Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1415897
52 SMT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2021 e saying, "You have to spend money to make money," rings true when it comes to han- dling in-house production. Having up-to-date equipment is a key aspect to ensuring your SMT assembly process is the best it can be, and that requires a level of capital expenditure. Trying to avoid this expense will likely cost you more in the long run. Equipment downtime, slowed-down production, damaged PCBs, and more can be the result of not investing in the future of your equipment. By investing in ma- chine upkeep and, when needed, equipment upgrades from reputable suppliers, you will experience fewer issues and better returns. What Is Capital Expenditure and Why Is It Important? Capital expenditure is the money your com- pany spends to buy, maintain, or improve its as- sets—such as equipment. Now more than ever, companies with in-house production should safeguard their futures by upgrading equip- ment as needed. Also, companies current- ly outsourcing production will greatly benefit from transitioning to an in-house production model. As factory automation and customer demand push the boundaries of assembly ca- pabilities, owning machinery—and periodical- Financing Simplifies Process Improvement Through Capital Expenditures The Mannifest Feature Column by Emmalee Gagnon, MANNCORP Figure 1