Bringing a new product to market takes more than just a great concept — it needs expert teams to execute a range of complex processes. Collaborating with the right people at the design, industrialization, and manufacturing phases all contribute to your market success. This collaboration also ensures that the end mass-produced result is optimized for value.
In this article, we’ll unpack four key questions to ask when you’re about to manufacture :
- Should I manufacture internally or use an EMS company?
- Should I produce in high or low volume?
- What is the total cost of ownership?
- How The Right EMS Partner can help ?
Let's review these different questions in detail.
1. Should I manufacture internally or use an EMS company?
It may seem easier to produce your product internally until you’re ready to hand over to mass production. After all, it might appear to be the cheaper option. However, enlisting the help of an Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) company comes with a series of benefits that can make your project more cost-effective in the long run.
These include:
Purchasing components. An established EMS company has the design, engineering, and manufacturing experience to source quality electronic components. They’ll also have the market clout to negotiate a more favorable price from their suppliers. - Accessing leading knowledge and technology. An EMS partner that serves multiple industries will draw on multidisciplinary experience to provide you with innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies.
- Instant global presence. Working with an established EMS company that has fully fitted manufacturing plants in multiple countries positions your product for cost-effective international distribution from the outset.
2. Should I produce in high or low volume?
When the market requires lower production volumes, it may be wiser to comply. However, these instances are rare and limited to certain industries such as military and aerospace. Ultimately, if you’re aiming for a cost-effective New Product Introduction (NPI), you’ll be designing for mass production with higher volumes.
This allows you to optimize your product value, and ensure the design and manufacturing process remains efficient. You also won’t need to change your production team very often, which minimizes the time and effort required to brief a new one with every order. By purchasing components in larger volumes, you’re also able to optimize the target cost — one way your external EMS partner’s purchasing power can benefit you.
3. What is the total cost of ownership?
Calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) for your product is essential to ensure the entire project remains profitable. This financial estimate of the complete cost of the product through its entire lifecycle will inform decisions on where to focus your investments through design and manufacture, and set a fair, profitable product price.
4. How The Right EMS Partner can help ?
Choosing the right EMS partner to help achieve an optimized design, manufacture, and mass production process is worth the investment. By working together you’ll turn your concept into a product that balances quality, volume, and market distribution with the best costs.
EMS partners that use Design for Excellence (DfX) are well positioned to help you reap the benefits of many value-added services. Read more about how an EMS company differs to Contract Manufacturers (CMs) in our blog post, What Does an EMS Company Do?, or learn more about the DfX methodology in our resource page, What Design for Excellence Services Mean for PCBA.
EMS companies help anticipate the needs and demands of your market. A company like Asteelflash, can do this on a global scale. With seventeen fully outfitted plants on four continents, we can tap an international pool of talent and combine it with state of the art technology right where your market is — passing the cost savings, and additional value, on to you.
Contact us to learn how our full-service offering, and multi-industry experience, can help you achieve your product manufacture goals.
