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Join Renaud Anjoran, Founder & CEO of Sofeast, in this podcast aimed at importers who develop their own products as he discusses the hottest topics and shares actionable tips for manufacturing in China & Asia today! WHO IS RENAUD? Renaud is a French ISO 9001 & 14001 certified lead auditor, ASQ certified Quality Engineer and Quality Manager who has been working in the Chinese manufacturing industry since 2005. He is the founder of the Sofeast group that has over 200 staff globally and offers services (QA, product development & engineering, project management, Supply Chain Management, product compliance, reliability testing), contract manufacturing, and 3PL fulfillment for importers and businesses who develop their own products and buyers from China & SE Asia. WHY LISTEN? We‘ll discuss interesting topics for anyone who develops and sources their products from Asian suppliers and will share Renaud‘s decades of manufacturing experience, as well as inviting guests from the industry to get a different viewpoint. Our goal is to help you get better results and end up with suppliers and products that exceed your expectations!
Episodes
Friday Sep 01, 2023
Friday Sep 01, 2023
Renaud and Adrian talk about what a feasibility study for new products is, its benefits, and everything you need to know in order to implement yours. This will really help you to identify potential issues long before you manufacture your product, saving time and money on correcting them later on.
Show Sections
00:00 - Introduction.
02:01 - Many people don't consider doing a feasibility study.
03:11 - The 6 phases of the NPI process for an electro-mechanical product.
15:12 - The role of industrial designers in realizing concepts where the product needs to look good and who else helps you here.
20:10 - What to do in projects where figuring out how to make the product work is paramount.
23:01 - Using the feasibility study's designs and prototypes for marketing and sales.
24:54 - The 'Just Do It' or 'Go' syndrome is the biggest mistake to avoid.
38:30 - What if a product is rushed into mass production?
44:21 - Tips on how to do your own feasibility study based on how large businesses conduct theirs.
50:26 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Why Skipping NPI Phases Is A Big Mistake
- Crowdfunding Failures: 4 Great Prototypes That Failed To Launch
- dFMEA: When to use it and how to get best results [Podcast]
- Don’t Send Immature Product Designs To A Chinese Manufacturer!
- See our visualization of the NPI process
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Aug 25, 2023
Friday Aug 25, 2023
In this episode...
Join Andrew Amirnovin, Sofeast's reliability expert and our head of New Product Development, on a deep dive into what component-level testing is, the process followed for selecting and testing components that won't let you down, and the various benefits you'll get by doing this during the product design and development process.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings and introducing today's topic.
01:21 - What is the difference between component-level and product-level testing?
08:14 - What's the component qualification process?
15:59 - The 10-point component testing and evaluation process.
36:13 - Why businesses and entrepreneurs bringing a new product to market shouldn't be expected to have the testing expertise in-house and what we do to help.
40:18 - Examples of problems that might occur if component testing is not done properly.
43:37 - Do YOU need to decide on and do all types of component-level testing?
47:10 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Get help from Sofeast to do Reliability Engineering & Testing (in a China lab) - we provide reliability engineering services including reliability testing on component and PCB levels as well as the product level on various types of consumer products. Some of these tests include drop, vibration, temperature and humidity and package testing. We can customize the right tests for your product.
- How To Ensure your Chinese Factory Purchases Good Components?
- What is the Pilot Run for Components and Products?
- Component Selection: Should I Use Tried-and-Tested OR Cutting-Edge Components?
- CTQ Components: How Component Engineers Manage Their Quality
- How To Reduce The Risks Of Substandard Components In Your Productions
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Aug 18, 2023
Friday Aug 18, 2023
Renaud and our senior engineer Paul Adams discuss the Taguchi method, also known as Robust Design. The Taguchi method is a tool used in engineering and manufacturing to improve product and process quality and reduce defects at an early stage. It is a statistical analysis approach used early in the product development process that reduces your costs and improves product quality and reliability, so is a popular way to develop products that are less risky to manufacture.
Show Sections
00:00 - Introduction.
01:07 - What is the Taguchi method? (Summary)
04:01 - Would a Taguchi method analysis point out risks and provide solutions about how to change the product design and/or manufacturing processes so the product could be made consistently well?
06:36 - Example: Plastic injection molding.
12:25 - Taguchi method is not a recent innovation, it's a well-established methodology.
18:03 - What do you need for good finished products?
21:05 - Benefits of doing early Taguchi analysis.
24:54 - The concept of value loss.
30:49 - How do teams who try to develop a new product without using the Taguchi methodology usually get on?
34:13 - When to follow a Taguchi testing approach?
36:50 - Caution: Statistical approaches are not a magic bullet.
38:49 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Robust Design: Enhancing Product Quality and Performance
- New Product Launch: Planning & Discovery Phases Are So Important
- Don’t Send Immature Product Designs To A Chinese Manufacturer!
- Basic Statistics Any Chinese Factory Can Understand
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Saturday Aug 12, 2023
Saturday Aug 12, 2023
In this episode...
China-based British compliance expert, Clive Greenwood, joins Renaud this time to discuss the risks that cheap Li-ion batteries from China flooding the globe pose to consumers.
They go on to discuss in detail the health and safety and compliance laws governing batteries (and most products), and forthcoming sustainability laws that will be in place from next year that will affect all importers. It doesn't matter if you're in the EU, USA, or elsewhere; you're running out of time to comply with the laws discussed, and no, those cheap batteries aren't going to be compliant...
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings and introducing Clive.
02:41 - Today's topic: The Risks Posed by Cheap Batteries from China.
06:09 - The battery lifecycle.
11:31 - Some examples of the differences in cost and risk of batteries and EV components from China.
20:19 - Existing and forthcoming standards and regulations affecting batteries.
26:52 - How personal EVs will probably be governed by IATF 16949 in future.
29:10 - New legislation coming in 2024 and 2025 that targets consumer lithium batteries specifically and what this means to importers.
37:19 - From 2025 the liability for fires and other dangers caused by poor-quality batteries is going to be on YOU, the importer, and there's no escape.
41:13 - Selling products with a Li-ion battery? Take these actions to avoid problems...
43:47 - Most issues with batteries are 'near-misses' that importers may never hear about leading to a lack of awareness about the risks with batteries.
45:35 - Chargers and the prevention of battery fires.
47:51 - The ESPR represents a serious challenge for importers with a supply chain in China (and other Asian countries to an extent).
50:19 - Liability for problems won't wait for the importer to put things right, they need to be right the first time around.
52:14 - What changes are happening in other parts of the world regarding health and safety?
57:08 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Chinese battery danger Telegraph article
- Get help from Sofeast to prepare to comply with the EU ESPR
- What is the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation?
- The EU Ecodesign Regulation Is Coming, But Are You Prepared? [Podcast part 1]
- How To Comply With The EU Ecodesign Regulation? [Podcast part 2]
- E Waste Impact on the Environment (Analysis)
- Understanding The Environmental Impact of EV Batteries
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
In this episode...
Sofeast's CEO Renaud and Andrew Amirnovin, reliability expert and our head of New Product Development, explore two high-profile product reliability nightmares that have been in the news recently: the destruction of the Oceangate Titan submersible that catastrophically imploded near the wreck of the Titanic and the reliability failures of the Siemens Gamesa wind turbines that suffered from vibration landing them with a $ 2 billion price tag to fix and denting their stock prices
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings and introducing today's topic.
02:23 - 1. The destruction of the Titan submersible visiting the wreck of the Titanic.
22:14 - Do strict standards actually stifle innovation and make it hard for new companies to enter a market?
27:46 - 2. Vibrating Siemens Gamesa wind turbines.
34:52 - Comparing possible testing solutions for the Titan sub and the wind turbines.
39:52 - Summary: What it takes to manufacture and keep manufacturing a reliable product.
Related content...
- The Oceangate Titan submersible
- The Siemens Gamesa wind turbines
- Get help from Sofeast to do Reliability Engineering & Testing (in a China lab) - we provide reliability engineering services including reliability testing on component and PCB levels as well as the product level on various types of consumer products. Some of these tests include drop, vibration, temperature and humidity and package testing. We can customize the right tests for your product.
- How Reliability Testing Is Critical To Obtaining Great Mass-Produced Products
- The Design for Reliability Process for Launching Reliable Products
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Sofeast CEO Renaud welcomes our friend Fredrik Grönkvist of Compliancegate.com to the show today to talk about EU product compliance, in particular, harmful substances of note, common regulations or directives you need to comply with, and what we can learn from recent data about non-compliant products found by EU market surveillance authorities. They also provide some great advice about how to ringfence compliance from your suppliers during the procurement stage of your project which is helpful no matter where you're listening!
Show Sections
00:00 - Introducing our guest: Fredrik Grönkvist of Compliancegate and our topic today.
03:16 - Why has the EU banned certain substances from being used in products?
05:40 - Examining the list of non-compliant products caught in the EU since 2022 for chemical composition safety reasons. What can we learn?
10:00 - 4 directives or regulations related to the chemical makeup of products imported into the EU.
16:02 - What are the key non-compliances and problem substances found for common product categories imported into the EU in the past year?
23:09 - Are there any problems with using data about harmful substances found and common non-compliances to predict future issues with your products?
27:36 - What actions do importers need to take to be compliant in general?
29:16 - What's the role of procurement when it comes to product compliance?
36:35 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Don't forget to visit Fredrik's site Compliancegate.com and request help with your project. Their tool is great for most consumer products and will give you a detailed understanding of your potential compliance requirements.
- Learn how to create a valid manufacturing contract in China
- Find the right supplier from China. Click here to listen 👉 DIY Sourcing from China Podcast Series
- What is EU RoHS certification?
- 11 Common Electronic Product Certification And Compliance Requirements
- Get help from Sofeast with Compliance Testing Consulting where our experts confirm which standards your product must comply with and create and implement a compliance testing plan for you.
- Watch: on Youtube (The video version is a recording of the discussion and includes graphs and charts showing the data discussed)
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Renaud and Adrian tackle the issue of whether partnering with your Chinese factory is a misguided intention. The Western win-win mindset doesn't mean as much in China, and buyers may find that neglecting basic protections such as a manufacturing contract in the name of not upsetting their supplier and having a 'strong partnership' is a big mistake. Here's why...
Show Sections
00:00 - Introduction.
01:22 - Why some buyers are attracted to 'partnering up' and what it really means.
05:18 - What is the basis for a good partnership that really makes sense for buyers who develop their own products?
08:24 - How about the relationship for buyers purchasing existing products from an ODM?
13:33 - Why there is an unspoken assumption by Chinese ODM suppliers that if they do you a favor, you will owe them one back.
15:57 - Leaving things open because you want a good partnership with a supplier and don't want to upset them by enforcing a contract is a recipe for trouble.
22:31 - Activities you can take as a buyer that will help to build a good relationship with your supplier.
31:02 - Be aware of your track record with suppliers, because word spreads.
35:00 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Negotiating terms, leverage over suppliers, and describing your needs
- Responsible & Sustainable Purchasing Practices in Focus
- Vetting Chinese suppliers (Podcast series)
- Kraljic Matrix: Sourcing a Strategic Supplier – Are YOU a Good Fit for THEM?
- Learn how to create a valid manufacturing contract in China
- OEM, ODM, Contract Manufacturers: Choose your China Supplier Wisely
- Responsible purchasing practices
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jul 14, 2023
Friday Jul 14, 2023
In this episode...
Sofeast's Andrew Amirnovin, product reliability expert, joins Adrian from the team to introduce reliability testing and explain the kinds of questions you'll need to answer if you're bringing a new product to market and want to assure that it's as reliable as possible. You may know that you need your product to be reliable, but what's involved? Listen in, and you'll get a good grounding in reliability and be ready to answer the questions your reliability engineer will be asking you.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings and introduction to today's topic.
02:01 - What is product reliability?
04:41 - Quality is not the same as reliability.
07:06 - Someone doesn't know how to get started with reliability testing. What questions might we ask them in order to proceed?
- What industry is the product in?
- What kind of product is it?
14:29 - What are your reliability needs for the product?
16:54 - What if someone's reliability demands are too extreme or not strict enough?
18:45 - Examples of common reliability testing requirements for a typical consumer product (a smartwatch in this case).
22:11 - Reliability does have a cost, but is it a worthwhile investment?
28:45 - For many consumer products, focus on your product being at least reliable enough to last beyond its warranty period, but without over-designing and testing it to the point of overkill.
30:49 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Design for Reliability Secrets [Podcast]
- Why Product Safety, Quality, and Reliability Are Tightly Linked
- Cost Of Poor Quality and Reliability: “Pay Me Now, or Pay Me Later.”
- How Reliability Testing Is Critical To Obtaining Great Mass-Produced Products
- What To Do If You Have A High Product Return Rate? [6-step Process]
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jul 07, 2023
Friday Jul 07, 2023
Renaud answers four exciting questions from our listeners in this episode. We cover new product development, if and how to start purchasing and importing electronics, supplier bankruptcy, and tips for controlling product quality and reliability.
Show Sections
00:00 - Introduction.
01:22 - 1. New product development for a product with a GSM module. How to integrate the module (if at all)?
11:34 - 2. How to buy and sell electronics like laptops, smartphones, and their accessories on a budget?
20:11 - 3. How to know if my manufacturer is going to go bankrupt soon?
31:16 - 4. The products I receive keep breaking, how to control quality?
38:23 - P.S. If you are visiting China, activate digital wallets!
42:22 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Alipay and WeChat wallet for foreign users
- How Reliability Testing Is Critical To Obtaining Great Mass-Produced Products
- Sofeast Example Quality Assurance Plan (for an electronic product)
- Click here to listen 👉 DIY Sourcing from China Series
- How To Switch To A New Chinese Manufacturer And/Or Develop A Backup Supplier (Free eBook)
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please:
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Friday Jun 30, 2023
In this episode...
Sofeast's Andrew Amirnovin, reliability expert and head of New Product Development, joins Adrian from the team as they discuss which factors impact electronic product design costs and why. This will be a helpful reminder for any business designing a new product that wants to keep a control over costs.
Show Sections
00:00 - Greetings and introducing today's topic.
01:14 - Why controlling product cost is more important these days?
03:26 - 1. Component Selection
05:35 - 2. Manufacturing processes.
08:01 - 3. Material Selection.
09:58 - 4. Assembly and Labor Costs.
14:14 - 5. Product size and Weight.
17:31 - 6. Energy Efficiency.
21:03 - 7. DFM (Design for Manufacturability).
24:14 - 8. Testing and Quality Assurance.
28:18 - 9. Regulatory Compliance.
33:24 - 10. Product Lifecycle Costs.
37:29 - How we handle the above factors when working with customers.
43:02 - Wrapping up.
Related content...
- Ultimate Guide To Sourcing From China And Developing Your Suppliers [eBook]
- Design for X approaches [Video playlist]
- Cost of quality [Video playlist]
- Your Cost of Poor Quality Is Higher Than You Think
- What To Do If You Have A High Product Return Rate? [6-step Process]
Get in touch with us
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
- Send us a tweet @sofeast
- Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB
- Contact us via Sofeast's contact page
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Subscribe to the podcast
There are more episodes to come, so remember to subscribe! You can do so in your favorite podcast apps here and don't forget to give us a 5-star rating, please: