The production cycle in electronics equipment manufacturing company would be highly dependent on the availability of the PCBs that are to be installed in the equipment. If you do not have in place a reliable system whereby you have a steady inflow of PCBs that matches with your production cycle, you will not be able to fulfil your customer orders in a timely fashion.
As an electronic equipment manufacturing company, the first thing you should do is to prepare a clear and workable PCB sourcing plan. This has to take into account your production rate and any possible estimated or projected hikes in the production rate. Every month you will be requiring a certain number of PCBs and your warehouse should be readily stocked with the required number of PCBs for the subsequent month.
When you are planning your PCB sourcing calendar, you should take into account the peak sales seasons and this should also be factored in the sourcing calendar. Your sourcing team should make sure that you have adequate stocks required for at least the next three months. This will save you from getting the entire production cycle stalled if there should be any delays in the delivery of the orders. Planning for three months stock in advance will give you enough buffer time.
Before you finalize your sourcing calendar, you should check with your PCB manufacturing company their production capabilities. They will not be handling just your requirements but they will be dealing with multiple customers. Therefore, you need to have a clear understanding of your manufacturer’s production capabilities.
All the PCB manufacturers would expect you to give them a decent lead-time for the production of the PCBs and for PCB assembly. Moreover, they will also need time to source the components required for the assembly. Their delivery timeline will also depend on the PCB components availability. If there should be shortage of the required components, your manufacturer will not be able to deliver your order on time. This is where keeping enough stock for the subsequent three months will help you get through your production cycle without any glitches.
Do not forget to take into consideration the shipping time if you are sourcing your PCBs from a China PCB manufacturer. Initially, you might miss out a few important factors and run into issues with the sourcing cycle. However, as you gain more experience, you will be in a better position to assess the situation and make the necessary changes with the ordering process.
There are so many companies to take care of your ongoing PCB manufacturing needs regardless of whether you are looking for a local supplier or a supplier from China. You will have a better control over the sourcing cycle when you select a company that has its own manufacturing facility. If you deal with a sourcing agent then you could get misleading commitments on the delivery dates and you will run into issues with the delivery of your orders every time you need to order your PCBs.
ChinaPCBOne Technology LTD. is the author of this article on PCB assembly. Find more information, about PCB manufacturing.
