Federal Electronics’ service clusters ensure that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with unique requirements are supported with robust solutions. The Complex Low Volume System Support service cluster focuses an experience team and supply base on electromechanical projects with repetitive production requirements having lot sizes as low as one. We support the full product lifecycle from NPI through fulfillment and repair depot.
Electro-mechanical products typically consist of multi-level bills of material (BOMs), various custom fabricated parts (sheet metal, precision machined, molded plastic), multiple subassembly types (printed circuit board assemblies, copper cable and wire harness assemblies, fiber optic interconnects), and purchased components such as wire and cable, active and passive components, semiconductors, connectors, power supplies, and contactors, just to name a few. Managing large, multi-level BOMs with hundreds/thousands of components is a challenge under the best of circumstances. Managing it in a low volume environment where a limited pipeline of raw material impacts your ability to recover from supply chain issues is even more problematic.
- New Product Introduction Process (NPI): We use several points of reference as the baseline for the project, including bills of material, approved vendor lists, product drawings and specifications, process instructions, a list of any quality non-conformances, a golden sample of the product and where native intelligence exists, scheduled “co-builds” with customer personnel. We work with customers to fill in any gaps and develop a product configuration baseline.
- Demand Flow Methodology: We look for opportunities to streamline the material ordering process in ways that reduce the administrative burden the OEM absorbs during typical order stream maintenance (order placement, expedite, de-expedite, etc.). Reviewing historical buying patterns and the customer’s visibility to the demand stream, options such as select product forecast and Kanban can be utilized to blunt swings in demand, increase flexibility, and do so without a significant increase in liability. Where event driven POs are the preferred method, contracts are implemented that solidify lead-time and pricing by assembly part number and streamline the requisition-order placement-order confirmation process.
- Leadtime/Liability containment and reduction: As an off-shoot for Demand Flow Methodology, we introduce, consolidate, and realign suppliers, placing stores of raw material as far back in the process as possible, thus sustaining a pipeline at the lowest costs possible with limited liability.
- Automated Scheduling: We utilize a robust ERP system, which regenerates MRP and schedules on a nightly basis, identifying both material and labor requirements within 24 hours of entry into the system for immediate action.
- Program Management Alerts: The Customer Service Impact module within our ERP system tracks work order (supply) finish dates and compares them to customer order (demand) commit and need dates, identifying misalignments between supply and demand in real time (through the daily MRP, and communicating that misalignment to Program Management.