Why is the import of replacement parts always in a vicious circle?

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"Second source (alternative parts) import" mostly means that a part has more than two suppliers, and the purpose of importing the second source is nothing more than to solve the shortage of materials, reduce material costs, increase negotiation bargaining chips, and replace inappropriate Suppliers, optimizing product quality... etc.

However, it is understood that the work of importing "alternative parts" seems to be a difficult and thankless task in most companies, because this work is usually urgent and time-sensitive, but an accident may cause The quality of the product caused the company to suffer heavy losses.

"When working in a PCBA electronics assembly factory, it becomes apparent that some critical parts have very long delivery times. This is particularly true for Japanese parts manufacturers who thoroughly inspect each board, resulting in extended lead times and higher prices for parts such as ceramic capacitors and connectors. The lead times for these parts can range from 40 to 80 days. However, if you switch to Taiwanese or mainland merchants, the lead times and prices will drop immediately, but so will the quality. Unfortunately, this is the reality we have to accept.

In commercial business, being the exclusive supplier of a part usually means that you are the only one who can make that part, or your ability to produce it is superior to others, resulting in a better product. Naturally, you can set the selling price. However, once other suppliers can make parts with the same specifications, they become competitors. In this case, the price will be forced to go down, otherwise the order will be lost."

After staying in a PCBA processing factory for a long time, you will find that the delivery time of some important parts is very long, but as soon as you switch to a Taiwanese or a land company, the delivery time and price will drop immediately, but the quality will also decline.

Sometimes it happens that the parts supplier wants to end-of-life a certain part, and there is no part of the same specification, or the specification is the same but the part packaging is inconsistent with the original one. At this time, you have to find other parts to supply quickly Supplier’s parts, or change the design to meet the new part specifications.

The best time for "alternative material introduction" should be the last trial production before the new product enters mass production, because the product at this time is almost in the mature stage, and in principle, there will be no major changes in design. Substitution (Second Source) parts can obtain the same verification conditions as the main parts (Primary Source), and the comparison will not cause huge differences. In addition to reviewing quality, suppliers must also compare their technical capabilities.

It is important to conduct an audit of suppliers of alternative materials to ensure that the benefits of these materials are obtained without compromising the quality of the product. The selection of a supplier with quality control problems can result in product quality issues and affect shipping. Apart from reviewing quality, it is also necessary to evaluate suppliers' technical capabilities, particularly for circuit boards (PCB), such as their ability to achieve fine pitch (3mil/3mil, 2mil/2mil) and how many layers can be made, HDI (High-Density Interconnect) capabilities, among others.

While most substitute materials are usually prepared during the new product stage, some may still slip through the cracks. It is difficult to predict when a manufacturer will produce a certain part, so there may be a need for subsequent substitute materials from time to time until the finalization of the product.