A large part of the new product development process is the series of approvals to get through. It helps prevent quality issues in mass production and it helps reduce miscommunication... both of which are the biggest causes of a slower time to market. If your company develops and manufactures new products regularly, do you have a documented process? These 3 examples from the apparel, auto, and electronics industries can help you understand how the approvals work. … [Read more...]
Low Budget New Product Development For Importers From Asia [Q&A]
![Low Budget New Product Development For Importers From Asia [Q&A]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/LowBudgetNewProductDevelopmentForImportersFromAsiaQA-1140x445.jpg)
I recently spoke with Liz Long of Learn To Make A Product, who I've worked with in the past, about low budget new product development for importers who are getting their products manufactured in Asia. New product development can be tough for importers, especially entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses who are doing it for the first time, so what advice does Liz have to offer? … [Read more...]
Reliability Testing on Electronic Products in China: Don’t Skip It
We have worked with many companies that have designed an electronic product and had it manufactured in China, yet they tend to have a common blind spot: running reliability testing on electronic products. … [Read more...]
21 Assumptions About Buying From Chinese Suppliers To Avoid
Many buyers who are seeking to manufacture products in China tend to make assumptions about buying from Chinese suppliers that are seldom valid here, and it can be quite dangerous. When I started spending a lot of time in Chinese factories, what I saw blew my mind. A foreign buyer simply can’t imagine what is sometimes going on behind the scenes. I'll say that China is the land where everything is possible... from the worst to the best. I wrote 21 common assumptions below, in categories, … [Read more...]
Actionable Tips To Improve Sourcing From China & Develop Suppliers
Over the years, many importers have contacted me after making various mistakes, and, often, the best they can do is start things over with a new supplier, but that means a lot of wasted time, money, and energy! What if you could get years of advice about sourcing from China and developing suppliers once you've started working with them in order to avoid this scenario, but distilled into one eBook? Now you can! A few years ago, I wrote 15 articles that address sourcing from China and … [Read more...]
The Danger of Developing your Custom Product with an ODM Factory
We often talk to people who have a great idea to improve on an existing product. They have thought of special features that differentiate it from the competition, but they see a large amount in front of them, to develop their own new product. They are often tempted to go for a shortcut: working with a manufacturer that has been making very similar products (an Original Design Manufacturer, or ODM), and that's when things get pretty risky for the buyer. … [Read more...]
How a Factory Can (and Should) Go Beyond ISO 9001
I wrote a few articles about ISO 9001 recently: The standard itself pushes companies in the right direction, but the auditing & certification process has many flaws: Basics about ISO 9001: The Standard and the Certification Process The standard pushes manufacturers to think in terms of systems and processes, among other benefits: Benefits of ISO 9001 for a Chinese manufacturing organization Many factories have been certified, but implementation was really bad: Factory Audit Tips: … [Read more...]
How Long Does Custom Product Development In China Take?
Let's say you have been developing a new product. The plan, of course, is to bring it to market as soon as possible. Your company's strategy is to ‘produce it in China’. How long will such a custom product development in China actually take? Probably longer than you'd guess, as we are going to see. … [Read more...]
Different Prototyping Methods In China Importers Should Know About
When it comes to developing and manufacturing hard goods in China and beyond (be it a plastic case for an electrical product, a new type of metal jewel, a new mechanical part...), making prototypes is an important part of the new product development process. When the prototype is made by a Chinese manufacturer, the buyer should know what type of prototype will be made. There are many prototyping processes available for product development teams to choose from. Here is a list of the most … [Read more...]