"Oh no – the part we're using is going obsolete! Can you make us an exact copy of this part as we must have identical mechanical and electrical performance?"
Product: Through hole spring contact connector
Application: Medical
Quantity: 50,000pcs p/a
Issues: Product currently used announced obsolete by its manufacturer
Solution: Produce an identical connector with extensive use of CAD/CAM software to prove product suitability in critical areas before committing to tooling stage. The critical areas were contact force, shape and elasticity over 5000 cycles.
Design brief to delivery: 9 weeks
Tooling cost: $19,000
Tooling refunded: After 150,000pcs delivered ($0.38 per part if amortized)
Result: The product design met our customers brief first time, ahead of time, and with a price reduction of 24% over previously used part (including amortized tooling costs)