Part Analytics’ Cognitive Sourcing and Quoting Platform Helps EMS-Tek Increase Efficiency
By Louis Chen, VP, Sales Department
An innovative contract manufacturer with facilities and support in the United States and Asia, EMS Technologies (EMS-Tek) provides small- and medium-sized customers with world-class manufacturing services and solutions that enable them to compete with larger competitors. EMS-Tek’s objective is to provide customers with both products and services that exceed their specifications, requirements and expectations,” said John Chang, CEO of EMS-Tek. “Through the dedication, education and empowerment of all our team members, we have established and maintain commitment to total quality management and an atmosphere that fosters continuous improvement.”
EMS-Tek is a project-management oriented firm of experienced project managers (PMs), engineers and the integration of industrial facilities for cost-effective product development and manufacturing based in Taiwan, China and Asia to benefit clients with high-mix low-volume operations. EMS-Tek services a diversified group of customers in many business sectors including the marine, telecommunications, automotive, medical, industrial and consumer industries. The company offers end-to-end outsourcing solutions of quality, quick delivery, effective design and competitive cost for electronic products, plastic injection molding tool and production, metal stamping tool, and production.
In order to provide customers with these solutions, the company needed to proactively manage its parts risks. After much research, EMS-Tek partnered with the best in the industry: Part Analytics. Parts Analytics’ SaaS platform is designed to enrich users’ data with public and private data. Its analytics engine processes data to provide BOM cost through a network of more than 80 global authorized distributors along with visibility to compliance, lifecycle and availability risks. The platform also suggests alternates that are lower cost as well as alternates to mitigate the risks. Part Analytics’ platform provides these insights within minutes of uploading the BOM in a very easy to use interface.
These benefits help EMS-Tek ensure they continue to provide the benefits its customers have come to rely upon, including faster time-to-market, lower materials cost, flexible and responsive scheduling, dedicated customer service, and increased profit.
Part Analytics’ cloud-based software platform provides cognitive sourcing and quoting capabilities for electronics. This platform enables EMS-Tek to realize up to 20 percent savings in direct material cost and reduces the time to get BOM costing from 1-2 weeks to less than 15 minutes. The tool also provides real-time monitoring of risks such as lifecycle and lead times.
This is especially helpful in managing EMS-Tek’s printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) service, which is a core competency in its product portfolio. In-house electronic and mechanical design engineering is a strength that sets the company apart from other offshore contract manufacturers. It offers hardware and software design, PCB layout, RF engineering, and more at a fraction of domestic contracting. Technologies include through-hole assembly, SMT assembly, hardware and system-level assembly, testing, component programming, and new product introduction.
EMS-Tek provides service and support through all stages of the design and manufacturing process, from concept to market. EMS tends to take an “end to end” approach when addressing new market opportunities because industry leaders choose partners who can offer full turnkey solutions at all levels of manufacturing. Clients in competitive markets require a fast and flexible manufacturing partner, with this in mind, the EMS team’s expertise in program management lends itself as a necessary asset in overseas manufacturing.
Allowing customers to outsource programs at lower cost while simultaneously enabling them to use own human resources more efficiently on other projects is EMS-Tek’s goal. It accomplishes this with its team of PMs, who are fluent in both English and Chinese. The PMs guide development teams in applying lower cost, local manpower as much as possible, adding creativity and marketing as needed in the following scope of services: turnkey project management in new product development, PCB assembly, mechanical tooling 
development, engineering, electromechanical assembly, cable assembly and more. For most manufacturing projects, especially in electronics, EMS-Tek takes title to the product, and takes care of managing the entire process of tooling, production ramp-up, packaging design and logistics to reduce or eliminate quality issues, shipping delays, poor communications, warranty problems, product returns and endless trips to Asia to sort things out.
EMS companies such as EMS-Tek that supply circuit boards to OEMs typically spend 1-2 weeks gathering information on pricing, lead time and availability of electronic components, slowing their response time to request quotes. Part Analytics’ SaaS-based platform addresses these challenges by integrating and enriching customers’ data to provide insights on cost and risk reduction opportunities within minutes for EMS companies. The platform has multiple modules to address different use cases and workflows for users.
The BOM IQ platform enables PCBA suppliers to generate quotes in minutes while proactively managing parts risks. Users can get BOM cost and risks along with mitigations in minutes; identify cost savings opportunities through alternates for customers; and receive real-time monitoring of risks and savings opportunities.
Founder & CEO Jithendra Palasagaram added, “Part Analytics helps EMS-Tek improve its profit margin and work smarter by transforming its part selection, BOM management, risk management and RFQ process.”
Chang added that the quality department is a core part of EMS-Tek’s success. The company maintains the highest standards in excellence and quality with certifications at its various plants in both China and Taiwan. Its team of quality engineers and technicians consists of a group of individuals who can recognize problems at all stages of manufacturing. “Part Analytics also helps us maintain our high quality standards. They have been extremely responsive since we began our partnership and support us whenever we need assistance. Their customer service has far exceeded our expectations and we appreciate their consistently fast response.”
EMS-Tek has processes in place to detect and prevent any issues arising from material discrepancies, manufacturing/tooling defects, equipment failures, or packaging issues. Its test and final inspection ensures that all products meet the highest levels of compliance requested by customers. Additionally, the company takes the necessary preventive measures to provide proactive maintenance of equipment and tooling to ensure longevity of its customers’ investment. The testing equipment used in all stages of final inspection allows the company to detect any issue with a customer’s device before leaving EMS-Tek’s plant. “We work around the clock to make sure that your products meet the highest quality expectations. With all of these processes in place, you can rest assure that your product will reach your docks safely,” Chang concluded.
EMS-Tek’s attention to detail, quality and service combined with Part Analytics’ cognitive sourcing and quoting platform result in a strong partner able to exceed its customers’ expectations.
For more information about EMS-Tek, contact the company at No. 1, Chongde 13th Rd., Beitun Dist., Taichung City 406, Taiwan (R.O.C.); +886-4-2421-1698; E-mail: sales@ems-tek.com; Web site: www.ems-tek.com. To find out more about Part Analytics and how its Cognitive Sourcing and Quoting Platform can help advance your business, contact Founder & CEO Jithendra Palasagaram at 300 N Executive Dr., Suite 103, Brookfield, WI 53005; 262-409-9879; E-mail: jithendrap@partanalytics.com; Web site: www.partanalytics.com.