Electronic contract manufacturing- why is it worth it?

A lot of companies face a dilemma whether to build their own production lines in the assembly of electronics or outsource it to professionals. What causes it? How is EMS better than in-house production? You will learn this from the text below!

The possibility of using services

Electronics production is a process that requires the use of modern technologies and expensive tools in order to get  the highest quality product. For this reason, the production of electronics by large companies, whose final products use assembled PCBs, e.g. household appliances or automotive, is often simply not profitable. However, this does not mean that these companies lose access to high-quality products. It is enough if they hire an external contractor who specializes in this industry to ensure access to semi-finished products of an appropriate quality level.

Major savings

The possibility of employing an external contractor means that companies and factories can save a lot. If you want to open your own production line you must be prepared for a large financial outlay,  let alone the situation when you have to reach for new equipment or specialists who will manage it. We must also bear in mind  that maintaining your own production line is not cheap, especially if you take into account the fact the speed in which the technology is changing.

In order to keep up with the changes and adjust yourself to the market one must reach for better and fresher solutions which equals additional costs. However, the problem disappears when you use the manufacturing assembly. On one hand the cost of external service is almost always more expensive than our own production, however in turn we get better quality and we can eliminate fixed costs  and technological problems. We can concentrate on our core business. It is especially important when you use the production line for example two or three times a week.

A broad range of services

It’s worth mentioning that companies offering electronic contract manufacturing  provide a broad range of services to their clients. For example, various technologies and methods are used during the assembly of the components on a PCB.  The oldest of them is THT (Through Hole) assembly, which is still used in the production of large parts (e.g. capacitors or transformers).

The most commonly used method of assembling components on a PCB is surface mounting (STM), which is carried out on specialized lines enabling the assembly of SMD type components.,)Mixed assembly is also used when it is necessary to obtain specific properties of the system and use  different technologies at the same time. Thanks to the use of SMT technology, it is possible to miniaturize many products due to the use of very small components, which are sometimes difficult to see with the naked eye.

However, this is not the end, because the range of services offered is much wider and goes beyond the basic assembly service. This means that you can also count that the assembled modules will be washed , protective coatings will be applied or filled  with resin, and ICT and functional tests will be performed.

Ultimately, the EMS service provider supplies  his customer with high-quality products in accordance with applicable standards and made  in a manner pursuant to the customer's guidelines. Thanks to the cooperation with EMS the Buyer avoids many problems, especially the ones of a technological nature, and can take care of the main part of business, i.e. activities related to the sale of finished products.