A most evocative title to the tread, Ed. Few companies in Joysee named "C-Tech", eh? I assume we�re talking "C TECH is a distributor of low vision aids and adaptive technology for the blind, visually impaired and learning disabled." [http://www.lowvisionproducts.com/about1.htm]
I�ll try to steer in the direction of a new method. I�m sure there will be no shortage of folk rattling on about the wonderfulness of and how happy they are with their million dollar production line.
Most of the high growth companies I�m aware of have strategies for the different activities within their companies. Usually these strategies are developed to conserve scarce resources [cash] and help focus the actions of the folk working in the activities. I know nothing about your company, but I have been involved in fast growing companies for many years. I think you [your company] should �
1 Figure-out * What you do better than other people *What is absolutely essential for you to do to help maintain your company�s distinctive advantage to the customer. [This list is probably very short, may be one or two items. Say, design and sales. That�s it!!!]
2 Focus on getting better at doing JUST those things.
3 Find some one else to do ALL the other things.
I would speculate that doing production runs of boards is not on that list. [Buying production equipment or hiring a designer? Buying production equipment or hiring a designer? Hmmm? MAAAAP!!! Hire the designer. Do not think about this.] Possibly box build, integration, and test are on the list, dunno. Building prototypes to help engineering develop new products is most likely on the list, although not necessarily.
You say � "In the past we have had the SMT boards assembled by a contract manufacturer, which was OK, but very expensive." That sounds about correct. When you calculate "very expensive", are you balancing this outside cost versus the cost of doing the same work in-house? Sounds more expensive to do it in-house. � ["We missed our targets this month." "Tell me about it. We slipped schedule on the revised Alpha 3B Yammervo." "Yano we�re lucky though, Ed�s doing the SMT production boards. He�s the only one on the whole planet that can do them. He a real resource that Ed." "Really? I wonder how other companies do that? So, what are all those other people out in the shop doing? What ever, the thing that chaps me is that Ed can�t seem to get our proto boards done." "Yano, I think Ed�s in over his head. May be we should bring someone else in and have Ed go back to being a tech."]
What makes these boards expensive? What�s expensive � LT 5 bucks after materials [which ya gotta pay either way]? You probably piss-away $5 just setting-up to build the board [not to talk about all the soldering rework through the process]. And that doesn�t count the opportunity cost of the other stuff that you should be doing!!!
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