Levison Enterprises Blog | Design For Manufacturability

Mitigate Parts Obsolescence in Medical Device Manufacturing with a DFM

Patients often rely on electronics to increase their longevity. Their lives depend on medical devices that have long lives of their own. However, parts obsolescence in medical device manufacturing can complicate this. Many electronic components have life cycles which are shorter than that of the medical device in which they are used. Obsolescence of electronic components is a common problem. Sometimes parts become obsolete before a product is even through production. Often the only chance manufacturers have to battle this is with forecasting and being proactive.

Your Guide to Ensuring Quality PCB Manufacturing and Assembly

Most people have no idea how their electronic devices work. It is an entirely different story for designers, engineers, and OEMs. They understand the ins and out of PCBs. That also means they know the importance of quality when it comes to printed circuit board assembly and manufacturing. Quality should always be the top priority for PCB manufacturing and assembly. Knowing what to look for in an ECM will lead to an informed decision so you can partner with the perfect company to make the highest quality components for your products.

Benefits of Partnering with an Electronic Contract Manufacturer in the U.S.

There is a common misconception that you could save a lot of money by relying on foreign manufacturers for electronic contract manufacturing. Not only is this not true, but now more than ever before it's important to work with a domestic ECM partner. Working with a manufacturer in the U.S. supports our economy. It keeps domestic engineers and technicians employed. But, that's not all. Keeping your electronic manufacturing here at home comes with many benefits you will not easily or confidently find overseas.

What to Look for in a Rigid-Flex PCB Manufacturing Partner

Rigid-flex printed circuit board components represent the next evolution of standard printed circuit boards. Combining the best of both worlds, rigid-flex printed circuit boards deliver advantages in design, cost efficiency, and resiliency. Overall, they allow design to be function-first, giving your project the design freedom you need.

Quality Assurance Impacts Your PCB Assembly in More Ways Than One

PCBs are everywhere. They make up the vast majority of electronics people have incorporated into their daily lives, from cell phones to bluetooth speakers. As a result, an effective quality assurance program is imperative as PCB designs become increasingly more complex with smaller layouts. Quality assurance is defined as avoiding problems and preventing mistakes, defects, and flaws in manufactured products. To do this successfully, this quality assurance must be integrated throughout the entire printed circuit board assembly process. A lack of quality assurance exposes the company to serious mistakes, human error, manufacturing defects, wasted money, and unsafe products.

Successful ECMs Streamline with a Continuous Improvement Process

Remember the proverb "waste not, want not?" It means if you use a resource carefully and without extravagance, you will never be in need. Now, look at that philosophy from an electronic contract manufacturing standpoint. Could you trim some fat from your bottom line? There is nothing quite as frustrating as wasting time, money, and resources. This is especially true in electronic contract manufacturing. This is why top ECMs use a continuous improvement process. This approach to manufacturing identifies inefficient processes that lead to waste. Every member of the team works toward the common goal of reducing waste by identifying and correcting ineffective processes. Eventually, the savings will trickle down to you.

ECMs are Redesigning Medical Devices to Mitigate Parts Obsolescence

Medical devices diagnose diseases and prolong life. They have come a long way since they were first introduced more than a century ago. And while technology allows for a continuous push for smaller and more powerful medical electronics, the real issue for aging medical devices is component obsolescence. The current medical device regulatory landscape is extremely sensitive to this risk.

Best Practices for Designing Rigid Flex PCB

There is a big demand for electronics to get smaller while becoming more sophisticated. This has designers relying heavily on flexible PCB boards. Rigid flex PCBs often fit the bill. With a rigid flex PCB, you get the strength of the rigid board while enjoying some advantages of the flexibility and versatility found in flex PCBs. This allows you to occupy less space and use fewer wires, cables, plug-in connections, and solder joints compared to traditional boards. However, rigid flex PCBs do come with some challenges you’ll want to keep in mind when determining if rigid flex is the best choice for your printed circuit boards. Here are some guidelines you will need to follow:

The Importance of PFMEA in Electronic Contract Manufacturing

In any manufacturing process, there are bound to be issues. From design to prototype to manufacturing, problems can arise, and the failure to address them early can cost you in both time and money. To best mitigate issues like this, implement the Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA) to help streamline your approach.

Obsolete Parts is the Great Vulnerability in a Supply Chain

Counterfeits are everywhere. The electronic industry is particularly vulnerable. Electronic technology is rapidly changing, and sometimes it is hard for companies to keep up. The need to regularly source parts or complete a rapid redesign due to parts obsolescence only increases the risk of fakes making their way into your product. It may seem like an uphill battle, but taking time to employ stricter counterfeit electronic component detection and avoidance methods could be the key to ensuring high-quality in your next project.

Parts Obsolescence Continues to Cause Headaches in Electronic Manufacturing

The electronic manufacturing industry has been battling the problem of parts obsolescence for decades. In an environment where the lifecycle of a component is shorter than the lifecycle of a product, part shortages lead to other headaches. Counterfeit electronic components entering the supply chain is one of the biggest issues resulting from hard-to-source parts. Manufacturers often find themselves scrambling to obtain parts, and when this happens it makes them particularly vulnerable. The key to combat this is by making sure steps are in place to minimize risks by practicing counterfeit electronic component detection and avoidance.

Benefits of a Flexible Printed Circuit Board Design

Rigid printed circuit boards are just fine for a number of applications, but depending on how you choose to utilize the PCBs, you may need to take it to the next level. That's when flexible PCBs enter the picture - they give you the ability to really custom-tailor your next PCB project, moving innovation and design forward.