When it comes to choosing a vendor to manufacture your new, innovative, or proprietary product, it’s imperative to find a partner that will respect and protect your intellectual property. With manufacturing listed as the second most targeted industry for data breaches and espionage, it has never been more important to choose a manufacturing partner that will keep your IP safe. Listed below are the factors that you should look for in your next contract manufacturer to ensure your IP is kept secure and away from competitors and foreign countries.

 

Beyond the NDA

The first step to keeping your IP secure is getting an NDA signed with your manufacturer. Unfortunately, this does not always do enough. It would be best if you found a manufacturer that proactively goes above and beyond the typical NDA.

 

NIST 800-171

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides a robust framework of computer security guidance, allowing private-sector organizations in the United States to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber-attacks and theft of intellectual property. When vetting your next contract manufacturer, check that they are compliant with NIST 800-171. These standards clearly define how sensitive information, such as your IP, should be handled to maximize security.

 

Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF)

In addition to an NDA and NIST compliance, look for manufacturers like REDCOM EMS that operate a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF).  SCIFs ensure that no one sees your documentation or project except those with clearance. Any non-cleared staff who enter must remain under the constant supervision of cleared personnel, and they must surrender all recording, photographic, and other electronic media devices. Any communication inside the room is restricted from public disclosure.

 

Secure ERP

REDCOM EMS has found that employing a secure ERP (enterprise resource planning) system is another useful tool in securing client information and IP. A secure ERP system only grants access to those individuals necessary in the manufacturing process, reducing the exposure of your IP as much as possible.

 

Subcontractor Clearance

In some cases, projects will require the work of subcontractors. In this case, it is essential that your contract manufacturer only use trusted resources. To do this, REDCOM EMS requires all subcontractors to maintain ISO clearance and strict confidentiality. Check with your next manufacturer to ensure they are also taking appropriate steps.

 

Secure Manufacturing from REDCOM EMS

REDCOM EMS has your secure manufacturing needs covered. We have been manufacturing for highly secretive enterprise, military, and government customers for decades. They trust us with their most sensitive designs and information because they know REDCOM EMS has the controls in place to secure their projects from start to finish. REDCOM EMS directly employs all the factors mentioned above. To learn more about our secure manufacturing, or to receive a quote on an upcoming project, please contact sales@redcomems.com.

In the contract manufacturing world, Quality Management System (QMS) certifications are one of the first items a prospective customer should have on their checklist. Why is this? Quality Management System certifications provide a standard of documentation, quality, and controls that assures the customer that the manufacturer can produce consistent, quality product. There are hundreds of different standards for almost any industry you can imagine. Let’s talk a little bit about the three QMS certifications that REDCOM EMS has achieved thus far, and the purpose of each one.

ISO 9001:2015

This certification is essentially the “baseline” certification that prospective customers should look for. It provides a framework for a system of, “say what you do, and do what you say.” This standard can be used within any industry, whether it’s manufacturing, or human resources, or accounting. It focuses on processes, customer satisfaction, and involvement of top management in the overall system. The primary purpose of this certification is to provide business with a standardized method of producing high-quality and consistent products and services. REDCOM EMS achieved this certification in March 2017, opening the doors to the general commercial market.

AS9100D

This certification builds upon ISO 9001:2015, and the standard uses the text from ISO 9001:2015 and inserts additional requirements in bold, italicized font. This certification provides the requirements for the Defense, Aviation, and Space industries. It holds the organization to a higher level of quality and control that’s necessary for mission-critical products and services. Risk management is heavily emphasized, as is tight control of the supply chain to prevent counterfeit parts.

As you can imagine, the consequences of an in-flight failure of a critical component in a commercial airline carrying 300 people would be catastrophic. Pilots, astronauts, and military personnel need to be able to do their jobs without worrying whether the equipment that their lives depend on is going to work. That criticality of high-quality products and services flows down the supply chain. REDCOM EMS achieved this certification in July 2019, providing opportunities to delve a little deeper into the aerospace and defense markets.

Why Require QMS Certifications of Your Contract Manufacturers?

QMS certifications assure an industry-standard level of quality and control over processes and documentation and are continuously being monitored through internal audits, annual surveillance audits by the certification body, and re-certification audits by the certification body every three years.

At REDCOM EMS, we pride ourselves on the commitment to quality throughout the entire organization that is required to obtain and maintain these certifications. Each new certification and each internal and external audit give us opportunities to improve our processes and make our QMS more robust as we continuously strive to meet and exceed customer expectations.

 

 

 

Advantages of 3D printing in Manufacturing

Unlike traditional manufacturing, where you take an object and remove material until you’re left with the desired design, 3D printing is what’s known as additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing is the process of building up material until the desired design is achieved. This process comes with many benefits, especially when it comes to short-run products, a few of which we’ll touch on below.

Flexibility

One of the significant benefits of industrial 3D printing is the flexibility it brings to the manufacturer. In traditional manufacturing, any change in design requires a new tool or process to remove material. In 3D printing, there are no such limitations. In another sense of flexibility, the 3D printer allows manufacturers to implement creative ideas. For example, if a board that enters cutting and continues to crack in undesired areas, with a 3D printer, you can create custom supports for the board to prevent the unwanted defects. In line with creative solutions, the printer allows manufacturers to create custom fixtures that would otherwise be very costly and take anywhere from two to four weeks to ship.

Speed

When it takes up to four weeks for a critical fixture to arrive manufacturing timetables can be greatly delayed, especially if the fixture is an unplanned requirement. Having the capability to create custom fixtures that can withstand reflow temperatures is a huge advantage when managing tight timetables. Rather than weeks, the solution can be on hand in merely hours.

Cost

The plastics involved in 3D printing, even the more expensive and highly durable plastics, compared to traditional materials are much cheaper and accessible. Coming back to custom fixturing, ordering a fixture can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, where 3D printing allows the fixture to be printed for just dollars.

 

Printed Circuit Board Repair

When choosing a partner for your PCBA, Prototype, or New Product Introduction (NPI), it’s essential to consider whether or not they offer printed circuit board repair and rework services. A partner that does not offer PCB repair and rework can lead to higher production costs, wasted material, and costly delays in time to market.

Why PCB repair services are important

Once a design flaw is discovered, it must be corrected immediately. Unless your manufacturing partner offers printed circuit board repair and rework services, altering PCB design mid-production can wreak havoc on your production schedule and budget. The capability to repair and rework PCBs allows the manufacturer to update the boards to match the current specs as closely as possible.

For example

When a REDCOM EMS customer altered the design of their PCB mid-production, REDCOM EMS was able to cut traces in the already produced boards and add additional wiring to circumvent a design flaw. Through leveraging the already produced boards, this rework service saved the customer time and budget in the would-be cost of purchasing new materials.

With our manufacturing team, you get confidence that comes with decades of experience building and repairing advanced custom electronic solutions for customers in a variety of markets, including military, aerospace, energy, transportation, and health care. So when considering a partner for your next printed circuit board assembly, prototype, or new product, make sure to ask if they offer PCB repair and rework services.

What is conformal coating?

A conformal coating is a protective film that covers certain areas on a circuit board. The coating is typically a 25-75µm thick polymer film that protects and insulates a PCB (Printed Circuit Board). The coating creates a breathable layer that protects against moisture and airborne contaminants while allowing moisture to escape the board.

 

Why use conformal coating?

Conformal coating is used to protect PCBs from damage caused by several external elements associated with harsh environments such as salt spray, moisture, airborne contaminants, shock, temperature variations, and vibrations.

In addition to forming a protective barrier, the conformal coating also increases insulation. This can drastically reduce the spacing needed in PCB conductors.

 

 

Who should use conformal coating?

If your PCB will be subject to harsh working environments, a conformal coating may be able to extend the life of the PCB and prevent harmful degradation. Since many of REDCOM EMS’s customers are in the industrial, military, and aerospace industries, conformal coating is particularly attractive to them.

Using selective automotive spray, REDCOM EMS ensures consistent results and can coat boards with precision while minimizing human interaction. See our video below on conformal coating: