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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions and their answers! Choose from:

About OCM Manufacturing

How long has OCM Manufacturing been in business?

Nearly 25 years, since 1988. Click here for details about our history.

Where are you located?

In Ottawa, Canada - just hours from major North American centres including Toronto, Montreal and the I-81 in the North Eastern United States.

You say you specialize in manufacturing for low- to mid-volume product lines. How do you define "low- to mid-volume"?

This varies from customer to customer, and we are flexible to consider each customer on an individual basis. In general terms, however, we define our target customer/product as one that has (or expects to have once in full production):

  • Batches of 50-10,000 pieces, depending on board complexity
  • $100,000 or more in orders per year

What kind of equipment do you use?

Our manufacturing facility is highly automated, with equipment from brand names you know, such as MPM, Siemens, Panasonic, Vitronics-Soltec, Fein Focus, Air-Vac Engineering, Contact Systems, Electrovert, Aqueous Technologies, Takaya, Photon Dynamics, Mirtec, Ersa, Siplace, Speedline and more.

You can click here for a video tour of our facility, or contact us to visit.

How many lines do you have and what is the benefit to me?

We have two lines that support high utilization: offline setups and rapid changeovers. This is ideally suited to the low-volume, high-mix (LVHM) market. We also have a dedicated prototyping capability.

Our customers benefit from this approach because:

  • We are an ideal match for the small- to mid-size company that is not manufacturing high-volume (batches greater than 10,000 pieces) electronics. Our entire business and manufacturing facility are structured around this target market, and we do not need to seek high-volume customers to fill our schedule.
  • We are able to form strong manufacturing relationships right from the prototype stage, providing fast turnaround in the design phase while also helping to ensure the final product is cost-effective and efficient to manufacture.

What kind of advanced manufacturing services do you provide?

In addition to our advanced automation for electronics and system assembly and test, we offer a variety of value-add services tailored to the small- and mid-size companies. These include:

About Manufacturing

What is a turnkey service and what are the benefits?

Turnkey refers to your ability to hand over an entire manufacturing process to us and not worry about any part of that process yourself. At OCM, we provide flexible services, both turnkey and partial turnkey. That means we can take care of your manufacturing needs from cradle to grave - or you may choose to handle some part of the process yourself.

Why should I build prototypes with my contract manufacturer?

Successful contract manufacturing relationships are based on excellent communication. By getting us involved at the design prototype stage, we can develop those lines of communication about your product, your customers, and your unique needs. We are also able to provide you with design-for-manufacturing (DFM) feedback on you design prototypes, helping to ensure that your final product is cost-effective and efficient to manufacture – that’s key to your product’s commercial success! We will become experts in your product so that, when it’s time to move into volume production, we can work efficiently and effectively together.

Why should I consider Asian sourcing?

To save money. In many cases, it is to our customers' advantage to source part or all of their manufacturing and/or materials from Asia because a number of factors make it very cost-effective to do so. However, Asian sourcing is typically out-of-reach for small- and mid-size companies because of the infrastructure and volumes required. By having dedicated staff in Asia, OCM Manufacturing has established an Asian sourcing program specifically for our customers. For details, see our Asian Sourcing page.

What's all the fuss about lead-free manufacturing?

By July of 2006, new legislation regarding the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) will be in effect in EU member states. North American equipment manufacturers will need to demonstrate that they abide by WEEE, RoHS and similar directives in order to remain viable in the global market.

Lead free manufacturing requires changes in materials, processes and equipment, and that takes time to transition. OCM Manufacturing has taken a leadership role to ensure our small- and mid-size customers are not left behind due to non-compliance issues. Our Lead (Pb) Free Program is ahead of the curve to ensure that you can remain competitive in today's markets.