Electronic manufacturing services (EMS) are a range of contract electronics manufacturing and assembly services that offer companies a low-cost alternative to manufacturing in-house.
Vendors, including contract manufacturers, provide most of the components and other parts, which are then assembled into fully tested finished products. The vendor also handles all logistics associated with getting the product from its original design to market. This can include packaging, shipping, and warehousing.
Why choose EMS?
There are many reasons why EMS may be a good fit for your company. For example:
- You can concentrate on your core business while outsourcing the more specialized aspects of product development, production and distribution.
- You can focus on what you do best while outsourcing the rest of the process to an expert partner who can handle the rest at a lower cost than you could achieve in-house or through another outside service provider.
- You can keep costs low by using less expensive foreign labor instead of local labor (assuming there’s competition for those jobs).
How the process is done
The customer sends their boards and components to the EMS provider for assembly, testing, packaging and shipping back to them.
Outsourcing manufacturing to an EMS provider where components are assembled and tested at the third-party factory, but the customer keeps ownership of their boards until they are ready for shipping. This option allows customers who want more control over their supply chain and quality assurance processes to outsource their manufacturing while still retaining ownership of their boards until they are ready for shipping.
EMS is typically used:
- When companies outsource production to manufacture their products in Asia or elsewhere due to lower cost.
- When companies need customized electronic components that they don’t have the capability or expertise to design or manufacture themselves.
- When companies have short-term needs for prototypes or small volumes of customized products.
Getting quality electronic manufacturing services
There are many EMS companies out there, and it can be hard to tell which ones offer the best quality and value. Some have a reputation for excellent customer service, while others have established themselves as industry leaders in innovation and technology.
It’s important to do your research before selecting an EMS provider. There are many factors to consider when choosing an EMS provider, such as:
Quality control
Look for a company that has a strict quality assurance process in place. It should also have ISO 9001 certification.
Technology
Find out how up-to-date the company’s equipment is and whether it has the latest software and training available to its employees.
Customer service
You want an EMS provider that will respond promptly when you need help with your order or shipment. They should also be able to handle small orders as well as large ones.
Final Words
Electronics is one of the quickest growing industries in the globe. It represents about 10% of global GDP and almost half of all industrial output by value. In 2016, the global market for electronics was worth $2 trillion and is expected to grow to $4 trillion by 2023.
Electronics manufacturers often outsource certain aspects of their products because they lack certain capabilities or resources within their own organizations. For example, an electronics manufacturer may not have enough engineers on staff or enough equipment available. Also, some manufacturers may simply want to focus on designing new products rather than managing complex production processes themselves. This is where professional electronic manufacturing services help.
