The demand for data centers has exploded over the past few years. With more companies utilizing AI and storing files on the cloud, building data centers is quickly becoming a necessity to daily business operations.
Data centers are comprised of countless electronics, so it is important to choose the electronic assembly partner that can build cable assemblies, wire harness assemblies, PCB assemblies, and box builds to the highest quality while having the ability to scale operations with you. Below are 6 key considerations to think about when choosing an electronic assembly partner for your data centers.
1- Technical Expertise
First and foremost, your partner must have the technical ability to produce electronic assemblies for data centers to the proper specifications. It is a good idea to look for partners that have experience in building electronics for data centers, however, many partners can offer the same technical expertise from experience in other industries. For example, a partner that has experience in aerospace and defense knows the importance of building electronics to exact customer specifications. A partner that has experience in automotive or industrial automation industries can scale quickly. It is important to consider partners that have a vast array of experiences in order to meet your company’s electronic assembly goals.
Tip: look for a partner with experience in a wide range of industries. This will help you ensure that they can meet your electronic assembly specifications while also helping scale operations with you.
2- Quality Certifications & Compliance
When it comes to maintaining uptime, it is no longer enough to simply hold certifications. You need to make sure your PCB, box build, and cable & wire harness assembly partner is actively compliant with all certifications they hold.
Look for certifications such as:
- ISO 9001
- IPC/WHMA-A-620
- IPC-J-STD-001
- IPC-A-610
Additionally, look for the year next to each certification. This confirms that your partner is following the most recent standards.
To go a step further, ask about your partner’s training processes for ensuring their team knows these standards. This will ensure that all electronics are being assembled to industry standards, in turn helping data centers maintain uptime.
Tip: Ask how your partner trains their team to work toward industry and certification standard. Their answer will determine if they simply hold certifications or integrate the certification’s standards into their processes.
3- Turnkey Manufacturing Capabilities
Look for a manufacturer that offers services in:
- PCB assembly
- Cable assembly
- Wire harness assembly
- Box builds
- Sourcing
- Design for manufacturability
- Component obsolescence solutions
- Inventory management
- And more
A partner that offers everything you need to complete electronic assemblies will have a deep understanding of your goals, offer solutions before being asked, and ultimately scale with you.
Tip: A turnkey manufacturer has a deeper understanding of your goals, big picture and with each assembly. Finding a turnkey electronic assembly manufacturer will help you scale quicker by streamlining communication, improving lead times, and helping cut costs long term.
4- Supply Chain Strength and Component Sourcing
Similarly to the last point, data center construction teams are often working hard to build as fast as possible. With so much already on their plates, it is important to find an electronic assembly partner that can help build electronics and source the components for each project.
Look for a partner that has an internal purchasing team and already has strong relationships with component suppliers. This will allow your partner to take the responsibilities of sourcing and finding necessary alternatives off of your plate.
Tip: Ask your partner how they help with certain challenges such as high-cost components, obsolete components, components with long lead times, etc. If they can provide you with strategies to combat these issues, they will likely be a good long-term partner.
5- Testing and Quality Assurance Processes
Uptime is one of the most important factors when a data center is running. People across the globe rely on data centers to access daily work, the internet, AI tools, and more. This means premature failure of electronic assemblies that could compromise data center uptime must be avoided at all costs.
Find an electronic assembly partner that has tried-and-true quality control processes in place. Look for:
- In-circuit testing
- Testing for connectivity
- SPI
- AOI
- Visual inspections throughout assembly
- Documentation and traceability
If your partner has processes for each of the above, you can trust that your electronic assemblies are in good hands.
Tip: Ask your partner about testing procedures and internal quality standards. Ask if quality processes can be customized to fit your needs.
6- Scalability
Tech companies plan for new data center construction constantly in today’s environment. It is imperative that your electronic assembly partner can scale with this rapid construction.
A partner that offers prototype to full production processes has proven their ability to scale with other customers. Ask your electronic assembly partner about case studies in which they have built prototypes that turned into full production for customers. This will help you determine the level on which they are able to grow with you.
Tip: When vetting electronic assembly partners, ask for an example of how they scaled from prototype to full production with a customer.
Data center demand has never been higher. It is important to choose an electronic assembly partner that can produce cable assemblies, wire harness assemblies, PCB assemblies, and box builds at full volumes without sacrificing quality that could harm your uptime. If you’re in need of a turnkey electronics solution that can grow with you, PGF Tech may be the answer. Contact us about your data center construction goals to learn more: https://www.pgftech.com/contact-us/