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Custom Automation Solutions, Systems & Machinery Blog

Owens Design CEO to Speak on SVBJ Future of Fremont Panel

Owens Design CEO, Bob Fung will speak alongside other advanced manufacturing industry leaders at Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Future of Fremont event on June 27 at the Fremont Downtown Event Center. Bob will join the Manufacturing and Advanced Industry Panel starting at […]

Team of engineers working over a desk

The Secret to Ensuring Success with Collaborative Development Programs

Many advanced technology OEM startups and companies needing custom factory automation turn to a partner to co-develop mission critical programs. Like many outsourcing practices, this comes with its own set of challenges especially when doing so for the first time. Development managers […]

Engineering team meeting

Engaging the Hidden Stakeholder in Product Development

How often have you been well down the development path only to suddenly be derailed by a new requirement? How often did that requirement come from someone you didn’t even know was a stakeholder? Changing requirements, either due to scope creep or […]

Male engineers working with a factory machine

How to Reduce Automated Tool Platform Costs by 30%

Imagine that your general manager challenges you to significantly reduce the cost of your current automation tool, and gives you three months to demonstrate the cost reduction results on a first-generation prototype. Never mind going to the purchasing group: the GM has […]

Engineering team meeting

Solving the Manufacturing Resource Dilemma with Collaborative Development

When speaking with engineering managers, the complaint is always the same: “There’s no way we can get all of our work done with the resources I have!” The reasons vary: hiring freezes, resources tied up supporting existing products, resolving problems with the […]

Recession down trend graphic

How to Avoid 3 Engineering Mistakes When Facing a Downturn

Do recent drumbeats sound familiar? You know the sound: when the news becomes more dismal, you hear of customers pushing out deliveries, and requisitions suddenly take much longer to be approved. That’s the sound of a downturn on the horizon. Other than […]

OEM Manufacturing Scaling

4 Reasons OEM Equipment Design & Build Projects Fail

From managing projects in-house to changing product specs mid-stream, here are some common – and costly – mistakes that can derail OEM equipment design and build projects. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) produce equipment for use in manufacturing facilities (e.g. semiconductor fabs for […]

Factory Automation Equipment

6 Reasons Factory Automation Projects Fail

A few years ago, we were hired to create factory automation equipment for a manufacturer that would enable them to scale production. It was a complex job but nothing we couldn’t handle or hadn’t seen before. The customer’s product was not designed […]

Join Our Seminar: The Valley of Death in Laser Manufacturing & Automation

As laser manufacturing continues to grow in popularity for its unique advantages of quality, reliability, and longevity, more manufacturers are exploring the possibilities for incorporating laser technology into their processes. Laser technology can be tricky, however, for manufacturers using it for the […]

Determining the Right Laser Chart

How to Select the Right Laser: 10 Steps to Guide You Through the Process

Author: Mark Turner, PhD, Turner Laser Systems In the last laser blog, three common mistakes in selecting lasers were explored. This blog covers the 10 steps to finding the right laser with help from a trusted laser partner. Step 1: Articulate the […]