How we helped a client achieve higher levels of success
THE CLIENT’S GOALS
Our client, listed as one of the Top-50 privately held companies in Forbes, was planning to launch a new product that will be manufactured overseas and launched into the global market. Their goal: to save money and time through improvements to their development cycle.
THE CHALLENGE
Our client’s end goal posed unique challenges.
- They needed to keep costs low while developing this product for overseas production and sales.
- Map out the ways in which the entire process itself can be scalable (used for future product rollouts).
- Improve the development process – reducing the development time by 50%.
- Integrating new offshore and domestic suppliers, as well as new components.
- Design, build, and validate several complex injection molds, and develop scientific-based molding processes that are easily transferrable to overseas suppliers.
- Product design engineering support: molding process simulations, Design for Manufacturing, FMEA, and DOE exercises.
- The client needed a new supplier partner to co-develop a product and project launch process.
THE SOLUTION
Anderson Technologies accepted the challenge. Our client knew Anderson was uniquely qualified to provide the dynamic solutions the project needed.
The project’s timeline from beginning to end was roughly one year. Through collaboration with Anderson Technologies and the client, the part design was optimized for moldability using molding process simulation software, along with our decades of processing and moldmaking experience. Anderson utilized scientific injection molding principles and in-mold sensing (RJG) technology to establish process control and optimize the injection molding processes. This facilitated a robust, quality product that met all of the client’s part specifications. With Anderson’s support, the client’s assembly line achieved levels of efficiency that exceeded expectations. Additionally, Anderson worked with the client to establish and control quality standards, procedures, and methods for domestic and offshore components, as well as the outgoing final product.
Anderson built up initial product inventory for overseas distribution, allowing the client to move and set up production lines and introduce the product to market ahead of schedule.
With Anderson and our client partnering to develop processes domestically, the client was able to allocate the appropriate resources to product development that would have otherwise been consumed in sending the technical team offshore for support.
THE RESULTS
Anderson’s flexibility allowed the client to minimize the impact of unforeseen issues. In addition, reaction time was greatly improved because hierarchical approval processes typical in overseas culture was avoided. Beyond product development for molded components, Anderson provided a client’s first exposure to recycled material into components, helping to cut costs and perform all validation required, allowing this method to become an accepted practice for our client in current and future products. Anderson also successfully managed new and existing suppliers, while navigating changes in freight and the 2019 tariff rates. Throughout Anderson’s involvement in this program, it was our responsibility to discover any and all manufacturing process issues, implement corrections, and provide our client with all necessary process specifications and documentation to set their overseas manufacturing partner up for a successful transition. Our client found this project and its process for overall efficiency, a method we built together, extremely successful.
It worked for our client, and we know it will work for other manufacturers in similar situations. When more value is added with less capital, the better off you are. Trust Anderson Technologies to help you achieve new levels of success.