I have pushed many companies to ensure manufacturing pilot runs take place before they go into mass production. It makes a lot of sense for electrical & mechanical products that are either totally new or new for that factory that is about to work on them. However, I frequently get questions about what to expect, and what to test & inspect... … [Read more...]
Exploring The Benefits Of Rapid Prototyping And Rapid Tooling [Podcast]
![Exploring The Benefits Of Rapid Prototyping And Rapid Tooling [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ExploringTheBenefitsOfRapidPrototypingAndRapidToolingPodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In This Episode... Renaud and Adrian talk about rapid prototyping and rapid tooling methods to make prototypes a lot faster than production tooling, with a focus on electromechanical products and plastic injection molding. You'll get answers to the following questions: What are rapid prototyping and rapid tooling? What do we discover from different rounds of prototyping? What are the features of hard tooling? What are the pros and cons of the different technologies used for rapid … [Read more...]
Why Is A PP Sample So Important? [Podcast]
![The Importance Of Pre-Production Samples [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/TheImportanceOfPre-ProductionSamplesPodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In This Episode… Renaud and Adrian are discussing why a PP sample (pre-production) is so important for obtaining your desired results once your products go into mass production. What are PP samples? How do they evolve over time until they're a final 'golden' pre-production sample? What problems do they help avoid? How to specify your exact requirements? Who pays for them? These questions and more are answered in this episode! Just hit the play button to start listening..! Listen … [Read more...]
Free Samples from Potential Chinese Suppliers: A Positive Sign?
If you find 30 potential suppliers that all seem capable of making the product you want, how to pick the best one? With B2B platforms like Alibaba and Global Sources, many buyers ask themselves that question. And an easy answer is "I will ask for free samples and see who says yes and makes good-looking samples". … [Read more...]
Sourcing from China 101, Part 7: Pre-Production: Describing What You Want
I have stated several times that you need to describe your product in detail. I know this is obvious, but most buyers don’t do is well… and often regret it later. There are two ways of formalizing your requirements: A written specification sheet, which contains all your expectations regarding the product and its packaging. Pre-production samples, which are supposed to represent what cannot easily be described in written form: the look & feel, the quality of the finishing, etc. … [Read more...]
The Role Of Pre-Production Samples
If you source products from China or South-East Asia, you MUST require pre-production samples before production is launched. In some cases, it will be impossible, but the supplier should give you a clear explanation why if that's the case. In this post, I'll explain why PP samples are the standard for production and how to assure their quality makes it into each mass-produced piece, too. … [Read more...]