Blog Articles | Optimum Design Associates

04.03.2021

Offshoring to China More Expensive Than United States

Offshoring to China is now more expensive than building in the United States (for the United States). Using objective 3rd party... READ MORE

03.03.2021

Fixturing vs. Paneling in SMT

When a PCB is thin, small, oddly shaped, or requires SMT components near its edges, chances are these kinds of boards won’t fit... READ MORE

03.03.2021

Reducing the Cost of RoHS Compliance

For small to medium size CMs, the cost of RoHS compliance can be high—5.2% of annual revenue, by some estimates. This figure... READ MORE

01.03.2021

1 Minute Guide To Supplier Management

Supplier Management starts with cultivating a relationship with your suppliers that will strengthen both businesses and create... READ MORE

25.02.2021

Managing SMT Attrition

Purchasing extra components to keep surface mount technology (SMT) production lines running is the main focus of attrition.... READ MORE

25.02.2021

Do Apple and Cisco Need Should Cost Analysis?

Why do companies like Cisco and Apple use should cost analysis? On the surface, it might seem with all that money and all those... READ MORE

25.02.2021

Why Haven’t I Heard of Should Cost Analysis?

According to the University of Arizona, Tucson, cost analysis is also called cost/benefit analysis, cost effectiveness, as well... READ MORE

25.02.2021

Why Price Isn't Always Everything

There's an old saying, Price, Quality, Speed: you can have two. If you want the best price and best quality, it will take... READ MORE

23.02.2021

3 Excess Inventory Solutions

US manufacturers lose an estimated $450 billion annually to excess inventory. The best way to reduce inventory write downs is... READ MORE

22.02.2021

Contract Manufacturing Cost Control: 4 Key Software Tools

Everyone talks about systems, but how relevant are they to helping you actually cut cost? Here are some software-driven systems... READ MORE

19.02.2021

Contract Manufacturing Price Cheaper in Mexico Than China

A new Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study titled “The Shifting Economics of Global Manufacturing: An Analysis of the Changing... READ MORE

19.02.2021

What China’s Third Plenum Means for Offshore Manufacturing

Envisioning a new era for China’s economy, in November 2013 top Chinese leaders held the 3rd Plenary Session of the 18th... READ MORE

19.02.2021

4 Ways Contract Manufacturing Partners Should Do Cost Reduction

Here are 4 ways you should expect a contract manufacturing partner to be reducing your costs. Poor Component Selection: A... READ MORE

19.02.2021

3 Myths Drive EMS Vendor Selection Mistakes

Is Bigger Always Better in Contract Manufacturing? Bigger is always better, right? So, from an outsourcing perspective it... READ MORE

16.02.2021

Xilinx v. Flextronics: Insight to a Gray Market

In December of 2013, Xilinx filed a lawsuit against Singapore-based electronics contract manufacturer Flextronics for... READ MORE

15.02.2021

Quick and Easy Should Cost Analysis

Conducting a should cost analysis can seem daunting but is actually very achievable for most OEM's outsourcing electronic... READ MORE

15.02.2021

4 Documents Required to Quote a PCB Assembly

What do you need to get a quote on a PCB assembly? This is a great question and often a source of confusion. There are four... READ MORE

15.02.2021

Should I Tell My Contract Manufacturers What Others Have Quoted?

If they deserve it, yes. If you buy only on the basis of price, then no. READ MORE

15.02.2021

Contract Manufacturing Price Model: Cost Plus

Ever wonder how electronic contract manufacturers come up with their prices? Simple: they estimate their costs, then add... READ MORE

15.02.2021

5 Rules to Finding the Right-Size Contract Manufacturer

Here are 5 simple, real-world rules for finding the right-sized electronic contract manufacturer. READ MORE

13.02.2021

Why Does Price Vary Between Contract Manufacturers?

Contract manufacturers use a pricing method called cost plus (for a description of cost plus pricing, click here). This method... READ MORE

13.02.2021

How Are Electronic Components Priced?

A common industry myth is large EMS companies get the best component prices, a myth proclaimed by...large EMS companies. The... READ MORE

13.02.2021

Why Should Cost Analysis?

Here are 4 reasons why virtually all best-in-class purchasers of electronic contract manufacturing services have moved away... READ MORE

12.02.2021

How To Get Suppliers Costed BOMs

OEM's that employ strategic sourcing techniques often find contract manufacturers are reluctant to supply costed bill's of... READ MORE

12.02.2021

Should Cost Examples For PCB Assembly

Here's a pocket guide to printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) prices in China, Mexico, and the United States. Our pocket guide... READ MORE

10.02.2021

How Much Should NPI PCBAs Cost?

New product development builds are more expensive because of the small lot sizes and quick turnarounds. But how much more? Here's... READ MORE

10.02.2021

What's the Difference Between Margin and Mark-Up?

A common confusion in pricing is the difference between mark-up and margin. Here's a quick explanation of both. READ MORE

10.02.2021

What is Should Cost Analysis?

Should cost analysis ("should costing") was developed by the Defense Department to assist procurement officers in determining... READ MORE

26.06.2015

How are Electronics Components Priced? [Podcast]

In this episode of Outsourcing Things You Should Know you'll learn about: Three types of price for electronic components 1.... READ MORE

18.05.2015

Contract Manufacturing Price Model: Cost Plus [Podcast]

Ever wonder how electronic contract manufacturers come up with their prices? Simple: they estimate their costs, then add... READ MORE

28.03.2014

5 Clues You've Found the Right-Size Contract Manufacturer

If you've followed our 5 rules for finding the right-size CM you should be with the right-size contract manufacturing company.... READ MORE

Design in the trenches

Get in touch!