Posts by Seline Chen
Manufacturing In China: How To Protect Your Intellectual Property?
It is not surprising that China has developed to become a major manufacturing superpower and more and more overseas companies have moved their production to China. However, some of them are having issues with IP protection while manufacturing in China.
If you are planning to manufacture your products in China, make sure you do everything possible to protect your intellectual property rights. Read on to learn more about the strategies you can use to avoid patent infringement issues in the Chinese market.
What Is IP?
Before you outsource your production to China, it is important to understand what happens to your intellectual property rights (IPR) once you outsource to a Chinese manufacturer.
Intellectual property is a broad term that can include anything from a new fashion trend to a specific software algorithm to an entirely new product design.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) makes a definition of IP as “creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.”
No matter what type of intellectual property you have, there are some things you should know before starting manufacturing in China to ensure your intellectual property rights are protected.
Each Country Has Its IP Laws
Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, you have to consider how you’ll protect your intellectual property.
The first thing you should do is have a basic understanding of Chinese IP laws.
For example, patents for inventions can be protected for up to 20 years in China. Also, China protects utility models (for up to 10 years) and design patents (for up to 15 years). Utility models are sometimes called “mini-patents” and require a lower level of inventiveness. Design patents protect the look of products.
All patent rights in China are subject to the payment of annual fees after they’ve been granted.
The National IPR Organizations You Should Know In China
In China, the government plays a substantial role in promoting and protecting intellectual property rights (IPRs).
Several governmental departments are responsible for IPRs matters. Keep in mind the differences and functions of these organizations.
China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA)
China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) was formerly known as the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO). It was renamed in 1980.
The department is responsible for the patent work and comprehensively coordinating the foreign-related affairs in the field of intellectual property throughout the country.
If you want your patent registered in China, make sure you check these common questions that you will need to know:
Trademark Office of China National Intellectual Property Administration
When it comes to handling matters of trademark disputes, you should reach the Trademark Office of the China National Intellectual Property Administration.
It’s responsible for the registration and administration of trademarks throughout the country.
However, the website does not provide an English option, so it would be hard for foreigners to research and apply for a trademark online. Therefore, you can click on the CNIPA website to search for trademark-related information. Or you may go to the local trademark office to make an enquiry in person.
National Copyright Administration of the People’s Republic of China (NCAC)
If you want any copyright information, the National Copyright Administration of the People’s Republic of China website is a good option for you.
It accepts and examines copyrights applications in accordance with the law.
Keep in mind to check the copyright regulations and laws in China before you register your copyright.
IP Protection Agreement
When partnering with a manufacturing company, make sure you have a well-drafted and properly executed manufacturing agreement that will help you protect your IP, and provide you with relief if the manufacturer breaches the agreement.
The IP agreement should list all relevant details, including IP ownership, confidentiality, non-competition and non-circumvention and more.
Let Shield Works Be Your IP Protective Manufacturing Partner
With our British ownership background, we know how to help our overseas clients to protect their IPs without excessive costs and time.
Shield Works partners with Innopat a leading Zhuhai based IP industry expert to provide you with clear no-nonsense advice and IP protection services.
Our IP protective system safeguards your production line in our innovative facility.
We are ready to accommodate your needs. Contact us today.
What’s Included In a Product Assembly Service?
Are you a startup or an already established company debating if you need to use an assembly service to meet your client’s demands? Have you thought about working with an overseas company, but you aren’t sure what to expect?
There are many different vendors that you could use who are local to you. Do they have the right materials you need to meet the demands of your clients? Like you, many product-focused companies and entrepreneurs take advantage of using oversea companies to meet their needs.
If you are in the looking stage of comparing product assembly services and you need more information on finding the right distribution company, you came to the right place. In this brief product assembly service guide, we will cover how to find the right manufacturer and who you can contact for more information.
What Are Product Assembly Services?
Product assembly services or product assembly companies create your product, and they ship them either to you or your customers. Doing this process on your own can quickly become expensive. It is best to partner with a reputable assembly service company to save you more time and money.
Product Assembly Services in China
The best way to save time and money is to outsource your product assembly tasks to a third-party company to build your items. Many companies outsource their work to China because of the cost-saving benefit. A company saves a large percentage in production and distribution costs when they partner with a reputable assembly service company.
Choosing the Right Product Assembly Company
When choosing the right product assembly company, make sure that you look for a company with certified professionals. High-quality 3rd party assembly companies typically have favorable testimonials from the past experience, which consistently demonstrate their ability to provide products that meet client requirements.
Review Their Expertise
Even if a company’s professionals have the required certifications, you should check out their previous work. As you compare different companies that offer assembly and inspection services, ask about their internal quality control process and methodology.
Does your inspector use statistical models? Does this company use random sampling?
Are all your assemblers certified quality assurance inspectors? Don’t be afraid to ask your distribution company questions about their process and timelines.
Look at Other Reviews
When speaking to a prospective company, it would be best to look at their reviews. You can use third-party review websites to see what clients did or did not like about working with them.
Although reviews are a great place to start, the only way to gauge a company is to call them and speak with them. One company’s expectation requirements will be different than yours, so what you may not like, someone else may have loved.
When speaking with your assembly company see how they respond to your requests. Do they handle requests on time?
Do they have excellent client service? Partnering with a distribution company is a long-lasting relationship, so make sure to work with a company that has top-tier customer service.
Available Assembly Capabilities
Not all assembly companies are the same. Some specialize in product assembly of all kinds, whereas others may only focus on producing products made with a specific material. The most common types of general product assembly use composites, carbon fiber, plastics, metals, and textiles.
Other types of assembly services:
- Prepackaging
- Food packaging
- Product re-assembly
- Assembly testing
- Powder and liquid filling
When comparing different companies, ask if they have the right items and materials to complete the job. You can also ask if they have experience making products like yours.
Intellectual Property Protection
All countries have their own sets of rules and regulations when it comes to privacy and the protection of intellectual property. It is a company’s worst nightmare to have its product specifications compromised after years of development. If your distribution company sends products to your clients, you want to make sure that their data is also safeguarded.
Before you partner with any company, be sure to look into their country’s intellectual property laws and their track record with other clients. If their track record is not good, even in the slightest, you should look elsewhere. There is no margin for error when it comes to protecting the rights of your products.
Software Information
An additional step in securing your intellectual property information is to look into the type of software your distribution company uses. Is their technology well-known for privacy features?
Does it mimic the same safety measures you set for your own business? If they are not willing to share that information with you, they may be hiding something.
Product Timelines
As you start interviewing different companies, you should inquire about their product project timelines. The amount of time it takes them to create and ship your orders can hugely impact how long it takes for you to deliver your product to your clients.
Of course, you want to partner with a company that can produce high-quality items without taking too much time, but you also don’t want to rush the process if they don’t have the capabilities to deliver high-quality items quickly.
When speaking about timelines, don’t just focus on how long it takes for them to create the product. Make sure to ask how they handle natural disaster situations and other weather-related delays. When these types of moments happen, you also will want to have a primary point of contact to reach out to for the next steps.
Product Assembly Process
The first step of the assembly process is to find the right company. Once you find them, you will want to send in a request. The right company will suggest scheduling time to speak with you about your product over the phone. This way, they can gauge what type of materials they will need, how much they will need, and more to make sure your product comes out just as you need it.
During the first few stages, you and the company should clearly understand what to expect of the product. You should receive a rendering of your product and a physical model in your hands before you ok the rest of production. Each company has its own processes, so make sure that you are aware of all steps during their production process.
Advantages of Oversea Manufacturing
As mentioned earlier, many companies like to outsource their products to cut down on their costs. Another major reason is because of a particular concentration.
For example, many corporations use China for their production needs because of their concentration on electronic products. They are also well known for creating plastic products and other mainstream items like clothes.
High-Volume Capabilities
One of the most significant advantages of partnering with a manufacturing company overseas is their production capacity. Most manufacturing companies can produce huge quantities of your items within a short time frame.
Depending on your production needs and your manufacturer, they may offer you a discount for ordering large volumes of product. When working with certain companies, they may have a minimum purchase order requirement. This helps keeps control costs on both ends. If you need a small order, you can expect high fees and costs.
Skills and Talent
The skill level in other countries is much higher than in the United States, mainly because many Americans don’t work in manufacturing jobs. This creates a skill gap in the US, forcing many companies to seek help overseas.
The most significant need in the United States is for those with computer and digital skills, technical knowledge, and programming expertise. All of these skills are easily found overseas in major manufacturing companies.
Close Proximity to Raw Materials
United States factories have to source their materials from overseas, increasing their costs and time-to-market deadlines. Many manufacturers in China have access to these raw materials already at their plants.
If they don’t, they know someone or some company that has what they need. They also most likely have a relationship or some partnership with those companies.
If you manufacture your product in the United States, you will face delays if your product requires raw materials. Countries that ship to the United States may have to charge you higher shipping costs, and you may experience long wait times due to the impact of COVID. Instead of having them ship you the materials, you can cut costs by having your manufacturer produce the product on your behalf.
Disadvantages of Oversea Manufacturing
Although there are many fantastic advantages to outsourcing, you should keep a few disadvantages in mind. For example, the components and cost of production are usually cheaper, but the shipping costs may not be ideal. If you find that the shipping costs are too much, you can always negotiate better shipping rates, especially if you plan on working with that company long-term.
Longer Lead Times
Even though creating and producing large quantities overseas is cheaper, the lead time can be longer than expected. What this means is that it takes time for your goods to make their way from overseas into the United States. When calculating the time it will reach you; you must consider shipping times, country holidays, and the manufacturer’s demands.
Possible Language Barriers
When working with a manufacturer overseas, you will most likely run into cultural and language barriers. This can cause issues when you try to understand workflows and negotiate pricing and contracts.
You may also need to learn about their culture and what they do and do not value. To make it easier to work with your manufacturer, you may want to partner with a company with a local resident familiar with your language and the language of your manufacturer. This liaison person can speak on your behalf to protect your best interest.
Safety Risks
Environmental and worker safety should always be a top concern for you and your business. Not every country values the environment or employee safety. Hence, it is best to partner with a company that follows good labor practices, takes care of the environment, and implements safety programs.
Local vs. Overseas
When trying to figure out where to manufacture your product, you can choose between using someone overseas or a local company. When you partner with a company local to you, you may have an easier time communicating your needs in your own language. You can also save on expensive custom and shipping fees and have a shorter delivery time.
That may sound ideal, but you may have a limited array of supplier capabilities. Not every manufacturer in the United States has the talent, skills, expertise, or raw material you need to create your product.
If you have a hard time sourcing a manufacturer local to you, you may have to reach out to a reputable company overseas. Of course, before you partner with any company, make sure you communicate with them to gauge if they can meet your demands.
Cut Down Production Costs Now
No matter how great your idea is, you need to have a reputable and high-rated manufacturing company on your side to bring your vision to life. These companies have the skills, experience, capacity, and raw materials to help you meet the demands of your customers.
Making sure that you and your distribution company are on the same page is crucial. The last thing you want, as a business owner, is for the entire operation to fall apart and for you not to be able to hit your quota because of your assembly service.
Contact us now if you are ready to bring your idea to fruition and want to work with a company that values quality and a safe working environment!
3 Tips For Finding The Right Custom Manufacturing Partner In China
When you need to source custom manufacturing services, it can be hard to know where to start.
Finding the right custom manufacturing partner can be challenging.
There are many companies out there with the capabilities to manufacture your product, but finding the right one can be difficult and time-consuming without some guidance.
Thankfully, you don’t have to go at it alone. Here are three tips that will help make finding the right partner much easier.
Tip #1 – Know What You Want
Start by listing your needs and expectations before choosing a custom manufacturer in China.
- What’s your budget?
- Do you have a strict deadline?
- Are your product materials hard to obtain?
- Will you need samples before production begins?
All of these details can help narrow down your list of potential partners.
Finding a company that already has experience with similar projects can make sure that production goes as smoothly as possible since they’ll be familiar with what it takes to meet all your needs and deadlines.
Tip #2 – Understand Your Suppliers
Another thing to take into consideration when you’re looking for a custom manufacturer is to do your research.
Find people who have successfully worked with a company that provides custom manufacturing services.
If someone has had a good experience, you can use them as a reference to find other companies that provide similar services in case their recommendation didn’t work out so well.
Also, you can compile a comparison list of potential options.
After you list all the key factors you need to know beforehand, you’ll be ready to begin contacting them directly.
Tip #3 – Choose A Custom Manufacturer That Fits Into Your Supply Chain
Choosing a custom manufacturer requires an understanding of how they fit into your supply chain.
If you are looking to get started with rapid prototyping, then your supplier must have access to both traditional and 3D printing equipment.
This will allow them to offer you a full range of services including design iteration and custom parts made from advanced materials.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for custom injection molding services, you need a manufacturer that can handle creating tooling and assembling large quantities of products efficiently.
Remember: your final product will only be as good as your supplier’s capabilities!
Let Shield Works Be Your Custom Manufacturing Partner
If you need to customize your product, Shield Works can be your best partner in China.
We are a British owned and managed company providing customized OEM manufacturing and assembly activities.
Your product will be manufactured in one of our state-of-the-art facilities. We are prepared to accommodate your needs; from bulk production through final product finishing. Contact us today.
IP Protection in China: 7 Steps to Take to Protect Your Intellectual Property
You’ve come up with a great idea for a product or a service, and you’re sure it’ll make a big splash in the market. You spend a lot of time developing it and are ready to unveil it only to discover that someone has beaten you to the punch. Unless you’ve invested in some kind of IP protection, there isn’t much you can do in response.
IP protection in China takes many forms, such as patenting or trademarking your property. The main reason to do so is to prevent other people from using your branding or claiming your product as their own.
Here are seven steps you can take to protect intellectual property in China and prevent idea theft.
1. Assess Risks vs Benefits
The very first step is to understand IP laws in China and assess your overall risk. For example, the Copyright Law of China considers the publication of a copyright owner’s work without permission as infringement. Authorities may impose fines and confiscate any illegal income as a result.
If you intend to do business in China, only transfer over IPs that are absolutely required. Retain newer designs and prototypes in your origin country to minimize the risk of theft.
Hire a qualified IP lawyer to review the terms and conditions of anything you license. Try to negotiate favorable royalty rates and retain ownership of any improvements made in the country.
2. Register Your IP in China
There is no such thing as an international copyright option for your intellectual property. If you’ve invested in copyright inside the United States, then it’s only good inside the United States. As such, those looking to move their IPs into China will need to register them there.
Without a trademark in China, there is little your company can do to prevent counterfeiting. Luckily, there is such thing as an international trademark you can apply for. However, a particular country will have to agree to register it after you apply through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Keep in mind that trademarks must be used exactly in the way that you registered them. That means using the same logo and text as it was registered.
3. Use a Contract Manufacturer
Utilizing product assembly in China can reduce costs, improve your time to market, and increase overall customer satisfaction. However, you have to be careful who you choose to do your manufacturing.
A contract manufacturer doesn’t do the design of your products. They get the design files, validate them, and do the manufacturing. There’s little risk of them taking your ideas and running with them.
Meanwhile, a manufacturer who is in the same business as your company should be considered a competitor and treated as such. Don’t give them anything they can use for their own profit.
4. Sign an NDA
An additional measure you can take when dealing with a manufacturer is to have them sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). An NDA is a binding contract that prevents the sharing of certain information with other parties. It also helps to distinguish what can be shared so the manufacturer can work more freely within the set boundaries.
Since an NDA is a civil contract, it doesn’t violate the law as with copyright and trademark violations. However, it does open up the other party to lawsuits from their employer and risks financial damage. As such, an NDA is an important method of intellectual property protection.
5. Identify and Categorize Your IP Assets
Moving your business into China doesn’t mean you need to register every single one of your intellectual properties. If you’re not using them, then it’ll only be a waste of time and money.
Identify your IP assets and categorize them according to the level of risk and value. Provide sufficient protection within your company and task your management team with protecting your company’s IP. Limit employee access to those who absolutely need it.
Two of the most important assets to protect are your designs and any trade secrets. If your product has a unique visual appearance, you can register the design. Trade secrets are protected throughout the use of NDAs or other written agreements.
6. Engage in Business Carefully
Even if you’ve obtained copyright, trademarked your product, and had your manufacturer sign an NDA, you still need to tread carefully. All suppliers, vendors, distributors, and so on are potential competitors.
It may be more convenient to have all your processes done under the same roof, but it also means giving them more power over your end product.
Design your manufacturing process to protect your IP. For example, you can manufacture all the different components at separate OEMs and assemble them back home at a trusted facility.
If you have a facility in China, do not allow visitors to record or document anything they see or hear.
7. Monitor for Infringement
There’s no point in having IP protection in China if you don’t keep an eye out for instances of infringement. Monitoring an IP overseas can prove challenging, especially if your company operates from the United States.
One way to monitor for trademark infringement is with an online search. Not only should you keep an eye out for anything similar to your trademark, but you can also find anything that may be confused for it. Google allows you to search for similar images, as well.
While you’re there, set up a Google alert for your trademark. Once done, you’ll get email notification reports whenever a new search result pops up using your trademark.
IP Protection in China Made Simple
Protecting your company’s intellectual properties is an important part of running a business in any country. IP protection in China is no different. Even if you’re only manufacturing certain products overseas, IP theft can cost your company a significant amount of time and money.
If you need a manufacturing company you can trust in the area, look no further. Shield Works is British-owned and managed in the heart of Zhuhai city. Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help your business.
Supply Chain Networks: Why Does Manufacturing in China Still Work?
Whether you’re outsourcing your production to China or not, there is no denying that manufacturing in China is one of the best options for many overseas companies.
China has maintained its position as the world’s largest manufacturing hub for the past 12 consecutive years.
There are many reasons why manufacturing in China still works.
Let’s dig a little deeper into why.
Does China Still Have Cost Advantages?
In the past decades, we have witnessed the rapid growth of China’s development. Most believed that it was the cost advantage and human resources that made China succeed.
Maybe it was, but things have changed.
Nowadays, China’s average labor costs aren’t low compared to many southeast Asian nations, such as Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The wages of skilled workers and high-teach talents grow fairly fast. Also, the average land prices are rapidly rising.
Therefore, there are many concerns that overseas companies tend to move their production to lower-cost countries since labor costs and land prices are getting higher in China.
However, it’s reported that foreign direct investment (FDI) topped 1 trillion RMB in 2021. It’s pretty clear that the comprehensive strength of China as a manufacturing superpower shouldn’t be neglected.
The answer is that China’s supply chain system is far more advanced than any other in the world.
Products Sold Worldwide Are Manufactured In China
You may have heard that in China, there are some small cities or even small towns
that are inconspicuous making world-class manufacturing contributions.
For example, Huludao, a coastal city in the Northeast China’s Liaoning province, is producing 25% of swimsuits in the global market. Since 2011, Huludao has been hosting an international beach-swimwear culture expo to expand its businesses and brands internationally.
In Yucheng County, located in Henan Province, more than 1,200 measuring tape making companies whose combined annual output exceeds 1.5 billion steel measuring tapes, accounting for 85% in China and 60% around the world.
So, you may wonder how such industries without high technology or difficult designs find their business opportunities.
By relying on China’s supply chain system, manufacturing in China will be more efficient, helping many businesses from home and abroad are able to gain their footholds.
The Problem Between Efficiency & Flexibility
Simply put, imagine that you want to outsource your production to a factory in China, there is no doubt that you will choose a high-efficiency factory to work with.
But keep in mind that only by being more specialized can a factory improve efficiency. In this case, it’s not hard to imagine this factory will be locked in certain product lines.
In this case, if you want something to be changed quickly, this factory will not be able to satisfy your needs and maybe you will turn to someone new. So, you also want the factory to be flexible. But flexibility is an obstacle to becoming a specialization.
Now you can see that keeping high efficiency and flexibility may not be compatible at the same time in a normal factory.
How Do Supply Chain Networks Work?
However, things will be much different if there is a powerful supply chain network.
Now there are tons of small and medium businesses (aka SMBs) that are ready to produce only some basic parts. And these SEBs are specialized in their field. Only in this way can these factories improve their efficiency without sacrificing much time and resources. Each SMB produces the basic elements, and every part can be easily assembled in another factory.
Then, all the SMBs get connected to be a wide supply chain network, solving the flexibility problem. In the end, these SMBs in the towns or the cities make themselves the certain type of manufacturing clusters.
It’s like Lego construction. Different factories produce different specific shapes of blocks with high efficiency. When you need some certain shape of blocks, you can purchase whatever you need and get them assembled, building your products.
The supply chain network connects businesses, making it easier for you to gather information and build your enterprise.
More importantly, the whole network nurtures an ability to control costs, which makes it hard for lower labor costs and land prices hard to contend with.
Let Shield Works Be Your Custom Manufacturing Partner
If are moving your production to China and looking for a reliable manufacturing partner, look no further. We are glad to help.
Shield Works is a British owned and managed company providing customized OEM manufacturing and assembly activities. Contact us to discuss your project today.
How to Guarantee an Optimal Product with Quality Inspection in China
There is a reason that so many of the products that we enjoyed say “made in China” on them. China has recently been exporting about $2.5 trillion worth of goods and services every year! That is almost one-fifth of their entire economy!
Some people think of Chinese goods as being of low quality. Of course, with a country as large as China, the truth is that you can find both poor quality and extremely high-quality goods coming out of Chinese manufacturing.
The important thing is to make sure that you know how to find quality goods when you buy from China. That is why it is so important that you know how to ensure that you enjoy a quality inspection in China. Read on to learn all about the most important things to do to make sure that you enjoy successful quality inspections of your Chinese goods!
Find Someone to Help You Assess Product Quality
One of the most important things you need to understand is the difference between quality control and quality assurance. Quality control is all about inspecting the finished product. No matter how good the production process is, that does not mean anything if a simple examination of the end product shows that it suffers from serious flaws.
On the other hand, not all flaws show up on immediate examination. That is what quality insurance is for. Quality assurance is about examining the manufacturing process.
You are going to want to find experts to help you with both. When it comes to quality control, you want to make sure that you find somebody who is familiar with Chinese goods.
Some people are experts in assessing product quality for products that are manufactured in America or Europe. However, not all of the expertise that applies to goods from those locations will apply to goods manufactured in China.
On top of that, the person that helps you assess product quality for your Chinese goods will need to be able to understand the workers and leaders at the manufacturing company. In general, it is best to work with Chinese companies that will employ native Chinese experts with a deep understanding of Chinese manufacturing.
Understand Different Levels of Quality
It is also important that you find someone to help you with product quality who can help you understand what quality you should be looking for. Some goods need to be absolutely pristine. Even minor flaws disqualify them from distribution.
In contrast, there are a number of goods that are acceptable as long as they suffer from only minor or cosmetic defects. Lastly, there are even some products that are worth something even if they have significant defects as long as those flaws do not keep them from performing their basic function.
Make sure to work with a China inspection expert in product quality who can track the differences between these levels of quality. That way, they can help you strategize about how to manage them.
Find Inspection Agencies to Help You With Quality Assurance
As we have discussed, not all flaws in a product are detectable just by examining it. Sometimes, flaws don’t manifest until you use a product a handful of times. Then, it suddenly stops working.
You can detect a whole different range of flaws by examining the production process rather than the products themselves. That is what quality assurance is all about.
This part of ensuring that you have high-quality goods benefits even more from working with inspection agencies that really understand China. You are going to need someone who can go into the manufacturing sites and examine the production process. They will also need to be able to intimately understand company leaders and the employees who run the production process.
They will also need to be familiar with Chinese manufacturing processes. All of these are reasons to work with a Chinese quality inspection company.
Make Sure People Follow the Correct Product Inspection Processes
During the product inspection process, make sure that your inspectors confirm that the products are being made according to your specifications. That includes things like being the correct size, color, having the correct packaging, and so on.
Throughout the entire product inspection process, it is important that your agent check many different products rather than just one. The exact quality verification process will vary depending on the nature of the product.
Here, it is again helpful to work with qualified professionals who already know what they are doing. They will know which verification processes to use for which products.
Make Sure Your Suppliers in China Use Quality Shipping
It is not enough that the quality of goods is high at the point of production. They can still potentially suffer serious problems with quality. The shipping process must also be of high quality.
You might have a great manufacturing company that produces pristine televisions. But the shipping process might riddle them with cracks.
As a result, you will also need an expert who can assess the shipping process. Of course, it is not always possible to guarantee that goods will not suffer any damage during shipping. But at the very least, you can confirm that the process for shipping does not systematically create flaws.
Enjoy the Benefits of Quality Inspection in China
We hope learning about how to ensure a quality inspection in China has been helpful for you. Working with manufacturing in China comes with a huge list of benefits as long as you can avoid the disadvantages that sometimes come along with it. The right quality inspection services in China can solve this problem and help you enjoy efficient manufacturing.
To learn more about how to make sure you get only the highest quality of goods from Chinese manufacturing companies or to speak with experts in quality inspection of Chinese goods and processes, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!
How To Choose The Right Product Assembly Supplier In China?
Partnering with a product assembly company in China can help grow your business and save you money by allowing you to order more products without building an in-house assembly line.
However, finding the right product assembly partner isn’t always easy and problems often arise due to business misunderstandings.
To mitigate any issues there are some important things to know before you get started.
Know What You Want From A Product Assembly Supplier
First and foremost, you should have a clear idea of what you want from your suppliers.
Some small companies jump into outsourcing without any clear vision of what they want and what they need at the beginning, which can lead to major problems down the road.
Therefore, make sure you’re very clear about your expectations and standards.
The more details you provide to your assembly supplier, the easier it will be for them to achieve your goal.
Enquiry about expertise in your industry
Before deciding which product assembly supplier is the best for your project, you need to know if they have experienced with similar products in your specific industry.
For example, if you need to get some electronic parts assembled, but you choose a supplier that merely focuses on toys assembly, you may encounter troubles down the line.
Ideally, you want to find an expert within your niche who has several years under their belt and at least one other completed successful product assembly project.
If not, a lack of expertise can often lead to delays and added costs down the road as manufacturers learn on-the-fly rather than preparing beforehand.
If they aren’t willing or able to discuss their background and expertise during early conversations, it’s probably time to look elsewhere.
Finding a partner that fits in both categories is rare, but possible if you do some research and ask around (or bring on an expert yourself).
Ensure Your Intellectual Property Rights Are Protected
Your company’s intellectual property rights are one of your most valuable assets.
Before choosing a Chinese product assembly partner, it’s important to understand how your intellectual property is protected.
With so many companies in China today, it is hard to determine which ones are qualified and care for their customers’ IP. Therefore, it’s also a good idea to check if your supplier has any patent infringement history.
Additionally, it would be better to ask your supplier if they have any experience working on IP issues.
Keep in mind that you should ask your suppliers if they have intellectual property (IP) agreements before cooperation.
Make sure that you have an agreement in place that protects your intellectual property (IP) rights when you transfer technologies to a third-party company. There are many kinds of IP protection agreements available, so choose wisely. You may want to consult with experienced legal counsel.
Avoid Common Pitfalls With Product Quality
One more important factor you should keep in mind is how to avoid common pitfalls with product quality.
Poor-quality products will only hurt your business and tarnish your brand.
To avoid problems as best as possible, here are three keys to remember:
1) . Be clear and concise about your product requirements and expectations.
2) Investigate and work with your assembly supplier to ensure your product complies with the regulations of the final market.
3) Follow up throughout production and communicate effectively.
Let Shield Works Take Care of Your Product Assembly
Choosing a product assembly service provider in China is not an easy job, especially when you want to hire someone professional and reliable.
If you’re looking for an outsourcing partner in China, look no further than Shield Works.
Shield Works provides customized OEM manufacturing and assembly activities to meet your business’s needs. Contact us today.
Quality Control Services In China: How Important Is It For Your Business?
Quality control services in China are essential to making sure that your products are defect-free and of the best quality before they hit the market.
If you’re an entrepreneur looking to make the next big thing, it’s easy to overlook this important step, but it can be one of the most crucial elements of your new business.
Here’s what you need to know about quality control services in China, including why they’re so important, and how to find high-quality services at competitive prices.
What Are Quality Control Services in China?
Quality control, or QC, refers to a range of measures to check the product quality in a batch.
Ensuring that your products are properly inspected throughout the manufacturing process is important.
This is where quality control services in China come in.
Be sure to work with a third-party quality control provider that offers a comprehensive range of inspection services to meet your needs.
Why Do You Need Quality Control?
The most valuable thing quality control in China offers is peace of mind.
As a buyer, the last thing you want to see is finding out that your product is defective and might hurt when you put it on the market.
By hiring a third-party inspector to conduct regular checks throughout production, you can be sure that your products are safe for consumption.
How Does Quality Control Service Work?
Typically, China quality control services will be conducted by a third-party inspection agency.
Through a one-time assessment, a qualified inspector will select a percentage of a product randomly based on your needs and requirements to test the product parameters such as:
- Size
- Weight
- Color
- Appearance
- Performance
- Durability
- Dimensions
- Functionality
The inspector will then provide specific criteria for compliance and detailed instructions on how to proceed if your products fail inspection during production or shipment.
What Are The Most Common Quality Inspection Services In China?
Typically, there are three main categories of quality inspection services to cover all stages of the production line including before, during, and after inspections.
- Pre-Production Inspections (PPI):
- Factory Audits & Verification
- Social Audits
- Pre-Production Inspection
- During Production Inspections (DPI/DUPRO)
- First Article Inspection
- In-Production Quality Control
- Defect Sorting Services
- Pre-Shipment Inspections
- Container Loading Inspections (LS)
Last Thoughts on Quality Control
A lot of business owners feel that quality control inspections are unnecessary because they believe their suppliers will inform them of any mistakes.
However, it’s important to get a third party involved.
You need an objective source that can look at your product and confirm that it meets your standards.
Furthermore, a third-party inspector can help identify where you need to make improvements in your manufacturing process as well as give you valuable feedback so you can improve your products to take on new clients.
Choosing The Right Quality Control Services In China
If you are not based in China but are using Chinese factories for production, you need a reliable manufacturing consultant that can serve as your local representatives—your eyes and ears on the ground—to oversee all stages of production.
Shield Works can be your local inspection team who are highly experienced in all manufacturing sectors. Contact us today to learn more about our end-to-end suite of services.
5 Things You Should Know About Lean Manufacturing
In the past decade, Chinese manufacturers have embraced new methodologies and techniques to meet the increasing needs of the world.
Of all the new approaches, lean manufacturing may be one of the most commonly used.
Lean manufacturing helps organizations optimize their business process so they can speed up production to market products, cut costs, and improve quality.
As your company may begin to consider lean manufacturing, this article will explain everything you should understand before you jump into it.
1. What is Lean Manufacturing?
First thing first, what is lean manufacturing?
Lean manufacturing, lean production, or simply “lean” is a systematic methodology designed to minimize waste in a manufacturing operation while productivity remains constant.
In simple terms, lean manufacturing is an approach to managing manufacturing processes that aim to improve flow, eliminate waste and increase efficiency.
2. What Are The 5 Lean Manufacturing Principles?
Lean manufacturing was designed to optimize the use of materials, production lines, production processes and logistics.
There are five principles for lean production.
Identify Value
An accurate understanding of the value assigned to products or services is the first principle.
In this case, you need to keep in mind that:
-What are your needs and expectations?
-When do you need the supplier to finish your order?
-How much will you pay?
Map A Value Stream
As the ultimate goal of lean is to eliminate wastes, removing any wasteful practices by mapping A value stream is important.
Create Flow
Look at every step in your work process and eliminate points of making waste. If there are steps that do not create value as expected, remove them and redesign the flow.
Ensure a smooth process that can be undertaken with minimal delay or waste.
Establish a Pull System
In a pull system, units are produced based on current demand.
It sharply contrasts with a push system, in which items are produced based on forecast demand.
The pull-based system ensures that products will be produced as scheduled in needed quantity.
Seek Perfection
Continuously dig deeper and measure to achieve a perfect lean process.
3. The 8 Types Of Waste
The eight types of waste in lean manufacturing can be acronymized as “DOWNTIME”, which means defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion, extra-processing.
Defects
Defects occur when the products are not fit for use.
This typically results in either reworking or scrapping the product. Both results are wasteful as they add additional costs to the operations without delivering any value.
Overproduction
In the paperwork stage, overproduction may involve extra documentation and reports, or too many meetings without action.
In the manufacturing stage, overproduction could include making more products than actual demand.
Waiting
Waiting means the waiting time between processes. It can be included as follow:
- Waiting for the actual operation
- Waiting for the materials or equipment
- The workers wait on the direction between tasks.
Non-Utilized Talent
Non-utilized talent or unused human talent means the waste of human potential.
- Do you train your people accordingly?
- Are your workers in the right positions?
- Are there any possibilities to improve your team in communication and efficiency?
Transportation
The waste in transportation includes the movement of people, tools, inventory, equipment, or products further than necessary.
Inventory
Waste in inventory means making and storing extra materials or products than needed.
Motion
The waste in motion includes any unnecessary movement of people, equipment, or machinery.
Extra-Processing
Extra-processing refers to doing more work, adding more components, or having more steps in a product or service.
4. What Are The Benefits Of Lean Manufacturing?
There are some across-the-board benefits of implementing lean principles. These include:
- Eliminate Waste
- Reduce Costs
- Improve Quality
- Shorten Time
- Improve Overall Efficiency
5. How Can You Implement Lean Manufacturing?
In an industry that is under tremendous pressure to improve productivity and quality while reducing costs, lean manufacturing is an everyday expectation. Shield Works is your perfect partner to assist you every step of the way.
With over 15,000 projects completed, our clients have full faith in us to help them improve their business. Contact us for more information.
Know How Custom Manufacturing Company In China Help With Your Business
Custom manufacturing is the ability to manufacture, design or engineer original products in line with personalised requests. This is done on a made-to-order basis, giving you complete control over the manufacturing process.
Reputable and Experienced
Unlike most other manufacturing companies, the custom manufacturing company can adapt to your personal needs. They can offer you fully customised manufacturing procedures and equipment. In addition, they can even develop bespoke assembly lines to meet your requirements.
With the ability to operate flexibly and adapt quickly to innovative ideas, Shield Works is reputable due to our parent company’s 14 years of experience. China 2 West has knowledge of every stage in the manufacturing process. It means that Shield Works begins as an expert in a vast range of areas.
Open-minded
Shield Works welcome any new ideas related to customised Manufacturing from our clients. We also accept the challenge by offering a vast amount of dedication and support for such ideas. This support can come in the form of: new training, new equipment, techniques and even specialized processes. All of these can be introduced at our facility, helping to enhance our manufacturing strategies. We are able to bring your ideas to life.
Protect Your Interest
Our commitment to customised manufacturing stems from our belief in moving forward and improving business. Driving forward with the latest innovative products and strategies is crucial in continuous growth and success and we want to share this vision with our clients.
Furthermore, you can be sure that when discussing new ideas there will be no losses in communications. Our diverse team can speak an array of languages, including Chinese. So we can deal with new ideas smoothly and directly.
The custom manufacturing company In China can help If you have a special process you would like to relocate from your shop floor. What’s more, they might offer critical IP sensitive step of the manufacturing process that you would prefer to keep away from your Chinese supply chain.
Shield Works also offers you a vast range of IP protective steps to give you extra security. It’s important when doing business abroad, in case our customised manufacturing wasn’t quite enough for you. For example, Shield Works has state-of-the-art finger print access secure production zones to protect your interests and provide full IP protection at the source of manufacture. We will also have legally binding non-disclosure agreements with every external body that we may work with during the process of your assembly line in order to ensure this is protected.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your custom manufacturing requirements. You can also visit our website for more information about Shield Works’ customised manufacturing.