Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1493797
24 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2023 We must be in tune with what the next level d o w n s t r e a m s u p pliers are pro- viding to our design engineers and how t h a t i m p a c t s o u r pro duc t de velo p - ment. W h a t 's e x c i t i n g about that is we get to partner a lot closer with our R&D folks. We become integrated into the project teams early, so we understand the challenges that they're trying to solve and the components they're using to solve those challenges. We also get to do a lot of proactive research and help drive the designs in the manufactur- ing space as well; we're driving things like con- sistency and simplified designs. ere are a lot of buzzwords in industry: HDI, blind buried via, sequential lamination, etc. at's when we take a step back and really look at the reliabil- ity of our products. Do we really need to go to those levels? If we do, we have to consider how that impacts our reliability, because we have a 20-plus-year lifecycle in our products. Most of the EMS providers in the industry right now have to be reasonably good at a lot of things. In contrast, you have a thick set of constraints you can rely on. Hendrickson: We do have a diverse product mix. We might decide not to invest in some- thing because it's a low volume piece and the justification for that investment isn't there. Bal- ancing that vs. keeping things captive is part of the challenge. So, you don't always build everything for your product in your own facility? Do you need to outsource on occasion? Hendrickson: Yes, for instance, we've decided not to invest in hard gold right now. We have a small amount of product and very low volume overall that requires that technology. Are there other considerations? Frank Harrill: Cybersecurity has always been central to SEL; it's been a part of what we've done since 1982, before "cybersecurity" was even a term. Vertical integration allows us to extend what is today a mature and established cybersecurity umbrella, which covers the entire enterprise, all the way down to third- party certifications. is approach pays divi- dends all the way down the supply chain. Frank, how is SEL addressing the upcoming CMMC requirements? Harrill: CMMC has gone through several iterations. We're now in version 2.0; we're doing the self-attestation first and a third- party assessment in the future. We're already undergoing those processes. For instance, our entire information security management system (ISMS) is already independently cer- tified to ISO 27000. Our entire company- wide secure development lifecycle is certi- fied to the IC 62443 as well. CMMC and 801- 71 maps directly to our ISO 27001 ISMS pro- cess already. We're already well positioned to comply with CMMC. We've successfully com- pleted the preparation for that process. CMMC has a trickle-down impact across the manufacturing chain for your products, which is unique. I presume it's important to Schweitzer because your end-product, as well as your suppliers, will end up being subject to CMMC scrutiny as well. Harrill: Correct. In this vertical integration approach, it's not just simply a flow down, it's something that we are controlling by ensur- ing that we meet those requirements in every aspect of our manufacturing. I'll also note that we have long enjoyed a close partnership with each of our suppliers. John Hendrickson