At Benchmark Electronics, New Product Introduction (NPI) activity is very important, as we understand that our success is dependent on your success. Our goal is seamless transition of your prototypes to the production environment, in any part of the world, with no impact to your schedule.

New Product Introduction can take on a twist of meanings depending on the audience. Initial engagement points for NPI activity between OEMs and EMS will vary depending on what value the EMS provider can bring to the OEM in the early stages of a product's life cycle. Strategies for materials, manufacturing, and testing can be formulated early in the concept phase of a product development. Collaboration between the OEM and EMS technical teams on the electrical and mechanical design of the product can take the bumps out of the road to meeting your cost, quality and cycle time requirements once your product enters volume production.

While early engagement provides the greatest opportunity for design and process improvement, Benchmark’s New Product Introduction process provides a framework that allows engagement at any point in a product's life cycle. This NPI process fosters forward thinking by providing the processes and tools that assist the team members to evaluate and resolve issues that would hinder a smooth Product Life Cycle, early in the design phase.

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Benchmarks NPI process defines the product life cycle in six phases:

• Concept
• Functional Engineering Development
• Form-Fit Prototypes
• Design Verification
• Pre-production/Design Qualification
• Sustained Production

These phase definitions and associated task and process lists are aligned with your product design process. Data requirements, data formats, processes, review points, milestones and deliverables are clearly defined and understood by both parties and developed into a project plan. Execution of the project plan is tracked within the program team by using standard checklists and status reports.

Benchmark understands that application of the proper skills at the right time, open communications, a clear understanding of expectations and utilization of proven tools and processes are keys to a successful Product Life Cycle.

Customer Design Process

Benchmark NPI Process

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