Having a product in stock and readily available to purchase is vital in this fast-paced world. Consumers have grown accustomed to having the world at their fingertips and products being delivered to their door within hours of purchase. In order to ensure your new product development (NPD) can keep up with demand, it should be designed with scalable manufacturing in mind.
Scalable manufacturing is the ability to quickly and efficiently increase or decrease the production of a product in response to changes in demand. Your product should be designed for manufacturing (DFM) to ensure an efficient and cost-effective production. In this article, we will discuss how choosing a partner with mirrored SMT lines can provide a number of advantages for your NPD.
What are Mirrored SMT Lines?
Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is an electronic assembly process where components are mounted onto the surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) using a pick-and-place machine. This technology produces highly complex and densely packed PCBs, commonly used in various electronic products, from smartphones to medical devices.
Most electronic manufacturers will have mirrored SMT lines. This essentially is two or more machines, independent from one another, that are identical in setup and can perform the same assemblies simultaneously to increase output.
Pivot International has two facilities with state-of-the-art mirrored SMT lines at Pivot EDM and Pivot – Hawks Manila. EDM is located in the American Midwest, while Pivot – Hawks Manila is located in the Philippines.
Benefits of Mirrored SMT Lines
1. Production Flexibility and Scalability
One of the key benefits of mirrored SMT lines is that it allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the production process. By having two or more SMT lines that are identical in terms of equipment and capabilities, the manufacturer can easily switch between different production runs or increase the volume of goods being produced without the need for significant downtime or retooling. This can save both time and money and allows for a more efficient and responsive manufacturing process.
2. Product Reliability and Consistency
Another advantage of mirrored SMT lines is that they can provide a higher level of reliability and consistency in the production process. With identical equipment and processes being used on each line, manufacturers can ensure that the quality of the finished goods is consistent, regardless of which line they are produced on. This can be especially important in industries where product quality is critical, such as the medical or aerospace sectors.
3. Increased ROI
In addition to the operational benefits, choosing a manufacturer with mirrored SMT lines can also provide financial advantages. Because mirrored lines allow for greater flexibility and scalability in the production process, manufacturers can often offer more competitive pricing to their customers. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that are looking to source goods in high volumes or that require a rapid turnaround on their orders.
Global Mirrored SMT Lines
As previously discussed, Pivot offers our customers global mirrored SMT lines. This allows our US-based customers to produce a small inventory run at EDM, then perform testing before producing their product on a large scale at our facilities in the US or the Philippines.
In the case of a natural disaster in one country or location, production can quickly resume in the other. This completely eliminates the need to search for another manufacturing partner as well as the setup time needed for software integration and tooling.
Choosing the Right Manufacturing Partner
Ultimately, the decision to choose a manufacturing partner with mirrored SMT lines will depend on the specific needs and goals of your business. However, the benefits of greater flexibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness heavily outweigh the alternative. By partnering with a manufacturer that has mirrored SMT lines, businesses can gain access to a more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective production process, allowing them to better respond to changes in market demand and stay ahead of their competition. If you would like to learn more about Pivot’s global mirrored SMT lines, contact us today for a free consultation.
