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- In this issue:
- Long lead Times / Component Sourcing
- Lean Contract Manufacturing
- Snippets
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- In the next Issue
- Extended Design Services
- Cappro
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Hi all,
We have almost completed another financial year....how time flies.
Over the last few months, Hetech has restructured itself due to the growth of our Home Automation Division TecHome, trading as TecHome Pty Ltd. Hetech trades as Hetech Pty Ltd: we are still exactly the same company providing even more focused services in electronics design and manufacture.
Our short newsletters are designed to give you a quick update on what's happening on the design and manufacturing front related to your products.
Please call me on 07 3847 1400 or email if you have any questions related to these topics, of if I can help you with any of your electronics design and manufacture requirements.
Happy Reading,
Mark
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Lead Times and Component Availability
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In the last four months, there has been a delay in the supply of electronics components globally, and this, in turn has affected Hetech. In addition, Chinese New Year and the volcano eruption in Europe further delayed delivery of components. Some of the lead times have blown out from a normal 4-6 weeks up to 16 weeks! The following components have experienced longer lead times:
- LCDs
- Connectors
- Some microprocessor brands
- Special parts
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What can you do?
Try to forecast as much as possible. As a customer, it would be wise to raise standing orders, or at least let us know what your market and company trends look like in the next 3 to 6 months.
Hetech has an outstanding record in managing components well by using standard (stocked) components, manufacturing ahead of time and carrying stock of completed products. This is only possible if you work with us in a partnership and are prepared to share some risks, such as buying stocks at the end of the product life cycle.
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| Lean Contract Manufacturing
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With the strong growth of our contracting manufacturing division, there are a few points for our contracting customers to consider.
Firstly, what is the difference between contract manufacturing and turn-key design & manufacturing? |
Contract manufacturing takes care of only the manufacturing component of your product. Turn Key is where Hetech takes care of everything including design, prototyping, component sourcing, documentation, testing and manufacturing. |
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In order for the contract manufacturing process to run smoothly, and without any undue costs, here are some tips. You should provide the following:
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All parts and components
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The correct number components. There needs to be enough for the number of boards plus 5% to 10% extra for setup and testing
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All components need to be on reels, tubes or trays for machine loading
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Precise instructions on how to mount the components
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Clear instructions for programming and testing
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Unfortunately, we have experienced jobs where above points were not considered, and as a result, costly delays have occurred. So, to avoid any unnecessary charges, please adhere to the above tips when supplying parts to avoid us having to re-count / check / review projects. It’s a simple but important part of a contract manufacturing job.
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The alternative to this, of course, is to use our full turn-key product service where we take care of every aspect of the job. NO HASSLES.
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Need Smaller PCBs to Save Space?
Hetech has invested in an upgraded machinery park to offer extended services. Our new semi-automatic stencil printer DEK248 will make it possible to place much smaller components and chips such as BGAs, which have no visual legs. So if you're pushed for space, we can now assemble much smaller printed circuit boards!
Our other acquisition is a lead-free wave solder machine which will accelerate the manufacture of products with lead free requirements in order to comply with RoHS / lead-free legislations. |
New Staff Members
Due to the continued growth, the following staff members have joined our team:
Wim, Production Engineer
Peter, Sales Support
Gert, Contract Engineer
We welcome them, and look forward to offering our customers a faster and more efficient service with our new capacity.
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