Making things is a complex yet incredibly rewarding process. It can also be maddingly frustrating when things go wrong! To help things go as well as they can here are 10 tools that you can help you manage critical elements of the manufacturing process.

 

#1 Build plan

There’s nothing like a deadline to focus the mind! A build plan is a stake in the ground. A firm commitment to the factory and suppliers that you are going to build a certain quantity of product on a particular date. Once released, this plan will drive everything.

 

#2 Design drawings

Regardless of the product, you need to define exactly what it is you are trying to build. The design drawings can be shared with the factory so they understand the product and what it’s made up of. Same principle in construction; architects create drawings for builders to follow.

The drawings could be a 3D model of the product that can be shared in an email or online. Or, the design could be a more traditional 2D drawing shared as a PDF. The format is irrelevant. All that matters is that there are enough details so someone can build it.

Depending on the type of product there could also be several sets of design documents. For example, electronic hardware products will also have PCB design files for the main board and any daughter boards. These are generated using PCB design software.

 

#3 Product assembly instructions

Remember Haynes Manuals for car maintenance? Easy to follow exploded line drawings showing how the entire car is assembled. Similar drawings can be made from the 3D model to help show the factory how to assemble your product step-by-step.

These instructions can also include details for any special tools or jigs which are needed to help the operator build the product. Typically for small quantities you can use manual processes. For larger quantities though you may need jigs to help speed up the build.

Specific details can also be added for any sub-assembly work; which way to plug in cables, how tight to fasten a screw, where to fit a sticker and how to package the device once it’s built. Oh yes, don’t forget the packaging…

 

#4 Bill of materials (BOMs)

Think of the BOM as a recipe for your product. What are all the ingredients you need to buy before you can build it? The BOM needs to convey enough information about every part so that a buyer can purchase exactly the right components and quantities.

BOMs can also be split across various levels into sub-assemblies. This helps identify exactly where the parts go in the product. For example, an electronic device will have a BOM for the PCB assembly and another BOM for the main assembly to keep things simple.

BOMs can also list alternative parts if the first source is unavailable. Some BOMs can have two or three alternative sources, especially for off-the-shelf components. This gives the buyer more purchasing options and may even reduce costs.

 

#5 Clear to build list

Before you can start the build you need to know if you’ve got all the parts. In some products there could be hundreds of unique components. It’s impossible to track them all in your head. This ‘clear to build’ list helps you keep track and show what’s on hand or not.

The clear to build list can be created as soon as the build plan is released. That way once purchase orders (PO’s) are released to suppliers the delivery date for every component is put against the part. You can instantly spot any trouble parts which are going to be late.

 

#6 Serialisation

When you’re building batches of products its vital to label them so you can keep track of each batch. Every unit therefore needs to be given a unique number or label that you can use for traceability. This helps you keep a log of all the devices.

The numbering system can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be. A simple system would be sequential numbers (0001, 0002, 0003 etc.) printed on small stickers which are stuck on each unit in turn and logged in a simple spreadsheet.

More complex methods can include 1D or 2D barcodes and a serialisation process where every unit is coded at time of manufacture and logged automatically. This unique serial number can also include details like the date of manufacture and product build types.

 

#7 Build instructions

Before starting any build with a factory it’s critical to define the ask and list out the specific build instructions for the factory to follow. The factory need to know things like:

• Which version of the product to build (if there are different flavours)?
• Which version of the product BOM to follow for that product?
• How many products are required in total or any splits between flavours?
• Any deviation or exception to the design documents?
• What version of software to program at time of manufacture?
• What test plan to follow and any special pass/fail criteria?

 

#8 Manufacturing test plan

Once you’ve built the product you need to check that it is working as intended. A manufacturing test plan can help the factory make the appropriate tests and how they know if the product is OK or not by including pass/fail limits.

For early builds and low quantities these tests may need to be super simple because there won’t be any test fixtures. Simple factory tests may include checks like power-on, measuring main voltage rails and basic functional tests of key features.

As the project advances custom test equipment will be built which will enable the factory to test more and check all the major functional aspects of the product at the appropriate stage. This helps catch issues and give you a chance to fix them before it becomes too difficult.

 

#9 Packaging and labels

It takes a lot of effort and cost to build products. It makes sense to make sure it is packaged correctly for storage or shipping. Even if you intend to keep all the products for development use or customer demos it’s still worth the time to package it properly.

The units will also need some form of labelling to help engineers, customers or salespeople identify the units. Its good practice to clearly label devices as prototypes or development units to prevent unapproved units being accidentally distributed to paying customers.

The product label will also need to show your company logo, address and various regulatory and safety information which can be added onto the product once it has passed testing. It’s easy to underestimate the size of the label which is needed to fit all this information onto!

 

#10 Build report

During the build the factory will normally find dozens of bugs or issues with the product. The build report is an opportunity for the factory to list them all out and share it back with you. This feedback is guaranteed to make your product better in many ways.