Our aim is to offer guidance on the ever-changing decision-making processes in the electronics sector and become the "go-to" guide for industry professionals looking to source top components.
Recently, we discussed the downsides to 5G in supply chains, but let’s now explore its potential positive impacts. Supply chains are experiencing a lot of technology-based changes over the past few years and the roll-out of 5G promises to deliver multiple benefits to an industry in waiting. Expectations are that robotics, drones and IoT usage
Imagine you’re designing custom measurement systems and never expect to build two of the same system, only to be asked by a client a year later for another system just like the one you built previously. Sounds great, right? But what if the team never put together a Bill of Materials (BOM) for that original
“Procurement is a professional skill set. However, we give department employees a day’s training and ask them to do professional work. That would be like getting rid of IT and asking people to run their own networks and servers.” —Stan Jester That was the conclusion reached by a board member who recently insisted that a
When OEMs start to worry about being able to meet demand, they tend to start double ordering. If inventory is low and demand is rising, delivery times are increasing and parts are being allocated, double ordering may seem like the only safe bet for OEMs. When stock is low, some suppliers not only turn away
In 2008, one technology parts database listed 150 million electronic components. That same year, obsolescence product-discontinuation notices (PDNs) were issued for 1.4 million of those components by their manufacturers. Material and electronic device innovation has accelerated dramatically in the last decade, and the increase in parts obsolescence has kept pace. While end-of-life and lifetime buy
In a perfect world, manufacturers could choose their supply chain partners based exclusively on the lowest bidding price. But this may not yield the best products – or the best business partnerships. How should you evaluate RFPs and, more importantly, choose your suppliers? As artificial intelligence, big data and analytics, and machine learning change the
An RFQ, or Request for Quotation, is the process of asking for the price of exactly what you’re looking for. In other words, a vendor asks another business to provide a quote for specific services or products. The process is a very common operation carried out by purchasing and supply managers, though it can be
A purchase order (PO) is the official confirmation of an order. This document is sent from a purchaser to a vendor in order to authorizes a purchase. The purchase order is a form of risk protection. In addition to legal protection, purchase orders assist in inventory management and payment tracking. They allow suppliers to track
Inventory can be defined as the array of finished goods or goods used in production. These goods are either stored in-house or in a warehouse so that a business can meet demand and fulfill orders. For some manufacturers, inventory may look like raw materials and work-in-process. For others, it may be a supply of finished
