Monthly Archives: January 2026

Jan29
How Component Suppliers Can Break Into System Companies as a 2nd-Source Supplier

post on January 29, 2026

Many component suppliers work extremely hard to get into certain companies as approved suppliers. Playing the “pretty salesperson card” is a common tactic—while engineers may appreciate it, most of the time it still doesn’t open the door. So where does … Continue reading →

Management, Uncategorized     WorkingBear    Views (1,994)     comment (0)
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Jan22
How Adding a Second Source (2nd Source) Can Create a Win-Win for Cost Reduction

post on January 22, 2026

As an engineer, Workingbear has to be honest—I really don’t like doing second-source qualification work. It’s time-consuming, stressful, and often thankless. If you do it well, management thinks it’s just part of your job. If it takes too long, they … Continue reading →

Management     WorkingBear    Views (1,422)     comment (0)

Jan14
Explaining the Relationship Between BOM, AML, AVL, and MPN

post on January 14, 2026

BOMs, AML/AVL, and MPNs are essentially the “recipe” behind electronics manufacturing. All of these terms are closely related to a product’s material list. Understanding what they mean is not difficult—the real challenge is knowing how to apply them effectively to … Continue reading →

Management, Process, Quality     WorkingBear    Views (3,573)     comment (0)
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Jan07
For Beginners: What Is a BOM? How BOM Works with ECO, ECN, and ECR in Electronics Manufacturing

post on January 7, 2026

For many people who are new to the electronics manufacturing and assembly industry, BOM and ECO are two very important terms—but also two of the most confusing ones. In this article, I’ll try to explain these concepts in a simple … Continue reading →

Management, Process, Quality     WorkingBear    Views (3,628)     comment (0)
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