Five Things to Know Before Selecting an EMS Provider

Owing to the growth of electronic products, the industry of Printed Circuit Boards or PCBs is rising exponentially. The global PCB market is expanding rapidly, and it is set to reach $76.9 billion by 2024. Because of this, the pressure on OEMs has increased to provide adaptable and sustainable devices.

This is where the EMS companies step in. Outsourcing electronics manufacturing services can help the OEMs extensively. EMS companies design, assemble, produce, and test the PCBs for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It largely focuses on printed circuit board fabrication, and hence OEMs are only supposed to deal with system assembly and designing.

Before you outsource the top EMS manufacturer for your PCB manufacturing needs, you need to assess several factors to check their expertise in manufacturing the high mix and high-density PCBs. Be it multilayer, single-sided, or double-sided PCB; you need to ensure your EMS manufacturers' computational efficacy for the best PCB manufacturing and assembly services.

This article lists the five things you should know before you select an EMS provider.

· Know Your Outsourcing Strategy

Identify your outsourcing strategy before you approach an EMS manufacturer. You should assess and document the approach that your manufacturer will follow for better process integrity. Define the methods and the performance you expect from them. Provide a better outline before they initiate the project. A well-documented manufacturing process will help you to monitor the production of your PCB. With this, you will quickly identify areas that do not conform to the design you have modulated.  

 

· The Supplier's Business Profile and Capabilities Must Match Your Own

While selecting an EMS supplier, you need to check if their business capabilities are compatible with yours. Clearly define your present and future requirements to your supplier. You should evaluate their capabilities across three main sections: administrative capabilities, product and process capability, and engineering change order (ECO) capability. Ask your manufacturer to walk you through all these areas to get a better idea of their efficiency.

 

· Personality Fit

For a communicative and strong working relationship between you and your supplier, you need to check if their personality fits yours. Are you looking for an implicit relationship in which you place the order, and your supplier will process it? Or, are you looking for multi-level assistance from your manufacturer? You can check with your manufacturer if they will give you additional assistance in designing the device.

 

· Enterprise Resource Planning Is A Key Capability

When you are outsourcing your EMS partner, one of the most critical elements that will help you make a better selection is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). A highly automated ERP system will help you assess several activities like accounting, project management, risk management, and compliance.

 

· Buy on Total Acquisition Cost, Not Just Price

When you procure an EMS service, you should also focus on the total acquisition cost besides the selling price. These costs also assign value to additional factors like the ease of working with a vendor. Total acquisition costs take care of the different attributes during the supply process.

 

To Conclude:

For an effective EMS evaluation and selection process, you need to consider several factors. Choosing an EMS supplier is a strategic process. The factors above will help you to develop a long-term and successful relationship with your EMS supplier.