When something goes awry during the manufacturing process, it can hurt your bottom line and affect your company’s reputation. Brushless DC motor manufacturers agree that the best ways to ensure a high-quality motor is to contract the right factories and audit the manufacturing process. Hands-on involvement with the BLDC motor manufacturers you choose is not just cost-effective, but it can help prevent delays

What to Look for in an Auditor

The ideal auditor should be an experienced Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE). Preferably, this person should have hands-on experience working with a BLDC motor factory. If you can’t locate an SQE, a team of individuals who have complementary skills may work well.

BLDC Motor Manufacturers: Factory Standards

When seeking a factory to manufacture brushless DC motors, look for one that has a QS-9000 certificate. Factories with such a certification tend to produce higher quality items over those with just an ISO 9000 certification.

Visiting a Brushless DC Motor Manufacturer’s Factory

Visiting an overseas factory in person with the auditor you chose helps ensure that a factory meets your standards. When visiting an overseas factory, hire a third-party interpreter if you don’t speak the native tongue.

Before your visit, be clear about the personnel you wish to meet and the documents you wish to see. If you want to take pictures of the factory, ask for permission in advance.

A factory visit should follow a logical itinerary, such as:

1. Meet the factory leadership: The factory’s management personnel express why they would make good partners.
2. Introduce the auditor or auditing team: Introduce the individual and the respective role.
3. Review the requested documents: Documents can include quality certifications, drawings, the Control Plan, process flow chart, production failure mode engineering analysis (PFMEA), a capability study and material tests and certifications.
4. See the storage area for incoming raw material storage and testing: The factory should protect the materials against the elements, group them logically and label the materials clearly.
5. Visit the tool storage, tooling workshop and design areas: See how the factory stores and protects its tools. Determine if the factory uses another party’s tooling and if the tooling is appropriate for the BLDC motors. Learn how the company drafts its designs.
6. See the manufacturing processes, as outlined in a Control Plan: Look for the posting of work instructions, evidence of machinery maintenance and the correct gaging. Locate “bottlenecks” in the factory and learn how they are overcome. Watch the manufacturing process in action.
7. See the production testing and storage areas: Learn about the factory’s statistical testing versus 100 percent product testing. Meet the factory’s inspector and learn how the company stores and packages finished products.
8. Visit the laboratories: Learn how the factory maintains and calibrates its lab equipment. The equipment should be appropriate for your application.
9. Report your results: Share your findings with your host, beginning with the positive attributes. Use constructive feedback to communicate the factory’s shortfalls. Then let the stakeholders know if you intent to do business with them or communicate the parameters the factory must meet before you’d reconsider using its services.

Finding the right factory may be difficult if you don’t have experience working with overseas partners. Sinotech can help make the experience simpler and more successful with its dedicated team that handles every step of the process.

Curious about whether or not your product is ready for outsourcing? Sinotech president Michael Bloom offers this informative video tutorial. We invite you to contact Sinotech to learn more about outsourcing the manufacturing of your motor.

[Photo by 246-You via CC License]