If you’re considering manufacturing overseas, you are almost certainly aware that you will need to deal with different cultures and accept a significant increase in product delivery timescales.

However, you may want to consider a supplier closer to home as research has shown that there is a growing trend to ‘reshore’ manufacturing back to the UK, partly driven by the weakness in sterling together with rising wages in China. Over a quarter (27 per cent) of those questioned in the research – organised by General Electric, the US industrial goods company – said in the past year they had increased the amount of purchases made from UK-based producers.

When sourcing a membrane keypad or graphic overlay from an overseas supplier, there are also a number of other factors to consider. For instance, you need to ensure that your product is robust and will withstand harsh industrial environments. Also, some industries require products to meet certain standards or to be labelled with quality marks and seals, which not all overseas manufacturers are certified to give.

Service is also important; as different cultures and language barriers may affect the technical assistance you receive, the access to experienced designers, quick product turnaround, and additional benefits as standard.

So before going into production, you should be sure to check, does your overseas supplier…

1. Have certification to print the UL logo? – The UL mark is the most widely accepted safety certification mark in the US by consumers, regulatory authorities and the insurance industry, and can open up opportunities to new export markets.

2. Have the ISO9001:2008 Quality Standard certification? – The ISO 9001:2008 quality approval system means that jobs can be traced through every stage of manufacture and that all materials used on each individual product can also be traced.

3. Comply with the RoHS and WEEE? – The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) prevents the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment, and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE) means manufacturers must reduce the amount of electrical and electronic equipment that is disposed. In short, check that the equivalent regulation is adhered to by your overseas manufacturer.

4. Have a CSR policy – A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy ensures that staff are treated correctly and that child workers are not used. A visit to your overseas manufacturer is therefore critical.

5. Use a state of the art barcoding system? – This provides customers with the ability to fully track products. Travelling half away around the world naturally creates greater risk that product can go missing, so barcoding (or its equivalent) is therefore essential. 

6. Use state of the art technology? – Manufacturers who use the latest state-of-the-art technology can provide a high quality product at a fast turnaround, often with a low carbon footprint. Last year, Fascia invested in the first Sakurai servo-driven cylinder press in the industry to provide these benefits to customers.

Paul Bennett is Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads in the printed graphics industry. 

As new technologies develop and electronics manufacturers look towards the most appropriate user interfaces for their products, they are left to weigh up whether to continue to use tried and tested products, such as membrane keypads, or put their faith in new applications like touchscreen technology – a growing area of innovation in electronic systems.

Touchscreens have now been integrated into a wide range of everyday products, as demand grows for thinner, light weight electronics. According to a recent NPD DisplaySearch Touch Panel Analysis, by the end of 2012, revenues in the touchscreen market will reach $16billion, meaning it has almost doubled over the past six years.

However, the membrane keypad market has also grown significantly. In the US alone this market is now worth in excess of $500million, mainly because membranes provide a more modern look than other keypads – for example a rubber keymat mounted onto a PCB switch. So for electronics manufacturers considering whether to use a touchscreen or membrane keypad, here are some of the key areas they should consider:

Deciding between a membrane or touchscreen?

Sometimes, when it isn’t practical to have a keypad, touchscreens can be a good option. The technology can be easily added to LCD screens – large or small, and their sleek design and high-tech appearance is popular. But, touchscreens aren’t suitable for many applications; they can wear quickly, reducing optical clarity, be fragile and less accessible, especially when surface feel or tactile feedback is required, or when gloves are worn. And with technology getting smaller and smaller – designing easy interaction on a small touchscreen is difficult.

Membrane keypads can also be compact, in some cases assemblies can be designed as thin as 0.4mm, giving a more modern look than other keypads – for example a rubber keymat mounted onto a PCB switch. Advances in manufacturing means that silver circuits can be printed double sided to produce the equivalent of four layer PCBs that can fit smaller and more compact applications.

Durability –

Touchscreens simply cannot match the durability of membrane keypads, and are unable to withstand the harshest industrial environments. In most cases, membrane keypads are an ideal option for many products across a wide range of industries, including; fire and security, medical, catering and instrumentation.

This is largely because membrane keypads are particularly robust and can handle extreme environmental conditions. Materials can be carefully selected to provide the required specification, which may include scratch or chemical resistance and flexibility.

Keypads can be IP (Ingress Protection) rated, which defines the level of protection it has from the intrusion of dirt and moisture. The first digit represents the protection of ingress from solid objects, and the second, from the ingress of liquids. Fascia has the ability to rate keypads up to IP68, which ensures the keypad is sealed and cannot be damaged even when submerged in water.

Resistance –

Some particular industries require products to meet a certain standard of hygiene and be resistant to harmful bacteria. In the medical industry, products manufactured with special antimicrobial films and hard-coats, such as Microban® – which is proven to inhibit the growth of fungi and moulds including MRSA, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia Coli and Listeria Monocytogenes – are preferred. Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings are abrasion resistant, biocompatible and can be applied to both membrane keypads and touchscreens, but when maximum resistance is required, membranes are usually the best option.

Cost effectiveness –

Membrane keypads are cost effective to produce in a high volume, and cheaper to produce than PCBs with key mats. This is also the case in comparison to more expensive touchscreens – as prices of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), often used as a conductor, have soared due to its limited availability. Rapid prototypes, which can play an important part in the development process of a new product, are also cost effective with zero artwork and tooling costs. Prototypes, which are ideal for shows and exhibitions, can be manufactured at a fast turnaround and can be used to test a design before it has been finalised or fully manufactured.

Custom design –

Touchscreens may seem more convenient and give the impression that everything is at your fingertips, but it is somewhat harder to customise the face of the product compared to a membrane.

Each membrane keypad can be tailor-made in design, in any shape or colour and can be embossed, include fibre optics, surface mounted light emitting diodes (LEDs), electro-luminescent back illumination, and stiff metal back panels with printed circuit boards. A number of finishes can also be used, including; brush finished stainless steel – a hardcoat polyester film which produces a stainless steel effect, and chrome ink technology – which gives a bright metallic finish.

Where to start

When designing or manufacturing a new product, it might be difficult to know what type of screen or keypad to use and it is therefore advisable to seek some expert advice from a manufacturer in the industry. It is important to manufacture with a company that utilises the latest technology.

It is also important that each product is value engineered. At Fascia we identify cost savings by taking a value engineering approach to make suggestions about materials, adhesives and specification of parts, to ensure customers receive the most cost efficient and high-quality product possible.

Paul Bennett is Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads in the printed graphics industry.

We have just published the first issue of FGL News, which is available by clicking here.

In this issue you can read about how the dramatic rise in norovirus cases this year could increase demand for medical keypads and overlays manufactured with anti-microbial protection.

We also think there are huge benefits to using a membrane keypad over a touchscreen on the face of a product. You can read how membranes are cost effective, highly customisable and particularly suited for industrial applications.

Lastly, you can find out how the investments we’ve made in our staff and machinery over the past twelve months supports our continuous improvement programme, and how our customers will benefit.

Paul Bennett is Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads in the printed graphics industry. 

In 2010, Fascia Graphics made the decision to set up a dedicated export division. This was largely due to an increasing demand from overseas customers, which led us to believe it was the right time to branch out and capitalise on growth opportunities in emerging markets. Even though the first few months were a slow burn, we started to see an upturn in orders from the US, Asia and across Europe – particularly in the medical and security sectors.

As a result of this move, our business has benefited hugely, and overseas revenues have also allowed us to fund a number of cutting edge technology investments this year. However, the journey to trading with more overseas partners can initially be quite challenging, and there are a number of key factors to consider.

At the outset, our main concern was managing the risks associated with supplying new customers. We decided to mirror our approach to UK customers, and vetted our new overseas customers by requesting two/three references from suppliers they had previously traded with, and researched the referees for validity, making sure to question their customer’s track record in paying bills and trading limits. As a company-wide policy we also agree Proforma invoicing before we establish a business relationship. Most of the time, we had no cause for concern with new overseas customers, but occasionally, we did have to weigh up all of the facts we were presented with, to decide if progressing with an order might be counterproductive.

Quoting and invoicing also presented itself as a challenge, because exchange rates, terminologies, and product specifications differ from country to country. We placed an importance on understanding the different markets we dealt with, and the likely language barriers and business cultures, so we could avoid confusion.

We also found that greater care is needed in protecting your company IP as your global reputation increases. This was because shortly after we set up our export division, we found that a Chinese manufacturer had not only copied the design of our website, but had embedded our development code into their site. Google included them within our SEO report and we were able to deal with it through the correct channels, so the website was taken down by the host.

Lastly, we found that setting up an export division requires dedicated investment of time and money. Researching overseas markets and the companies we were to trade with, has been the biggest area of expenditure to date, but there were also costs involved in general administration, and in translating our website into several different languages – which was a substantial task.

The most important thing we have learned from setting up our export division is that patience is required. Our story has been a success, but if you’re thinking about doing the same, profits will come but don’t expect results too quickly.

Paul Bennett is Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads in the printed graphics industry. 

The development of new prototyping technologies such as 3D and ‘simulation driven product development’ software can work hand in hand with physical prototyping…

The world of manufacturing continues to change as technology becomes more advanced, and manufacturers search for quicker, better, and more cost effective product design and development processes. The need for a product that can be manufactured on demand and reviewed during the development process continues, and therefore rapid physical prototypes are still valued today amongst businesses as an essential part of this development.

The combination of efficient machinery and new, advanced software that some manufacturers now use means they can begin to look at the speed in which they can put the actual design of a product into manufacturing, streamlining it, and speeding up the process from conception to market. Some are even finding the benefits of also virtually testing their prototypes by using advanced 3D CAD system.

These systems can be effective as they enable businesses to visualise the product they will be producing as a prototype in more detail, shorten their development cycle, and simulate and validate the product by testing it before committing it to a physical product. This ultimately allows them to deliver a quality product to market quicker.

Traditional systems, like 2D CAD are being superseded by new technologies, like AnsoftLinks Integrate Electrical by ANSYS, which converts a design on screen to a ready-to-simulate model, allowing design engineers to select and test individual components within the virtual product. These solutions are being widely utilised up until the final stages of the design process, when a physical prototype is eventually needed.

These developments are also useful because they help electronics companies several stages back from launching a finished product, but we’ve found many are still in demand for rapid physical prototypes early on in the design process, or for shows and exhibitions. As a result, the development of this new software is actually assisting the industry in ensuring that these physical prototypes, which often include  membrane keypads, graphic overlays or labels, are as close to the real thing as possible.

Also, by investing in new software and technology that allows for more testing to be done on screen, the manufacturing process becomes quicker and more cost effective. Advances in software will always benefit a business by offering more up to date solutions, but research that we conducted in 2012 across design and electronic engineers from leading manufacturers found that virtual prototypes could never replace the impact the real thing has when trying to secure a major order at an industry leading show. The research, which sampled the views across key industry sectors including medical, catering, fire security and electronics, found that whilst only 40 per cent of engineers are presently using digital prototypes, 97 per cent are predicting that the digital prototyping industry will continue to grow over the next five years.

Our research also found that whilst taking an idea for a new product through to production can often be the start of a long, laborious and expensive journey to production, many are finding that this need not be the case as digital prototyping can reduce expenditure and operating costs, provide rapid time to market and the ability to maximise the latest technologies.

The most obvious benefit of prototypes remains the same – engineers can analyse the product closely, meaning a more polished product can be launched, leading to higher sales volumes and profits. Our research found that nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of engineers say a professional prototype can enhance their business chance of a sale at a show or during a sales presentation by between 40-80 per cent.

It’s also not just about increasing sales. Using a digital prototype of a membrane keypad or graphic overlay can also shorten horizons. For instance, it is easier to predict what will happen tomorrow than what will happen next month. Therefore, reducing the time between conceiving, producing and selling a product greatly improves the ability to forecast demand or interest.

The latest digital prototyping technology, production print speed, combined with a print quality of 1440dpi, can see digital prototypes of the highest quality turned around in less than five days. As one manufacturer said to me, ‘Prior to discovering digital prototyping, there was no alternative to going down the production route and paying £1,000 or so for a full prototype keypad – and even then, we might make changes, and consequently need another prototype manufactured”. With the latest technology, he can now get a realistic looking and fully working prototype in three days, rather than three weeks, and at a fraction of the cost.

This sort of feedback demonstrates that as a result of significant technological developments, if you’re two weeks from an important show or exhibition and your competitor launches a product that is visually identical to the one that you have in development, you still have time to alter the look of the product without a great investment. Whether alterations include an initial stage of virtual prototyping, a physical prototype can still be produced in time to showcase at the exhibition. A great example of how these two technologies can work collaboratively and quickly.

So, when considering whether to choose the virtual or physical route, it should not be an either or option. These new software products and programmes should not be viewed as a potential threat to physical prototypes, but manufacturers should harness these new technologies and use them to increase business efficiency and accuracy. A product could be technically perfect but you need to make sure that customers want it, or you have no place in the market.

Paul Bennett is Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads in the printed graphics industry. 

The Speciality Graphic Imaging Association Expo 2012 (SGIA), held last month in Las Vegas, consisted of over 500 exhibitors showcasing the latest imaging technologies. 22,000 attendees proved that the imaging community is still an expanding market, and in my capacity as Fascia’s Systems Improvement Manager, I found myself representing the only British manufacturer from our industry at this year’s exhibition.

The Printed Electronics and Membrane Switch Symposium joined the Expo this year, and I was able to gain some further insights into the latest technological developments, advanced production methods, and innovative processes for the manufacturing of printed electronics and membrane switches.

Manufacturers and suppliers covered 230,000 square foot of the show floor, and I had the opportunity to talk one-to-one with industry leaders on many different processes.

Specialty imaging consists of a very large market, and to see the hundreds of different applications of imaging technology all together at the symposium has been really beneficial for our continuous improvement programme.

I was also fortunate enough to get exclusive access to new technologies and to spend time with industry leading experts and manufacturers. This was invaluable because it allowed me to look at ways in which Fascia can improve its plant list, and where we should invest in new technologies in the future. This insight will undoubtedly keep us ahead of the competition.

Michael Hole is Systems Improvement Manager at Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads. Michael attended the SGIA Expo. For more information on Fascia’s products and services visit our website.

Investments into industry leading technology and an increase in overseas orders, result in a leap in revenues for Fascia Graphics.

Despite continued levels of uncertainty within the manufacturing industry^[1], we are expecting to increase our turnover by 10 per cent to £3.75 million this year. We have doubled our revenues over the last decade, and continue to lead the market for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads.

Our success can be put down to recent investments in market leading technology – such as the Sakurai MS80-SD, a state of the art, servo-driven cylinder press – which is the only one operating in the UK. As a result, we are now working with a further 100 new customers – meaning that we now supply over 800 customers domestically and globally.

Our investments this year have certainly seen us steal a march on our competitors. The new line has increased our production capabilities and ensured that we can continue to supply product at a competitive price.

The proportion of international work is also increasing significantly with strong demand from customers in Canada, Germany and the US. We’ve also been shortlisted for The Financial Mail Made in Britain Award – which is testimony to our continued success.

Our winning technology investments…

Earlier this year, we became the first company within the industry to invest in the Sakurai MS80-SD, a servo-driven cylinder press which reduces the company’s carbon footprint by over 25 per cent. This was followed by an investment into the latest Pick and Place technology, which is the most effective surface mount placement machine currently on the market, increasing production capability, enabling us to continue to supply products at competitive prices.

Paul Bennett is the Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads. For more information visit our website.

Our recent survey into the benefits of rapid prototyping found that 97 per cent of electronics engineers predict that the digital prototyping industry will grow over the next five years.

The research, which we released on the 2 October, found that nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of electrical engineers say a professional prototype can enhance their business chance of a sale at a show or during a sales presentation by between 40 – 80 per cent.

Almost half, (46 per cent) also stated that allowing modifications to the product before paying out for a full set of artwork and tools is the key benefit to prototyping. A similar number of engineers also cited fast turnaround and reduced cost as a major benefit. In contrast, around a sixth of engineers stated the most important benefit is to enhance product demonstrations.

The research also found:

• A sixth of engineers require very quick turnaround of prototypes as they start production less than a month before a show.
• Almost two thirds of engineers said that turnaround times for Fascia Graphics prototypes were either quick or very quick.

It is my view that for any business wishing to develop and market a new or existing product, both time and cost efficiency is a key driver. Our rapid digital prototyping service offers a fast track solution by not only meeting the challenges involved in driving down production time, but also in reducing the costs involved in completing the final product.

With our research also finding that around two-thirds of engineers start the production process less than three months before a major show, this further demonstrates the importance of component parts (such as overlays and keypads) being developed quickly. This we feel is why we have seen an increasing popularity in our 48 hour prototyping service.

Finally, the research found that 91 per cent of our customers were satisfied, very satisfied or rated our prototypes as superior.

Paul Bennett is the Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads. For more information visit our website.

At Fascia Graphics, we have recently noticed a rise in customers – who have previously manufactured in China – reshoring production to the UK.

More British companies are now bringing production home to the UK. The slowing of China’s economy, labour costs rising by 20 per cent a year, and lead times extending to 120 days are all factors contributing to this. This means the benefits of manufacturing in the UK now outweigh those of manufacturing in ‘cheap China’ – which isn’t quite so cheap anymore.

A previously cost effective workforce and access to shipping routes once enticed a mass of British companies to flock to China for large quantities of cheaply made goods. But these companies are now reversing the trend and starting to think about coming home. China is less competitive now, even though it is still the fifth largest global manufacturer, and according to its commerce minister, the country is facing a severe trade situation as less orders come in from the UK and US. The price of land, taxes and environmental regulations are also rising. Productivity is also increasing, but this means wages have to match this, and attitudes are changing- some workers are now demanding up to a 50 per cent pay increase.

As a result of the above, China’s manufacturing output has been contracting for eight consecutive months due to a decline in domestic demand and the weakest export orders its experienced since 2009. HSBC reported a fall in manufacturing of 48.1 on the purchasing managers index (PMI) on 20 June, with the economy growing at its slowest pace for three years, at only 8.1 per cent in the first quarter. With salaries costing Chinese manufacturers 16 per cent of their revenue, and pushing overall costs up, now is a good time – if some or all of your supply chain is currently in China or other markets – to move back home, and exclusively manufacture your product in the UK.

A British seal of approval

At the same time, and partly as the result of this shift, the picture of manufacturing in the UK is starting to look slightly more optimistic. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) released the results of the latest Industrial Trends Survey, (20 June) which found that 27 per cent of manufacturers expect their output to increase in the coming months, with order books already up 17 per cent in June.

The benefits of making it in Britain

Moving production back to the UK doesn’t have to be a hassle, and even though a new supplier will have to set up the artwork, re-tool and re-proof the product, companies will have tighter controls on day-to-day aspects of business and the manufacture of their product, these include;

Development –

A product that is manufactured in the UK can be more closely controlled and reviewed; a high-quality prototype can be supplied at a quick turnaround, leaving plenty of time to make any necessary changes before going into full production.

Communication –

There are no language barriers when dealing with suppliers in the UK, so any confusion is cut out, and there is less risk of a product arriving not as specified. There’s also no excuse for poor quality, but if there is a problem, it’s possible to call or visit the manufacturer. The fact that you’re in the same time zone also means that sales and technical representatives are on hand to offer advice during UK business hours.

Lead-times –

It can be frustrating when overseas companies push up lead times, which are often three times as long as in the UK. Also, if you have an urgent or last minute order, there’s more possibility of it being fulfilled – as some companies are willing to set up 24 hour production to ensure a deadline is met.

Transit –

The other benefit of sourcing product components in the UK is that they don’t have to be imported, so shipping timescales, delays, and rates don’t slow down the overall process or push prices up. Again, if products are needed urgently, it’s easy to arrange delivery to other parts of the country, and courier costs are much cheaper.

Relationships –

Reshoring gives a company the opportunity to build a new and lasting relationship, with a supplier that can be trusted to provide a high quality service and product.

Some of our customers have made this move back to the UK successfully, and are pleased with their decision to work with us again. One explained the benefits of doing so, and said:

“As a major medical device manufacturer in the UK we transferred our manufacturing and supply chain to the Far East in 2003. By 2008, it was evident that the quality and reliability of our products had deteriorated to a point where we were forced to move production back to the UK.  We were pleased to find that the lead times from Fascia Graphics were shorter, their pricing as competitive, and product quality more consistent. This confirmed that we had made the right decision to pull back our manufacturing and supply chain from the Far East.”

In conclusion, sourcing from within the UK strengthens our economy, creates job stability, and contributes to building the nation’s growth and prosperity. If more companies bring production back home, they’ll be able to supply a better product to market, at a fraction of the time, and we’ll be able to make Britain the workshop of the world again.

Paul Bennett is the Managing Director of Fascia Graphics. The market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads. For more information visit our website.

The Times warned last week that the UK’s ‘soaring green energy charges’ could threaten British manufacturing – as some countries are less concerned about being green, our factories could reportedly become less competitive.

The article referenced a report by the Government’s Department for Business, which warned that the rising electricity costs – due to tighter controls on environmental regulations soon to be introduced here in Britain – may ‘drive factories out of the UK.’

At Fascia Graphics, we take carbon reducing matters very seriously and do everything we can to improve our environmental credentials. Whilst working to strict deadlines and without sacrificing the quality of our product – we aim to impact the environment in as little way as possible.

For instance, the environmental performance of our new the state of the art servo-driven cylinder press has reduced our carbon footprint by 25%. How is this achieved? The printer has a bespoke system with a heat exchange unit that cleans and recycles the waste air out of the drying line; significantly reducing energy consumption and running costs. Long-life LED lamps that function on demand result in lower energy costs and safer operation.

It is our view that in order to be competitive in the UK, you need to be committed to continuous improvement – which means that you invest in the latest technology, and constantly refine your manufacturing processes. This approach delivers a quality product in an energy efficient way. This is why more and more businesses are bringing their overseas manufacturing back to Fascia.

Paul Bennett is the Managing Director of Fascia Graphics, the market leader for the production of graphic overlays and membrane keypads. For more information visit our website.