technology and initiating real change is often a challenge. For businesses constrained by smaller budgets and less sophisticated equipment, there is a way to improve your processes and stay ahead of the competition.

5 Reasons Why All-In-One Manufacturers Reduce Cost

A contract manufacturer can be a valuable asset that helps your business achieve its goals and even surpass them. However, not all electronic contract manufacturers are created equal.

Benefits of Partnering with a Flexible Electronic Manufacturer

The uniqueness of your product is what makes it special. It is what makes your product different from competing products on the market.

Practices to Mitigate the Risk of Counterfeit Electronic Components

Counterfeit electronic components have long been a concern in the electronics manufacturing industry. The increasing ease of producing them in recent years has made a significant impact.

A Closer Look into the Levison Enterprises Difference

"Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives." - Tony Robbins To be truly great at something requires that you immerse yourself into your craft.

5 Key Qualities to Look for in an Electronic Contract Manufacturer

So, you are beginning your search for a new electronics contract manufacturer. On the surface, many electronic manufacturing service companies appear very similar. They will have a roster of the capabilities, coupled with some images of printed circuit boards, cable assemblies, and processing equipment.

Benefits of Quality Certifications With Your Electronic Manufacturer

There is no requirement that an electronic contract manufacturer must hold certain quality certifications to conduct business in the industry. Anyone that can purchase equipment and operate it can call themselves an electronics manufacturing services provider.

Reducing Costs Without Cutting Corners

Regardless of industry or business size, money is always at the forefront of discussion. The economy may be rebounding, but companies are continually looking for ways to scale down while maximizing their profits. For small to mid-sized businesses that run on thin margins, this can seem difficult to do without sacrificing quality.

5 Ways Electronic Contract Manufacturers Promote Efficiency

In an increasingly competitive business landscape, efficiency is more important than ever. To stay competitive, companies feel the pressure to research, develop, and manufacture products that deliver satisfaction to their demanding customers. Consumers today want more and they want it as quickly as possible – call it the natural progression of our technology-driven culture. Small and mid-sized businesses may struggle to keep the pace.

Choosing Between an Overseas or Domestic Electronics Manufacturer

You have a decision to make. Are you going to farm your work to an overseas partner that has this really attractive price or are you going to seek a domestic partner that may cost more but will be easier to work with and deliver higher quality?