Sending the Right Info
 
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contract manufacturing
Proper and complete information can make the difference between a competitive, successful quote and an exercise.
     
Perfection is nice, but should it be expected?

Contract manufacturing companies all have different minimum levels of documentation to complete a quote.  It is important to try to supply all the necessary information for an accurate quote.  It is common to not have every detail covered, especially when an item was built in-house.  Most contract manufacturing companies understand that perfection is difficult.  It is important to understand that there will probably be questions from the CM during the process.
When in doubt, send a lot of details...
Everything starts with a drawing.
      
Most assembly drawings are now in some standard CAD program.  Even though most companies can read any file format you can send, a hard copy of a drawing is always good to have available.  If there is not a formal drawing, at least providing a rough drawing will help considerably.  For PCB assemblies, there are a number of related files necessary to quote properly.  Those are explained further in the PCB tips section.

Samples provide a reality check..

A sample is an excellent visual reference and with some products, as necessity.  This is especially important when an assembly has been done in house fro a long period of time.  The internal manufacturing may have slightly changed the product over time.  Since internal assemblies do not pass through incoming inspection these changes are often undocumented.  The sample will help suppliers see potential deviations before spending time and energy building a sample that doesn't meet your needs.

The Bill Of Materials makes sources clear.

A contract manufacturing company will almost definitely ask this question.  "Can we use alternates for the specified parts."  As the customer, you should be prepared to answer it.  Substituting parts can reduce costs without compromising quality in many cases, but other times it is not an acceptable risk.  Make sure that the part numbers are complete and you can expect a competitive, accurate quote the first time.

A target cost helps everyone.

Most companies do not like giving out target pricing.  The fear is that you will get what you ask for and you could have gotten a better deal.  This is sometimes true.  The flip side is that during the quoting process, a target cost can help the contract manufacturing company evaluate their quote progress.  If they notice their working cost is dramatically different from the target it can alert them to errors in the pricing analysis.  This information can also keep both parties from wasting their time on a quote that is not a good fit.

Providing complete and accurate information not only expedites the process, but it can greatly increase the chance of getting a good, competitive quote.  Contract manufacturing companies who get this complete information can respond quickly and provide great pricing.

Next > Choosing sources to quote

Articles are the opinion of the writers and are not necessarily an endorsement or criticism of any particular supplier or service.

 
 

 

 
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