Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1491842
32 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2023 Worldwide shortages caused by the pan- demic meant that even existing technology faced new levels of demand. Devices such as ventilators have been in short supply since the early stages, and the list continues to grow 1 . To ease the pain for health services providers, products need to be rapidly manufactured and made available to meet urgent demands. With shorter production windows and increased raw materials costs, it becomes even more important to achieve first-pass production yields. Offshoring had been a viable option for simpler board designs prior to the pandemic, but persistent issues with supplier reliability, unpredictable delivery windows, and increased QA challenges have caused electronics manufacturers to re-evalu- ate this practice. From smaller MRI machines and new DNA testing technology to innovative wearable tech, these devices require complex, oen multi-layer PCBs. is leads many health industry electronics manufacturers to seek a domestic alternative to help them with more complex circuit designs on smaller, miniatur- ized boards. Working with a manufacturing partner closer to home reduces risk for manufactur- ers. Transition plans, phase-ins, phase-outs, and revision control oen demand immediate attention, which was already difficult to rely on with offshore manufacturers because of time zone differences or language barriers. During prototype design, manufacturers need effective communication and coordi- nated effort to ensure they get the quality boards their projects need to succeed. Close collaboration with a domestic PCB manu- facturer offers more transparency during the manufacturing process, accelerates issue res- olution, increases yield, and—most impor- tantly—improves PCB quality. Commitment to Quality Fuels Innovation Quality medical devices don't materialize by magic. Producing them takes a lot of coor- dination and effort. Electronics manufactur- ers serving the healthcare industry need their devices to work properly, and they need PCB manufacturing partners they can trust. Manufacturers that obtain International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certi- fications send a message to the health services industry that they adhere to requirements, specifications, and guidelines that help con- sistently ensure processes are focused on qual- ity. e ISO 9000 family and ISO 9001 certi- fications are built on standards achieved by deploying and maintaining a Quality Manage- ment System (QMS). A QMS focuses on key principles during every phase of production. ese principles continuously guide the manufacturer to find new ways to improve processes and products. ese principles include: • Customer focus: Exceed customer expectations and create value in every aspect of the production process. • Committed leadership and engaged personnel: Every day, every level of manager reinforces mission, vision, strategy, policies, and processes throughout the organization. • Holistic process approach: Treat each production component as part of a larger production ecosystem, managing individual processes as part of the interrelated whole. To ease the pain for health services providers, products need to be rapidly manufactured and made available to meet urgent demands.