How to audit PCB vendors

2019-03-05

Companies should take the time to review their PCB suppliers before selecting them. This information-gathering process will help you maintain a competitive edge and provide high-quality end products.

What is an electronics supplier evaluation?

Audits of electronic or PCB suppliers involve qualitative and quantitative assessments to determine whether the supplier meets the customer's standards. Most audits are conducted prior to doing business with the vendor. However, some companies will also conduct regular audits after an agreement has been reached. Each enterprise has its own way to evaluate potential and current suppliers. These assessments cover all aspects of the supply chain.

Why do we need to review your PCB vendor?

PCB Vendor audits can allow you to verify the quality and reliability of potential suppliers so we adopt the quality assurance process to evaluate them.

An audit is conducted to determine:

Supplier performance

Any potential risks for cooperation

Hidden costs

The practices and values of the supplier's business

Competitive advantages

PCB Supplier Audit Checklist

We've mentioned the quality quite a few times. However, no company has the same definition of the word. After all, every company has its own advantages and values.

Therefore, when you create a process for vendor auditing, you must ask the following questions about your company:

What features, products or services do we want our customers to benefit most from?

How is the quality of PCB strictly controlled in our production process?

What specifications of PCB do we need?

Do we emphasize corporate social responsibility (CSR)?

What indicators of achievement are most valued?

If you do not yet fully know the answers to these questions, the following information can help you create some standards.

For example (e.g.)

Company size

Physical location

Industry reputation

Information collection process

If possible, obtaining information from other sources will provide you with more accurate evidence. An important part of the audit process is to ensure whether what the company says is consistent with its actual situation.

The benefits of auditing PCB suppliers

Companies that thoroughly evaluate suppliers can get up to 20% improvement on performance metrics such as cost and quality. The auditing process has the following advantages:

Improve the visibility of performance：An accurate understanding of supplier performance ensures effective management.

Improve the supplier performance:

In many cases, regular audits can improve the performance of suppliers because of their knowledge of measurements. Other activities, such as follow-up training and performance incentives, will further encourage high-quality supply.