We have often discussed the value of working closely with your vendors to the point of making them partners. This strategy makes sense. The closer you are to your vendors, the more you help them, the better vendors they will be, and—most importantly—the better partners they will be. Now let’s […]
Introduction One of the biggest challenges facing PCB designers is understanding the cost drivers in the PCB manufacturing process. This article is the first in a series that will discuss these cost drivers (from the PCB manufacturer’s perspective) and the design decisions that will impact product reliability. DFM Design for […]
Many things have changed in the past year, and like everything else, the landscape of our industry has changed drastically. Because of several challenges ranging from the pandemic to geopolitics, 2021 looks nothing like 2019. The pandemic caused a significant surge in technology, from better medical devices and ventilators, to […]
We have been constantly reminded over the years to step into our customers’ shoes so that we’re: looking at things from our customers’ perspective, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, and understanding the challenges they face to make it in their own marketplace. We have been advised that […]
It seems that just about everything we read these days is about being a great supplier, being a great vendor, and doing whatever you can to keep your customers happy. While this is certainly all true and vitally important to running a good and successful business, we must remember that […]
One of the most overlooked aspects of having a great partnership with your PCB vendors is making sure that your salespeople know each other. That’s right—your company’s salespeople should formally get to know each other and work closely with your PCB vendor’s sales team, or at least their sales manager. […]
As we continue to work our way through this pandemic, it makes us wonder about—and even yearn for—what things will be like one year from now. It does not take too much optimism to hope that we will get through these dark days and onto our post-COVID-19 lives, but what […]
With the current shortage of qualified and certified military PCB suppliers, finding one has become more challenging than ever. We once had over 1,500 PCB companies in the U.S., with perhaps one-third of them being mil spec (military specification) qualified, but with about 500 now, there are just a handful. […]
With so many things changing right now, as well as lots of innovation happening and new products being developed, it’s important that you share your vision of the future with your PCB suppliers. In a true partnership, the partners not only work on current technology, but they also need to […]
We always talk about being a valuable vendor, but what about being a valuable customer? If you think about it, you’ll realize that being a valuable customer matters too—especially if you want to get the most from your vendor-supplier partnership. It is always important to be your supplier’s favorite customer, […]