Manufacturers getting ready to build new products will often ask their subcontractors to assess how to improve or add functionalities, reduce manufacturing costs/material lead time and improve durability. The term value-added engineering evolved as this became a standard process in new product development. Most subcontractors who have long-term relationships with their clients will offer their assistance at little or no cost because they understand the return for investing in the success of their customers. You can read more about how exactly Custom Interface does this on our New Product Development page.
Why Value-Added Engineering Makes Sense for Your Product
Regardless of the industry, bringing new products to market is a process typically taking more time and money than originally estimated. A value-added assessment typically adds 15- 30 days to NPI timelines, but that 1 time delay is typically offset by 5-20% per unit cost reduction as well as improve quality and durability.
Subcontractors experience with previous projects can be leveraged to:
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Identify alternative components that are more readily available.
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Take advantage of the subcontractor’s existing supply chain to gain volume discounts on similar materials.
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Utilize alternate production methods to make building the product easier which typically improves quality.
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Recommend processes and materials that will extend the life of the product.
The Value-Added Engineering Process
Custom Interface, Inc. offers value-added services to clients in many different industries. Depending on the stage and scope of your project, the process may differ.
Pre-production:
If you have no design and simply need an interconnect solution, CII can assist by researching connectors, wiring and protective shielding, reviewing routing information and produce rev-controlled drawings to define the design.
Prototyping:
Our extremely talented technicians use the prototyping process to identify methods of production that will increase functionality, durability, and manufacturability.
It’s quite common for us to build four or more “one-off” R&D iterations before locking in a design and moving it to production.
Value-Added Engineering Case Study: GuzzleH2O Stream
Custom Interface, Inc. routinely works with clients in the Overlanding industry. These businesses create high-end consumer products that solve complex issues but are still rugged and affordable.
One of the products we provided value-engineering services for was the GuzzleH2O Stream, which is a flexible way to get large quantities of fresh drinking water from natural sources.
The Problem
Inside the unit was a circuit board (PCBA) acting as a terminal block. This posed some issues because it wasn’t waterproof. The customer planned to seal the PCBA making it difficult to repair.
The Solution
To solve this, we collaborated with the customer to create a wire harness to replace the existing PCBA.
This simple (and inexpensive) solution reduced the electrical integration process by tenfold.
Your Project
We love this stuff! Helping companies overcome hurdles and being a part of that success is the best part of our job. We look forward to seeing what you come up with and helping you turn your dream into a success story.
Contact Custom Interface to Discuss Your Project
Since 1997, Custom Interface, Inc. has been a world-class contract manufacturer focused on producing custom cable/wire harnesses into complex electromechanical assemblies for a variety of applications. We specialize in helping our clients develop robust and functional solutions that stand up to the harshest environments.
One of our fundamental services is new product development, where we help clients add value to their vision to create lasting, competitive, and profitable results. Contact us today to learn more about our value-added engineering services.
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