Quality Fade is an insidious practice where the supplier reduces your product quality over time almost imperceptibly in order to cut costs and make more profit. We can all agree that being supplied with products that don’t reach our quality standard is unacceptable, but how do you protect yourself? First, know your enemy! Are your products or suppliers in a high-risk category when it comes to bad behavior? Then, take action. Identify if you are a victim and put in place a relevant testing plan to catch or stop the issue. We explain what you need to do here.   If you prefer listening to re ..read more

An electronic product’s PCBA is its heart and nerve center rolled into one. It is the circuit board that contains crucial components that allow the device to think, move, operate, and function as normal. So, it stands to reason that it needs to be protected to maintain product reliability. It’s possible to physically protect the PCB (or PCBA once it has components added to it) and also design products to naturally be more durable and reliable which will, in turn, protect the internal components…let’s explore them here.   If you prefer listening to reading… Listen to the audio here.   ..read more

What is manufacturing traceability and why is it important? Explore how traceability gives you a detailed record of how the products are manufactured and the supply chain, from raw materials to finished products. Having that information will improve quality, reduce risks, and make your products/business more compliant with industry requirements and regulations. It also improves your visibility and control over the supply chain which is always welcome.   If you prefer listening to reading… Listen to the audio here.   Traceability takes a conscious effort to put in place. Traceability ..read more

Boeing has not been far from controversy in recent years, with highly publicised 737 Max air crashes about 5 years ago and, more recently, a near-disaster on a brand new Alaska Airlines Max which suffered a mid-air door plug blowout putting all passengers and crew at risk. Worse still, the problems keep on coming for Boeing who are now being described as ’embattled’ by the press. We examine the bad manufacturing habits that seem to have caused Boeing’s recent troubles based on information we have read in the news reports,  such as accepting parts from suppliers that had quality issues, le ..read more

Buyers and manufacturers in China need to be aware of the risks and their mitigation and insurance options. Two China insurance experts from Asian Risks Management Services explain the risks, and how insurers will structure your policy. They also provide valuable insights into the types of cover that might be helpful and risk mitigation activities that could reduce your risks.   Prefer listening to reading? Listen to the audio here.   What are the major risks that companies who are manufacturing or buyers having products manufactured in China need to keep in mind? Internal operatio ..read more

What risk do the many Li-ion Chinese e-bike batteries pose to consumers? We’re seeing many fires in China caused by poor quality and modified batteries, or the wrong chargers being used. e-Bike and scooter use has exploded in China, but is the situation there a mirror of the challenges that will be faced by the rest of the world as use increases in turn? What legislation is currently in place in China and the West to mitigate battery dangers, and how can it change for the better? What do foreign fire services think of these personal vehicles? What should importers be wary of? We answer these q ..read more

There have been reports of Apple’s new Vision Pro AR headset cracking and having reliability and durability problems already following its release in February 2024. This has to be embarrassing for the tech giant, but what could be causing these defects and what should customers do?   Prefer listening to reading? Listen to the audio here.   Introduction, what is the Vision Pro? Apple’s Vision Pro headset is an incredibly well-received augmented reality headset that earned rave reviews worldwide. It took more than 10 years to develop and is one of the most groundbreaking Apple product ..read more

Most parts and products have plastic or metal components, and during new product development, we commonly use rapid prototyping to create development prototypes that we test and validate fit, form, and function. It’s helpful to understand that these prototypes are not the same as production standard products made with injection molding and high-pressure die-casting. So, what limitations can you expect from these prototypes? We’ll show you why they don’t need to matter when you bear in mind that they help you validate your new product.   Prefer listening to reading? Listen to the audio her ..read more

We regularly provide advice to our clients so they know how to keep their products compliant. Recently the topic of restricted chemical substances came up a few times, and I thought I should put together all my general advice in one article. This is valuable if you sell into the EU and you need to comply with REACH, POP, RoHS, food contact material regulations, the toy safety regulation, etc., if you sell into the USA and you need to pay attention to state (California Prop 65, RoHS) and federal (CPSIA) laws, and so on. It’s also good for selling into other countries have their own requirements ..read more

Let’s focus on your handover to manufacturing (specifically looking at hard goods with mechanical elements and some electronic/electrical parts).  Product handover to your manufacturer is a structured process of actions you follow to ensure a smooth transition from you to them so the product ends up being made to your specifications and requirements and the risks of issues before product launch are minimized. You’ll learn: What a product handover to manufacturing is. The drawbacks of not following a structured process and how not to hand over. What the best practices for handover ar ..read more