Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/942744
76 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2018 by Dora Yang PCBCART Successful launching of new products into market involves steps with challenges and complexities, each of which is closely associ- ated with another. It's common to see, however, that a great idea fails to be smoothly transferred into a product solely due to insufficient focus on one or more steps. For example, a product concept may fail to be fully validated or even becomes degraded, or a validated product may not be optimized for cost-effective manufac- turing and assembly. New product introduction (NPI) starts with an exciting idea that will be converted into a final electronic product after going through del- icate design, high-quality manufacturing and assembly, and rigorous inspection and testing. The new product should be fundamentally compatible with the following requirements: • It should be as functional as what is called for by the initial idea • It should be available for the market quickly The above two items are basic elements ensuring your success of new product, and both depend on the capability and reliability of your contract manufacturer (CM) and assem- bler. This article will uncover the leading ele- ments that can guarantee your success in NPI, such as DFM/DFA checks, component avail- ability, manufacturing/assembly capabilities, inspection and test, first article inspection and approval, and service quality. DFM/DFA Check Once your idea is converted into design files, you've kicked off your NPI process. The final product will be manufactured and assem- bled based on your generated file packages, including: • Gerber files • Schematics • NC drill files • Bill of Material (BOM) • CAD drawings • Assembly instructions, etc. Elements Ensuring First-Time Success in NPI