The RESCO Electronics Blog

Unlocking the Promise of Embedded Barcode Readers and Other Data Collection Tools: Part 2

Posted by Charles Fisher on Apr 13, 2016 11:30:00 AM

In part 1 of this blog posted last month we discussed what an embedded barcode reader does
 and how the type of data desired to collect will determine the type of scanner needed and what aspects of engineering must work harmoniously for successful implementation.  Now we will focus on the latest trends with embedded scanners and the consequences of a bad reader choice.

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Topics: 2D Barcode and Vision System Technology, 1D Barcode Technology, Auto ID Product Design, Auto ID Design

Unlocking the Promise of Embedded Barcode Readers and Other Data Collection Tools: Part 1

Posted by Charles Fisher on Mar 9, 2016 11:00:00 AM

In this two part blog series we will discuss the promise of embedded barcode reader options,
considerations for successful implementation, and the latest trends with embedded scanners.  We will start off by talking about what an embedded barcode reader does and how the type of data needed to collect will determine the type of scanner needed and what aspects of engineering must work harmoniously for successful implementation. 

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Topics: 2D Barcode and Vision System Technology, 1D Barcode Technology, Auto ID Design

Time to Consider Kanban

Posted by David Copenhaver on Feb 10, 2016 11:00:00 AM

Of all the different inventory management systems in which we have had the opportunity to participate, kanban may be the most consistently effective; especially from the manufacturer’s point of view.  At RESCO we have supported vendor managed inventory, consigned inventory, bonded inventory, and a variety of dock-to-stock programs.  But consistently the kanban based systems have been the easiest to manage and the most consistently effective.

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Topics: Supply Chain and Procurement Strategies, Supplier Selection

Net Big Savings by Outsourcing Higher Level Assemblies

Posted by Charles Fisher on Jan 13, 2016 9:02:00 AM

In today’s competitive market, every company is looking for a cost advantage.  Sometimes that edge comes from working with your contract manufacturing partners to develop a lower cost design, other times it comes from finding off shore sources for sub-assemblies, or perhaps it comes from implementing cost saving inventory replenishment programs.   But what happens when these strategies are exhausted or just don’t generate the savings you need?  One often overlooked option is to work with contract manufacturing partners that can build higher level assemblies.  A few contract manufacturers like RESCO Electronics can take advantage of their lower cost structures, lower cost manufacturing facilities, and electro-mechanical expertise to lower your total costs by doing just that.

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Topics: Supply Chain and Procurement Strategies, Supplier Selection

The Best Procurement Decisions Are Based on Total Cost of Ownership

Posted by David Copenhaver on Nov 23, 2015 8:14:25 AM

The concept of total cost of ownership or “TCO” is to determine a product’s true cost not just based on the price but on all the costs it takes to purchase and maintain the product during the entire time it is owned.  This is hardly a new concept and most of us apply it in our personal lives, knowingly or not, each time we make a major purchase.  For example, when we buy a car we want to know the price of the new car, the trade in allowance on our old car, the taxes at time of purchase, ongoing taxes and insurance, gas mileage, maintenance costs, and maybe even the amount we can sell it for when we are ready for another.  In fact, almost all of the on-line car research sites (Edmunds, Kelly Blue Book, and Consumer Reports to name a few) calculate the expected TCO for about every model out there.  There is little doubt that TCO is an effective tool when making a purchase decision on a major, long-lived asset…but is the concept equally effective when comparing competing offers from material suppliers?

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Topics: Supply Chain and Procurement Strategies, Supplier Selection

Tips for Designing Reliable, Cost Effective Cable Assemblies and Harnesses

Posted by Fred Morr & Juan Pablo Garza on Oct 16, 2015 10:18:00 AM

IMG_8268aWith all the variables involved in designing an electric cable assembly or wiring harness, many times cost effectiveness and ease of manufacture are not at the top of the engineering checklist. In today’s ever more competitive market, where competition and customer demand is putting constant pressure on profit margins, even contract manufacturers in low cost regions are adversely affected by a cable assembly that is not optimized for manufacturability.  And this adverse effect more often than not will result in a higher cost, less reliable assembly.

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Topics: Cable and Electromechanical Product Design, Manufacturing Methods

When Your Design Should Use a Scan Engine vs. A Fixed Position Reader

Posted by Charles Fisher on Sep 23, 2015 7:36:00 AM

In June of 2015 the race horse American Pharaoh accomplished what no thoroughbreds horse had accomplished since 1978 by winning the Triple Crown. Engineers today are striving to hit a different triple crown with every design….Smaller Footprint, more capabilities and lower overall system cost. When designing an embedded barcode solution, one option that may allow your engineering team to meet these challenges is to utilize an embedded scan engine. We will look at some of the additional value a scan engine can bring to your design over a fixed position reader.

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Topics: 2D Barcode and Vision System Technology, Supplier Selection, Auto ID Product Design

Strengthening Dollar Makes Now the time to Consider Mexican Production

Posted by David Copenhaver on Aug 27, 2015 8:52:00 AM

In a blog posted last spring on this website titled "When Does Contract Manufacturing in Mexico Make Sense" Fred Morr provided a great review of the circumstances our experience has shown that selecting a contract manufacturer with production in Mexico is the most advantageous.  Fred compared and contrasted domestic contract manufacturing with production in Asia and Mexico.  He included a simple table which I am providing again below that is a great first pass reference tool.  If you haven’t had a chance to read this blog I encourage you to do so.

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Topics: Manufacturing in Mexico, Supply Chain and Procurement Strategies, Supplier Selection

Selecting the Right Adhesive

Posted by Chuck Gladstone on Jul 10, 2015 10:41:25 AM

The other day I asked my daughter, a recent civil engineering graduate, whether she remembered the commercial featuring a construction worker hanging by his helmet.  The helmet was adhered to the underside of a steel beam with Krazy Glue.

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Choosing a Contract Manufacturing Partner that Reduces Production and Engineering Costs

Posted by Deborrah Chilcote on May 28, 2015 7:30:00 AM

When an OEM partners with a supplier there are many levels and facets to the partnership.  A good partnership goes beyond just supplying components or assemblies to a purchase order.  When an OEM has a true partnership with a supplier they can rely on that supplier to provide them engineering support as well.  This support can have many different aspects to it.

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Topics: Supplier Selection, Auto ID Design