As featured in the August Issue of Electronics Sourcing Magazine
1. How can buyers assess the quality and reliability of switches from different manufacturers?
All manufacturers will have unique testing methods for their products and therefore a buyer should demand international approvals which confirm the manufacturer’s performance standards. Switch and sensor products should be rigorously tested during the design and development process to ensure they meet these certification requirements.
2. Are MOQs generally flexible for purchasers?
The larger manufacturers of switches in Europe or the US will usually produce through automated batch production, this gives excellent quality and repeatability. However the down side is that the production batch size will depend on each manufacturer’s terms. If the manufacturer offers local customer service, then they should be able to arrange stock support to afford flexibility of supply. In any case, they should endeavour to find a solution to meet the customer’s requirements on direct supply or can make arrangements through their distributor network to satisfy a customer’s smaller requirement.
3. What USP’s should a purchaser look for?
Reputation and extensive market experience should speak for itself and provide the manufacturer with the basis to find the optimum solution for the customer’s application. There are differences however when it comes to customisation, some manufacturers are open to this, whereas others are ‘catalogue line’ providers.
4. Is it possible currently to get hold of technical data without having to contact the manufacturer?
Yes, from most of the leading manufacturers. A recent innovation is to be able to compare on-line a number of preferred parts in the decision making process. Product images, CAD files & datasheets are available to download for most CHERRY products at www.cherryswitches.co.uk and are constantly being added to and updated, but not all manufacturers offer this facility.
5. What factors affect the price of switch products?
Always the million dollar question! Undoubtedly, if the choice is only on price then a far eastern manufacturer will have the field due to low production costs. However, this is often the last decision a customer will need to make. Where there is a high degree of automated production, then an economical, reliable product with on-demand production capability can create a more competitive price environment. Ultimately, you will get what you pay for, so if the buyer wants accessible stock next day delivery, there is a cost associated with this.
6. Why should a company’s innovation with new products affect my decision?
Manufacturers should always be listening to their customers to help them lead the way in producing revolutionary new products. The failure to listen and observe market requirements can only result in the eventual demise of a manufacturer. CHERRY’s Energy Harvesting switches which require no wires or power source to provide an RF signal are being introduced during 2014. In addition, to allow better product flexibility we are also introducing a modular Sensor approach on our reed and hall-effect products.
For more information about CHERRY switches click here
About CHERRY
CHERRY is a registered brand of ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Under the CHERRY product brand, the Electronic Systems business unit develops and produces components for industrial and household applications, as well as computer input devices.
About ZF Group
ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis technology with 122 production companies in 26 countries. In 2013, the Group achieved a sales figure of about €16.8 billion with approximately 72,600 employees. In order to continue to be successful with innovative products, ZF annually invests about 5 % of its sales (2013: €836 million) in research and development. ZF is one of the ten largest automotive suppliers worldwide
