A subtle color variation on a batch of high-end aluminum components puts a product launch on hold. Every subcontractor in the surface treatment chain can document that they have delivered within the agreed specifications. Yet the end result is...
A batch of connectors passes all your tests with a near-perfect First Pass Yield (FPY). Your Cpk data shows that the process is under control, and the components are sent to the assembly line. But months later, out in the field, a wave of unexplained...
Approving a new supplier is a strategic decision that goes far beyond purely technical parameters. For a technical manager, the greatest risk often lies in processes that work flawlessly in prototypes but exhibit unpredictability at full scale – the...
True luxury today is something different than it used to be. Most designers and manufacturers still believe that a well-known brand name in the form of big logos, a heavy price tag and a beautiful finish in the shop window is enough. Enough to justify a premium price. But consumers...
We have become accustomed to an annoying law of nature in product development: The more beautiful a design is, the more fragile it often is. A polished black surface on an expensive watch or a minimalist grip on a piece of luxury electronics looks fantastic in the display window....