After working with companies that develop their own products for manufacturing here in China, I started to notice a lot of similarities. Every project is different, its challenges are sometimes unique, but the main decision points tend to … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2020
Manufacturing in China can be risky! 10 Examples of China IP Theft
Depending on your product, it may make a lot of sense to manufacture in China (for example, for complex products that need to be developed fast). But the risks of China IP theft haven't gone away. I wanted to share a few examples here. As … [Read more...]
Understanding Product QC Inspections: What Is In A Man-Day?
A conversation earlier today made me realize that some buyers who haven’t spent much time in Chinese factories have some common misconceptions, including inaccuracies about a QC inspector's man-day, or stories like: “Chinese production … [Read more...]
Sourcing Manufacturers: What Type To Choose For Your Production In China/Vietnam?
I realized that most buyers are unfamiliar with their options when it comes to sourcing manufacturers. I want to clarify what their options are. (This is especially applicable if you import electrical and/or mechanical … [Read more...]
Will China Lock Entire Provinces Down A Second Time in 2020?
In early February, I was wondering what effects the lockdown of China would have on importers. And, a few weeks later, importers suffered another (often more violent) blow: stores closed for months, a lot of unsold inventory, and weak … [Read more...]
Prototyping in China: 28 Best Options for Plastic, Metal, PCBA, Silicon and more
Putting the design of a new product idea that is going to be manufactured on paper (sketches) and in 3D drawings (computer-aided design) is usually not sufficient to confirm all aspects of the design. Before proceeding to tooling … [Read more...]
New Product Concept Brief: 5 Things Your Industrial Designer Needs To Know
If you have a new product concept that you want to manufacture in China in mind, don't go straight to talk to a manufacturer (your concept is still too immature). Instead, you need to start working on 2 axes at the same time: Market … [Read more...]
China’s Corporate Social Credit System: Watch Out For Supplier Risk!
Recently, I watched a webinar entitled "China's corporate social credit system: evaluating the impact on your supply chain". It was organized by the European Chamber of Commerce in China, and the Head of Risk Consulting at KPMG provided … [Read more...]
From Data Science To Machine Learning in Manufacturing, for Smarter Quality Control
I have long been put off by all the hype around artificial intelligence (AI). AI has become the modern 'magic wand': nobody knows how it works, but the results are assuredly amazing. AI has limitations for manufacturers, but both data … [Read more...]