Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1518339
30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2024 In your experience, how have you managed or collaborated with suppliers to ensure the timely and cost-effective procurement of com- ponents necessary for box-builds? Can you give an example of a supply chain challenge you faced and how you resolved it? Budvarson: Metals can present a challenge. In one instance, we had a box-build customer that was ordering sets of parts, with 23 pieces making one set. If one piece is non-conform- ing, you obviously have a problem. Lead times for sheet metal and fab shops can also drag out assembly delivery, especially when it includes paint or other special coatings. Usually, box-build jobs will push us to a cus- tomer-directed source as well, so we're man- aging a new product and qualifying a new vendor simultaneously. It's a challenge but something we've done many times over the years, so we've got a good base of knowledge from which to work. Another challenge with this type of situa- tion is that customers may want to consign these metal pieces. In this case, we end up with drop-shipped components. We still need a ven- dor relationship with the fab shop, but a rela- tionship with the customer is critically impor- tant to ensure that we receive what we need in a timely manner and keep them informed on both on-time delivery and quality of drop- shipped materials. Denney: We're constantly managing this. It never ends. Time is your friend here, so the earlier you work with suppliers to give them dates and quantities, the better. One sup- ply chain challenge we had, as it specifically relates to box-build, was working with an injection molder who regularly had challenges delivering product on time to us. We had a conference call with them and learned that there was basically just one person in the com- pany who could set up the injection molding machine and run the first few samples before they could proceed with production. We calmly but firmly insisted that they train and/ or hire additional staff to help with this. ey agreed and committed to making the change and have since turned into one of our most reli- able suppliers. Discuss how you approach project manage- ment within the context of a box-build assembly. How do you coordinate between different teams, such as design, procure- ment, and assembly, to ensure the project is completed on time and within budget? Can you share an instance where your company's leadership directly contributed to the success of a project? Budvarson: OBMFG has always been success- ful because of the expertise and teamwork of our incredibly talented personnel. Generally, management team members from purchasing, manufacturing, quality, engineering and tech- nical sales come together during the NPI phase of a complex box-build project. We also have an immensely talented lead in the box-build cell that is an integral part of the process. We utilize our planning and assembly processes to ensure things get done. When something doesn't work, we utilize our CAPA process to Allison Budvarson