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• About Sofeast
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• Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Requirements: What Manufacturers need to know
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• Sofeast – Quality Assurance, Product Engineering, Manage Supply Chains
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• 13 Biodegradable Production Materials [Guide]
• 9 Types of Packaging – Guide for Importers
• An Importer’s Guide to New Product Manufacturing in China Guide
• China Manufacturing Decoded Podcast
• Combined Supplier Due Diligence Checks
• Different Types Of Batteries For Electronic Products (Importer’s Guide)
• DIY Sourcing from China [Podcast Series]
• Eco Friendly Manufacturing Resources
• E Waste Impact on the Environment (Analysis)
• Lifecycle Impact on the Environment of Textiles and Garments [Analysis]
• Understanding The Environmental Impact of EV Batteries
• EU MDR Compliance When Developing A New Medical Device in China: High-Level Steps
• Freeform Injection Molding Service Bureau in China
• Importing & Developing Medical Devices [Resources]
• IP Protection in China when Developing Your New Product [Importer’s Guide]
• Lithium Ion Battery Safety Guidelines For US Imports
• Materials & Processes Sofeast Are Expert In
• 3D Printing Rapid Prototyping
• CNC Prototyping In Metal And Plastic
• Die Casting
• How to Choose the Correct Outdoor Plastics for your next Product? (4 Guides)
• Construction Plastics Popular in the Building Industry
• Plastic for Outdoor Signs (2 Appropriate Polymers)
• Plastic Outdoor Furniture (Commonly Used Plastic Guide)
• Power Tool Plastics (3 Popular Options)
• Metal Machining
• PCB Assembly & Testing
• Plastic Injection Molding Questions: 17 FAQs Businesses Need Answers To
• Rapid Tooling Prototyping Guide
• Sheet Metal Prototype Fabrication
• Silicone Rubber
• Sourcing Guides for Internal Use Plastic Mechanical Parts
• Living Hinges (The Best Plastic Choice)
• Plastic Bearings (Popular Plastic Choices)
• Plastic Gears (Top Material Options)
• Plastic Shafts (Key Sourcing Factors)
• Steel Alloys
• The Plastic Injection Molding Process
• Thermoplastics
• Choosing Plastics for Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology [Sourcing Guide]
• Plastic Enclosures for Electronics Projects (Plastics Sourcing Guide)
• Plastics For Blow Molding Sourcing Guide
• Vacuum Casting Prototyping
• Welding
• New Product Development Plan Template [XLS + Video]
• Product IP Risks & Protection When Manufacturing [Resources]
• Product Quality Checklist: How To Prepare It
• Products We Have Expertise In And Work On For Customers
• Importer Information For Watch Inspection In China and Asia
• Importing Shoes From China
• Information for Importers of Batteries from China & Asia
• Information for Importers of Ceramic Products from China
• Information for Importers of LED Products from China
• Quality Assurance In China Or Vietnam For Beginners Guide
• Sample Inspection Reports
• Sofeast Example Quality Assurance Plan (for an electronic product)
• Sofeast Example Quality Assurance Plan (for an electronic product)
• Templates, Tools, and Checklists
• The New Product Introduction Process Guide
• Ultimate Guide To Sourcing From China & Developing Suppliers
• Vetting Chinese Suppliers [Podcast Series]
• Supply Chain Management
• China 3pl
• Sofeast Fulfillment Benefits
• Explore Our Facility For Receiving Your Products Or Components
• Terms and Conditions
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Knowledgebase

• “What Quality Inspections & Factory Audits Do Sofeast Offer?”
• ”Enterprise China” – China’s Strategy for Economic Success (Author Interview with Drs. Allen J. Morrison & J. Stewart Black)
• ”Help! I Have No Idea What Reliability Testing My Product Needs.”
• 10 Common Problems From Chinese Suppliers & How To Deal With Them [Podcast]
• 10 Key Factors That Affect Supplier Production Capacity
• 10 Mistakes New Buyers Manufacturing In Asia Keep Making
• 10 Nasty Surprises For Small Buyers In China
• 10 Sourcing Tips & Hacks to help you Find the Right Suppliers in Asia
• 11 Common Electronic Product Certification And Compliance Requirements
• 11 Questions to Answer when Sourcing Chinese Contract Manufacturers for Electronics
• 13 Strategies To Ensure Consistent Product Quality
• 15 Key Eco Certifications For Green Manufacturers
• 18 Steps for Selecting Electronic Components the Right Way
• 2022 Review: Top Stories, Podcasts, and Content from Sofeast
• 2024 Review: A Year-End Reflection and a Look Ahead [Bonus Podcast]
• 2026 Manufacturing Trends: Tariffs, China+1, Repairability, AI & ‘Smart’ Factories [Podcast]
• 27 Questions To Ask During A China Factory Visit
• 2D Drawings in Manufacturing: A Timeless Tool [Podcast]
• 3 “Must-Follow” Product Design Optimizations & Best Practices [Podcast]
• 3 Key Process Improvement Tools You Need To Start Using: Flow Chart, FMEA, Control Plan
• 3 Key Risks When Switching Chinese Manufacturers
• 3 Major Supply Chain Risks for FBA Sellers Importing from China
• 3 New Product Launch Tips for E-commerce Sellers
• 3 Product Design Approaches And Their Pros & Cons For Made-In-China Products
• 3 Quality Control Plans & Why They’re Needed BEFORE Production [Podcast]
• 39 Strategies For Designing Products With A Lower Environmental Impact
• 3D Printed Circuit Boards: What They Are & How Fast They’re Made
• 4 Common Problems Importers Of Paper Products From China Suffer From
• 4 Quality Standard Levels You Should Implement To Reduce Risks [Podcast]
• 5 Challenges Faced By Importers With Asian Supply Chains Going Into 2022 [Podcast]
• 5 Tips For Dealing With An Unexpected Price Rise From Your Chinese Supplier
• 5 Tips for Protecting Your Product IP and Business when Manufacturing in Asia
• 5-Step Process To Fix Returned Products’ Problems
• 6 Advantages Of Conducting An Off-Site Product Inspection
• 6 best Practices When Working With Contract Manufacturers In China
• 6 E-Commerce Trends Affecting Online Sellers In Late 2021 [Podcast]
• 6 Manufacturing Questions Answered (100th Episode Special) [Podcast]
• 7 Key NPI Tasks To Do Before You Take Your Product Into Production [Podcast]
• 7 New EU Product Compliance Requirements You Can’t Ignore In 2023
• 7 Reasons Why Your Supplier Won’t Let You Visit Their Factory
• 7 Signs That Your Chinese Factory Is Poorly Managed [Infographic]
• 7 Tests You SHOULD Be Doing On Your Hard Goods! [Podcast]
• 8 Common Project Leaders’ Pitfalls During New Product Development
• 8 Red Flags To Beware Of When Working with Chinese Manufacturers
• 8 Tips For Software Companies Bringing A New Hardware Product To Market
• 8 Ways To Get Funding For Hardware Startups
• 9 Cost-Cutting Measures Importers Will Love! [Podcast]
• 9 Questions You Need Answers To When Developing A New Product (Part 1)
• 9 Questions You Need Answers To When Developing A New Product (Part 2)
• 9 Things Small Importers Can’t Negotiate With Chinese & SE Asian Suppliers [Podcast]
• A Factory Audit On A Small Factory. Worth It?
• A New ‘Cold War’ Between The USA & China’s Effect On Manufacturing [Podcast]
• A Product Designer’s Tips For New Product Launches
• A Sourcing Agent Copied Your Product! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 25)
• A Supplier Won’t Release Tooling AGAIN | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 24)
• Advice On Choosing Packaging To Protect Your Products [Podcast]
• Agilian Technology: Inside Sofeast’s Manufacturing Powerhouse [Podcast]
• AI Product Design: How to use AI early during Industrial Design (Examples)
• Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 Near Disaster! Quality & Reliability Issues?
• Analysis of EU Food Contact Product Incidents 2023-24 [Research]
• Analyzing Different types of Testing Labs and their Activities [Podcast]
• Angell e-Bikes Rise and Fall: A Cautionary Design and Manufacturing Tale [Podcast]
• Answering 3 Common Component, Production, and Inventory FAQs
• Answering 4 Listener Questions On Our Podcast (July ’23)
• Apple Ramp Up iPhone & Airpods Production In India. What Challenges Await?
• Apple Vision Pro Cracks! Reliability Problems Already? [Bonus Podcast]
• Are Suppliers We Find On Alibaba.com And GlobalSources.com Trustworthy?
• Are Trade Shows Still Worth It? How to Find and Assess Suppliers [Podcast]
• Are You Building What People Will Actually Buy? How to Validate Demand, Customers, and Features [Podcast]
• Automation’s Impact on Global Supply Chains. Book Deep Dive. [Podcast]
• Avoid Sending Immature Product Designs to a Chinese Manufacturer!
• Bangalore PCBA Suppliers (Ground Level Insights – April 2025)
• Battery Safety Testing 101 For Buyers + Videos
• Before You Hire Freelance Hardware Engineers: 4 Safeguards
• Beware! QC inspections based on AQL & random sampling have limits
• Bioplastics’ Key Advantages & Disadvantages
• Boeing’s Serious Issue: Bad Manufacturing Habits [Podcast]
• Breaking the Mold: How 3D-Printed Tooling Is Revolutionizing Plastic Prototyping [Podcast]
• Build Operate Transfer for factories: Can it be implemented in China?
• Building Better Systems & Processes For Importers Who Sell Online (Feat. Gianmarco Meli)
• Building Quality at the Source: Lessons from Industry Leaders [Podcast]
• Buy China Tooling For Plastic Production Abroad? (Benefits & Risks)
• Buying Lithium Batteries From China: Key Criteria [List]
• Can Getting To Market First Stop Copycats? [Podcast]
• Can I trust Chinese steel products?
• Can We Remove China From Our Supply Chains? [Podcast]
• Can You Afford to Manufacture Your Idea? Budget Truths from Idea to Mass Production [Podcast]
• Can you develop a new product, THEN make it comply to the requirements related to medical devices?
• Canada, Mexico, and China tariffs: Shots fired in Trump’s new trade war
• Carton Shipping Rates Calculator [User Guide]
• CE Compliance for Manufacturing in Asia: A Beginner’s Guide
• CES 2023: Our Review of the Coolest Products and Niches
• CES 2026 Trends: Robots, AI Hardware & Where Manufacturing Strategy Is Headed [Podcast]
• Cheap Chinese Suppliers: Beware of those with the Lowest Prices!
• Checklist for importers who are manufacturing products in China / low-cost Asia
• Children’s Products: How Often To CPSIA Test Samples Without It Costing A Fortune?
• China & India IN. The USA OUT? Tariffs, Alliances & Supply Chains [Podcast]
• China Manufacturing Agreement: Include A Warranty?
• China’s Rare Earth Monopoly: A Looming Supply Chain Crisis? [Podcast]
• China’s REAL Business Environment In Late ’23 And How Foreigners Can Set Up A Factory
• China’s Shipping Bottlenecks June 2021 – What It All Means For You
• Chinese Copycats: A Real Problem For Entrepreneurs?
• Chinese e-Bike/Scooter Battery Fire Risks Are No Joke! [Podcast]
• Chinese New Year 2022 Is Coming. Here’s How To Prepare. [Podcast]
• Chinese New Year 2023 Comes Early. Be Prepared! [Podcast]
• Chinese Suppliers: “Are you my factory?”
• Choosing the Right Manufacturing Process & Avoiding Production Bottlenecks [Podcast]
• Circular Economy Options in Manufacturing: Best to Worst Strategies for Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Textiles
• Common Compliance & Recall Risks for Electric Household Appliances Sold in the EU & UK
• Common Compliance & Recall Risks for IoT Devices Sold in the EU & UK
• Common Compliance & Recall Risks for Packing Materials Sold in the EU & UK (22/23)
• Common Compliance & Recall Risks for Bags Sold in the EU & UK
• Common Design For Manufacture Improvements On Plastic Injection Molded Parts
• Common LVD, RED, and EMC Compliance & Recall Risks for Electrical Products Sold in the EU & UK [Research]
• Component-Level Testing And Its Benefits
• Correctly Using A Non Disclosure Non Use Non Circumvention Agreement [Podcast]
• Cost Vs Quality – How Manufacturers Can Find A Balance [Podcast]
• Cross-border Fulfillment from China: A Practical Way to Ship Direct Without Losing Control
• Crowdfunding Failures: 4 Great Prototypes That Failed To Launch
• Current Manufacturer Not Up To Scratch? Here’s How To Leave Them [Podcast]
• Design for Reliability Secrets [Podcast]
• Design to Cost: Hit Your Price Target Before Production [Podcast]
• Designing for Sustainability Is the Easy Part. Making It Work Is Harder.
• Designing for Toughness: How to Specify & Achieve the Right IK Rating (Podcast)
• Designing New Products With A Cradle To Cradle Cycle In Mind
• Developing New Products? Which Suppliers Are The Right Fit For You?
• DFM for PCBA – 40+ Improvements
• DFMA (Design for Manufacturing and Assembly): Deep Dive [Podcast]
• dFMEA: When to use it and how to get best results [Podcast]
• DFX: 12 Product Design Optimizations You Should Consider [Podcast]
• Different Prototyping Methods In China Importers Should Know About
• Discussing the NPI Process for Effective Product Development
• Disputes With Chinese Suppliers: Q&A (Volume 1)
• Disputes With Chinese Suppliers: Q&A (Volume 2)
• Disputes With Chinese Suppliers: Q&A (Volume 3)
• DIY Sourcing From China Part 1: Good Fit, Sourcing, Vetting, & Backups [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing From China Part 2: Negotiations, Terms, Leverage, & Quality Standards [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing From China Part 3: Project Management & Checking Quality Early [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing From China Part 4: Final Inspections [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing From China Part 5: Building Rapport [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing from China Part 6: Should You Be A Hands-On Or Hands-Off Kind Of Buyer? [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing from China Part 7: How To Develop Your Chinese Supplier? [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing from China Part 8: How To Improve Quality From Your Supplier? [Podcast]
• DIY Sourcing from China Part 9: Keeping your supplier’s costs under control [Podcast]
• Do I Need An EMS Supplier In China To Manufacture My Electronic Devices?
• Do NOT Send Samples To China Through Your Country’s Post Office
• Do you have enough visibility over your supply chain to satisfy new EU sustainability regulations?
• Do You Need a Customized Reliability Test Plan?
• Do you need a sourcing agent to buy from China?
• Do You Really Need A Sourcing Agent in China Or Can You Do It Yourself?
• Electronic Product Inspections For New Products: What’s Appropriate?
• Elon Musk Biography: DFM Learnings and more!
• Elon Musk’s New Product Introduction Philosophy: What Can We Learn? [Podcast]
• EU Batteries and Waste Batteries Regulation (2023): How Will It Impact Portable Electronics?
• EU Compliance in 2025: CE Test Reports Aren’t Enough [Feat. Roberth Jonsson of 24HourAR]
• EU ESPR is Coming in 2023: Act Now to become more Sustainable. [Podcast]
• EU MDR Changes: Are You Selling a Medical Device, and What Class Is It?
• EU MDR Update: How To Get a New Medical Device Certified? [Flow Charts]
• EU PPWR: Your Technical File Was Complete. It Isn’t Anymore.
• EU Product Compliance Overview & Tips for Buyers (Feat. Fredrik Grönkvist)
• EU WEEE Directive: Introduction For Importers To Europe
• Exploring 9 Quality Management Challenges in China [Podcast]
• Exploring Apple’s Chinese supply chain and manufacturing success, but are they too reliant on China? [Podcast]
• Exploring Apple’s iPhone Reliability & Durability Testing [Podcast]
• Exploring Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) [Podcast]
• Exploring How To Improve Supplier Performance [Podcast]
• Exploring Manufacturing and New Product Development in Vietnam [Podcast]
• Exploring MVP vs SLC: Which Framework is Right for Your Product Launch? [Podcast]
• Exploring Plastic Injection Molding Pilot Runs [Podcast]
• Exploring Product Development Agreements For Importers [Podcast]
• Exploring Product Safety & Reliability Issue Liability [Podcast]
• Exploring The Benefits Of Rapid Prototyping And Rapid Tooling [Podcast]
• Exploring the book: “Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company” [Podcast]
• Exploring The Key New Product Development Deliverables [Podcast]
• Exploring Why Sea Freight Is So Expensive In Summer ’21 [Podcast]
• Fabricating Tooling BEFORE Final Prototypes: A Necessary Leap of Faith? [Podcast]
• Factory Audits on New VS Current Suppliers: Safeguarding Quality & Minimizing Risks [Podcast]
• Fail‑Safe by Design: Avoiding Catastrophic Product Failures [Podcast]
• Fake Kickstarter Projects: Do Crowdfunding Sites Protect Backers?
• Fitness Wearable Development Challenges: What You Need to Know Before Manufacturing in China
• FOB Risk Of Loss Is A Real Problem. Don’t Be Caught Out!
• Freedom to Operate Analysis: Reducing Patent Infringement Risk
• Freeform Injection Molding: Using 3D-Printed Dissolvable Molds
• From “Poorly made in China” to “Made with Quality in China” [Podcast]
• From Product Concept to Market: Costs, Milestones, and Pitfalls. [Podcast]
• Further confirmation that India’s exports to North America are booming
• Getting Ahead Of The Upcoming EU Product Liability Directive
• Getting It Right from the Start: Essential Guide to Working with Manufacturers [Podcast]
• Getting To Grips With Non-Recurring Engineering Costs (NRE) [Podcast]
• Glass Companies In India List (10 Choices)
• Global Supply Chain Shifts: Freight Costs, Dropshipping Hurdles, & Upcoming U.S. Strikes [Podcast]
• Globalism 2.0: North American Importers To Move Supply Chains Out Of China Soon? [Podcast]
• Gold: 12 DFX Strategies Every Manufacturer Should Know For Product Design Success (Ep. 99 revisited)
• Gold: 3 QC Plans You Need Before Production (Ep. 30 Revisited) [Podcast]
• Gold: Fix It Before It Breaks: The Power of Preventive Maintenance in Manufacturing (Ep. 40 revisited)
• Gold: Manufacturing Contracts in China. Protect IP, Tooling & Timelines (Ep. 21 revisited)
• Gold: The NPI Playbook — How to Take Ideas to Mass Production (Ep. 20 revisited)
• Good and Bad Methods of Communication with your Chinese Supplier [Podcast]
• Handing Over To Manufacturing: Best Practices [Podcast]
• Hidden Commissions & Kickbacks: How Chinese Agents and Traders Quietly Erode Your Margin [Podcast]
• Hiring a Quality Manager in China/Asia: Interview Questions That Reveal True ISO 9001 Competence [Podcast]
• How A DFQ Review Designs Quality INTO Your Product At An Early Stage [Podcast]
• How a Supplier’s Quality can be Evaluated and Validated
• How A Tooling Transfer In China Works With Sofeast (13 Steps)
• How Blending Off-site & On-site QA Activities Helps You Reach Your Objectives
• How Can Poor Quality & Reliability Products Affect Your Business? [Podcast]
• How Can Small Buyers Of Garments Get High Quality From China? – Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 6)
• How Chinese Knockoffs Are Killing Innovative Hardware Startups
• How Do Sofeast Help Source New Chinese Suppliers? [Process Breakdown + Costs]
• How European Importers Can Sue Chinese Suppliers
• How Factory Audits, Inspections, and Lab Tests Fit Together
• How Factory Equipment Can Make or Break Your Product [Podcast]
• How Far Does An NNN Agreement Need To Go To Protect Your IP In China?
• How has ‘Post-Covid China’ changed for foreign visitors? (June ’23)
• How Important Are Safety/Compliance Laboratory Certifications For Your Made-In-China Product?
• How ISO 37301 Might Improve Chinese Suppliers’ Compliance
• How Life Cycle Assessments Drive Product Sustainability Changes [Podcast]
• How Many Product Samples Do We Really Need To Test For Reliability And Compliance?
• How Many Prototypes Are Needed Before We Get ‘Perfection?’
• How Much Does a Quality Inspection in China cost?
• How Sofeast’s Client Project Management Support Works
• How Sourcing From India Has Changed In 2022 (Part 1: Trends & Manufacturing Landscape)
• How Sourcing From India Has Changed In 2022 (Part 2: Chennai & Hubli-Dharwad)
• How The EU MDR Will Change The Medical Device Industry Forever [Podcast]
• How the Iran Conflict Could Impact Manufacturing in China and Global Shipping [Podcast]
• How to achieve firmware protection in manufacturing at scale?
• How to add Surface Textures to Molded Plastic Parts?
• How to Arrange Supplier Self Inspections for QC
• How To Avoid Damaging After Sales Quality Problems
• How To Bring In Quality Inspectors Without Upsetting Suppliers
• How to Calculate the Cash Needed to Prototype & Launch your New Product [Podcast]
• How To Check The First Production From A New Plastic Injection Mold?
• How To Choose The Right 3PL Logistics Company?
• How To Choose Which Factory Audit You Need?
• How To Choose Which Product Quality inspection You Need?
• How to Claim Compensation from a Supplier? | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 18)
• How to Comply with CE and UKCA? [Podcast]
• How To Comply With The EU Ecodesign Regulation? [Podcast part 2]
• How To Conduct Stricter QC Inspections Without Lowering The AQL? (5 Tips)
• How to Cost Your Product Properly (Design-to-Cost Explained) with Paul Adams [Podcast]
• How To Create A New Product Inspired By An Existing Design?
• How To Create A Valid Manufacturing Contract In China To Protect Your IP
• How To Develop A New Laptop?
• How To Develop and Launch a New Product? [Podcast]
• How To Drive Your Chinese Suppliers To Improve Reliability
• How To Dropship From China?
• How To Find Suppliers In China [Importer Tips]
• How To Find The Best Electronic Component Suppliers in China At The Best Price?
• How To Find Trustworthy Chinese Suppliers?
• How To Find Trustworthy Suppliers In China In 2021
• How To Fix Quality Issues After A Failed Inspection? [Podcast]
• How To Get A Quotation For Manufacturing Your New Product?
• How To Get Better Quality Products From Suppliers & Optimize QC Inspections? [Podcast]
• How To Get Good Manufacturing Performance From Your Factory? [Podcast]
• How To Get More Out Of A China Trade Fair Visit For Importers
• How To Get the Cradle To Cradle Certification for Your New Product?
• How To Get Transparency And Control Over Your Supply Chain? [podcast]
• How To Handle Chinese New Year Manufacturing Disruptions?
• How To Improve Price Negotiation With Chinese Suppliers? [7 Tips]
• How To Keep A Chinese Battery Supplier Honest?
• How To Maintain Good Quality When Manufacturing A New Piece Of Apparel?
• How to Manufacture a New Product with the Customer Journey in Mind
• How to move Plastic Injection Molds between China Factories [10 Tips]
• How To Package Tooling Properly So It Doesn’t Get Damaged Or Rust Unnecessarily Quickly In Transit
• How To Prepare Your QC Inspection Report
• How To Protect Product IP When Working With Contractors & Factories In Different Locations? [6 tips]
• How To Qualify A Contract Manufacturer Or Component Supplier [Podcast]
• How To Reduce Lead Times From Chinese Suppliers [7 Tips]
• How To Reduce Manufacturing Costs? The Lean Approach
• How To Reduce Product Inspection Costs?
• How To Reduce Quality Defects From Chinese Suppliers (4 Principles)
• How To Reduce Risks As Your Order Sizes Grow When Working With Chinese Manufacturers?
• How to Reduce Your Product Return Rate? [Podcast]
• How To Set Up A Process Control Plan [11 Steps]
• How to set up a Receiving Inspection: Checklist, Procedure, Reporting form
• How To set Up Your Receiving Quality Inspection [Podcast]
• How to Smoothly Transition Between Chinese Manufacturers Without Disruptions
• How To Source Rare Electronic Components?
• How To Switch To A Newer, Better Chinese Manufacturer? [eBook]
• How to Use Reliability Data to Make Better Products & Save Money
• How To Validate a Factory’s Production Capacity without Going On Site?
• How To Validate Your Supplier’s Factory’s Production Capacity (From Abroad) [Podcast]
• How To Work With Industrial Designers? [Podcast]
• How Trump Tariffs will Impact YOUR Business
• How We Set Up A New Factory In China From Idea To Operation [Podcast]
• HS vs HTS Codes: How to Find the Right Code for your Product? (incl. Links to Official Sources)
• IF Trump is re-elected, what about US-China Relations? [Podcast]
• Impact of Yemen’s Houthis On Global Shipping in Jan ’24 [Bonus Podcast]
• Importer’s ‘Supply Chain Spring Clean’ Checklist To Find Risks & Opportunities [Podcast]
• Importing From China? 6 Risks You Face In January 2021
• Importing from China? Use this product specifications template.
• Importing to the USA, HTS Codes, and Tariff Tips (Feat. Owen Haacke of Supply Chain Shark) [Podcast]
• Improving Worsening Product & Packaging Quality – Disputes With Chinese Suppliers: Q&A (Volume 5)
• Incubator Or Accelerator? What Should A Hardware Startup Choose?
• India Gaining Popularity over China as a Near-Shoring and Sourcing Destination
• India Overtakes China in US Smartphone Shipments (Q2 ’25): What It Really Means [Podcast]
• India’s Efforts To Mitigate Its Environmental Impact (Summer 2023)
• Industrial Design for Creating Successful Products Explained with Vera Roldan [Podcast]
• Injection Mold Tooling Suppliers: Avoid “Quick and Cheap”
• IP Infringement In China. What To Do If You’re A Victim?
• IP Protection For Manufacturers. Keep Component Suppliers In The Dark
• IP Protection when buying from China (Feat. Dan Harris, China Law Blog) [Podcast]
• Is Investing In Process Automation In The Factory Worth It? + Implementation Best Practices [Podcast]
• Is It Safe To Receive Packages From China? [Coronavirus FAQs]
• Is My Supplier A Trading Company Pretending To Be A Manufacturer? | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 17)
• Is Your Chinese Supplier At Risk Of Bankruptcy?
• ISO 20400 for Sustainable Procurement: A framework for better global citizens
• ISO 9001 QMS Features, Benefits, & Implementation Tips [Podcast]
• ISTA Standards for Testing Packaging Reliability [Podcast]
• Keeping Sensitive Information Confidential – Disputes With Chinese Suppliers: Q&A (Volume 4)
• Kickstarter EVOTRAIL Self-Following e-Wagon: To Good To Be True?
• Kitchen Electrical Appliances: Tips for UL & CE Certification
• Kraljic Matrix: Sourcing a Strategic Supplier – Are YOU a Good Fit for THEM?
• Latest Asia Manufacturing Trends and Upcoming Regulations Overview (Dec ’22)
• Lead Time Reduction Strategies [Podcast]
• Limitations Of Common Reliability And Safety Testing Standards
• List of Aluminum Die Casting Manufacturers in India (10 picks)
• List of Aluminum Manufacturers In India (10 Options)
• List of CNC Parts Manufacturers in Southern India (10 choices)
• List of E Coating Companies In India (10 Picks)
• List of India Jewelry Manufacturers (10 Picks)
• List of Packaging Companies In India (15 choices)
• List of PCB Manufacturing Companies in India
• List of Plastic Injection Molding Companies in India (12 options)
• List of Powder Coating Companies In India (10 Choices)
• List of Silica Gel Manufacturers In India (10 Choices)
• List of Textile Testing Labs in South India (10 options)
• Listener Q&A: Turning Ideas into Products, Manufacturing Fast, and Scaling Wisely [Podcast]
• Logistics from China in 2023 Update: Good News!
• Logistics Special (June ’24)! Rising Shipping Costs + FOB vs FCA Incoterms
• Look Out For Feature Creep When Developing A New Product!
• Low Volume Production in China: What Actually Works [Podcast]
• Major Indian Exports (Early ’24) – Hottest Product Categories?
• Making Trade Fairs Work for You: PR & Lead Generation at IFA Berlin [Podcast]
• Manufacture in China, Vietnam, India, or Elsewhere in 2021? [Podcast]
• Manufacturing Alchemy! 5 Ways To Turn A ”Cheap” Product Into A High Profit One
• Manufacturing Contract: Fear And Its Impact On Payment Terms
• Manufacturing in China for the U.S. in 2026: Tariffs, China+1, and the Real Cost of Moving Production [Podcast]
• Manufacturing in China Update July 2024: FDI Down & Made In China 2025 [Video]
• Manufacturing Issues Communication Problems With Chinese Suppliers Cause And Their Solutions
• Manufacturing Process Controls = Better Product Quality [Podcast]
• Manufacturing Safety Challenges In India
• Mastering Prototype Accuracy: A Comprehensive Guide [Podcast]
• Metal Injection Molding: The Best Process You AREN’T Using [Podcast]
• Minimizing a Product’s ‘Cradle to Grave’ Environmental Impact
• Missing Important Tasks During DVT Could Result In Damaging Product Recalls! [Podcast]
• Mold in the Container: How to Protect Your Shipments from Devastation [Podcast]
• More Than Just A Box: Guide To Making Packaging [Podcast]
• My Chinese Supplier is making Switching to a New One Difficult! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 23)
• My Chinese Supplier Took My Deposit but Didn’t Ship. What Can I Do? | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 30)
• My Manufacturer Is Forcing Me To Accept Poor Quality! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 11)
• My ODM Electronic Product’s Quality Is Bad, But The Supplier Won’t Help! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 16)
• My Supplier Didn’t Prepare My Export Packaging For Checking And More… | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 7)
• My Supplier Has Raised Prices Unexpectedly! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 14)
• My Supplier Keeps Going Missing, Even When We Have Orders In Progress! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 10)
• My Supplier Pushes Back & Makes The Business Relationship More Difficult | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 12)
• My Supplier Says Our Quality Inspector Is Taking Bribes! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 15)
• My Supplier uses Covid as an Excuse to Prevent Inspections of my Products! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 19)
• My Supplier Won’t Provide Important Supply Chain Information! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 13)
• Near-Sourcing in Europe & Turkey VS Buying from China [Podcast]
• Nearshoring To Mexico. An Alternative To China? [Podcast]
• New China Lithium Battery Manufacturing Standard Incoming: Key Points for Foreign Importers
• New EU MDR: Who Are The “Economic Operators” For Imported Devices?
• New Hardware Product Idea Validation For Securing Investors [Podcast]
• New Lithium Battery Validation for an Electronic Device
• New Product Launch Plan: How To Get It Right [Action Plan]
• North American Product Safety & Compliance Certifications And Requirements For Electronics (UL, ETL, and CSA)
• NRE Costs Exposed: How One-Time Engineering Bills Can Sink Your Product (Ep. 49 revisited)
• OEM, ODM, Contract Manufacturers: Which Chinese Supplier To Choose?
• Off-Site QC VS In-Factory QC
• One Thing You Need To Do BEFORE You Start Mass Production! [Podcast]
• Our Supplier Blackmailed Us! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 26)
• Our supplier is selling our product as their own! | Disputes with Chinese suppliers Q&A (Volume 20)
• Our Supplier Made Bad Products and Won’t Put Them Right | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 27)
• Our Supplier Refuses To Ship The Goods We Paid For! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 21)
• Paid for Your Molds but Can’t Get Them Back? (Mold Ownership in China Explained) | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 28)
• Partnering with a Chinese Factory: A Misguided Intention?
• PCB Prototyping Methods: 5 Favorites
• PCBA Protection: How to Care for the Heart of your Electronic Product [Podcast]
• Planning For Effective Pilot Runs [Podcast]
• Plastic & Metal Development Prototypes: Uses & Limitations [Podcast]
• Plastic Injection Mold Tooling Management & Risk Reduction [Podcast]
• Plastic Injection Molds: 8 Tips For When Requesting Quotes
• Plastic Injection Pilot Runs: How To Use them To Mitigate Quality Issues
• Plastic Playbook: Choosing The Right Polymer [Podcast]
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (August ’21)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (December ’21)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (June ’21)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Apr ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Apr ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late April ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late April ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Aug ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late August ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late August ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late August ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late August ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Dec ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Dec ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Dec ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late December ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (Late Feb ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Feb ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Feb ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Feb ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late February ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Jan ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Jan ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Jan ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late January ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Jul ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late July ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late July ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late July ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late July ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Jun ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late June ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late June ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late June ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Mar ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Mar ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Mar ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late March ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late May ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late May ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late May ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late May ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late May ’26)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Nov ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Nov ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Nov ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late November ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Oct ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Oct ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late October ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late October ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Sep ’24)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late Sep ’25)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late September ’22)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (late September ’23)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (March ’21)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (May ’21)
• Plastic, Silicone, Steel, and Others: Updated China Raw Materials Costs (October ’21)
• Polymer Processing Methods Explained [Podcast]
• Possible Risks and Insurance Manufacturers and Buyers need in China [Podcast]
• Post-Brexit Compliance: Selling in the UK vs the EU. [Podcast]
• Power Cuts In China. Why are they happening and how could this affect manufacturing?
• Practical Injection Molding Cost Savings That Preserve Quality & Reliability [Podcast]
• Price Wars & Quality Fade: What Low Quotes from Chinese Suppliers Really Mean [Podcast]
• Pricing, Negotiation, Contracts | Vetting Chinese Suppliers (Part 10)
• Producing Private Label Products From Existing Products In China: 3 Supplier Options
• Product Compliance For Made-In-China Products [Podcast]
• Product Compliance Mistakes That Kill Hardware Projects (Avoid These Early) [Podcast]
• Product Tooling: Possible To Avoid Paying for it in Full?
• Product Warranty and Warranty Period: What you need to know [Podcast]
• Production-Ready? Critical Deliverables & Validations You Can’t Skip [Podcast]
• Protect Your IP: Strategies for Safely Sourcing Components [Podcast]
• Prototype ≠ Production: The Million-Dollar DFM Mistake [Podcast]
• Prototype to Production: 7 Sneaky Pitfalls to Avoid [Podcast]
• Prototype, Patent, then Market: A Misguided Concept
• Prototyping and Testing FAQs: How many Iterations needed and what Tests to be Safe & Compliant? [Podcast]
• Prototyping Essentials: The 5 Key Uses of Prototyping Equipment [Podcast]
• Pulling Your Tooling from Chinese Manufacturers: Key Risks and Best Practices
• Q&A: Fabric quality + US Tariffs + Volatile material costs [Podcast]
• QA Strategy in China: 10 Elements You Should Include
• QC During NPI: Build Quality In Before Mass Production [Podcast]
• QC inspectors check products against specifications, they don’t validate the product design
• QC Trends In 2021 (+ raw material costs and new product development)
• Quality Audits VS Process Audits [Comparison and Pros & Cons]
• Quality Control Plan: Defining Expectations Before Production
• Quality Disputes: Legal Protections for Buyers in China’s Legal System [Podcast]
• Quality Fade: Silent AND Deadly! [Podcast]
• Quality Inspections Guide: Minimize Risk, Maximize Quality [Podcast]
• Quality System Audits vs. Process-Specific Audits
• Reliability Validation Testing vs. End-Of-Line Quality Control
• Responsible & Sustainable Purchasing Practices in Focus
• Retail vs. Amazon FBA vs. D2C: Logistics & Product Prep Clarified [Podcast]
• Review Of 2021’s Top China Manufacturing Stories [Podcast]
• Revolutionizing Manufacturing with AI: Insights from Bryan DeBois [Podcast]
• Richard Barnett | Electronics Supply Chain Risk Management in 2021 [Podcast]
• Right To Repair: Blessing or Curse for Manufacturers? [Podcast]
• Risk Assessments: Taming Project and Product/Process Level Risks [Podcast]
• Robust Design: Enhancing Product Quality and Performance
• Selecting the Right Factory Audit for Your Needs [Podcast]
• Setting Up a New Factory? First Ask What Problem You’re Really Solving [Podcast]
• Setting up Manufacturing in Vietnam vs China: Focus on Vietnam
• Shipping Damage Prevention: Why Loose Cartons and Weak Packaging Create Expensive Problems
• Should Hardware Startups Manufacture in China, Mexico, or Vietnam to Reduce Tariffs?
• Should Tooling Fabrication and Plastic Injection Molding Be Done Together?
• Should YOU be wary of the cheapest Chinese suppliers?
• Silicone Compression Molding: What’s The Big Deal? [Podcast]
• Silicone Production Processes, Properties, And Testing [Videos]
• Sofeast QA Program: Reduce Your Risks When Launching New Products
• Sofeast’s R&D team compared to other ways to handle prototyping & product development
• Sofeast’s Recommended QA Program For New Electronics [Podcast]
• Sofeast’s Top 10 Blog Posts Of 2021
• Sofeast’s Top 5 Podcast Episodes of 2025
• Sourcing & Manufacturing In China For E-Commerce Sellers [Interview By Proboxx]
• Sourcing agents may not be right for you when you’re developing a new product
• Sourcing Chinese Manufacturers: Western Or Chinese Model? [Podcast]
• Sourcing Chinese Suppliers? 7 Expert Tips To Get You Better Results!
• Square Pegs, Round Holes: Why the “Wrong” Factory Can Kill Your Product [Podcast]
• Stainless steel bottle testing for safety & compliance. How is it done?
• Supply Chain Risk Reduction Strategies [Presentation]
• Tariffs, Tactics, and Trade Shocks: Breaking Down Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Policy Blitz [Podcast]
• Tariffs, Trade Shifts & Tactics: A U.S. Importer’s Guide (Feat. Owen Haacke of Supply Chain Shark) [Podcast]
• Tariffs, Trade War, and the Factory Floor: Buyer Risks in 2025 [Podcast]
• Technology & Innovation in Freight Forwarding [Podcast]
• Technology Readiness Levels: Helpful for today’s manufacturers?
• Tesla’s Cybertruck Debacle: Reliability, Politics, & Plummeting Sales [Podcast]
• Test To Failure For Your Product – Why?
• The 4 Key Stages Of The Toy Development Process
• The 7 Most Common New Product Launch Pitfalls in China
• The 8–12 Week Tooling Timeline Myth: What Really Affects Injection Mold Tooling Lead Times? [Podcast]
• The Benefits of a Feasibility Study (during new product development)
• The Dangers of Cheap Li-ion Batteries and the Future of Compliance
• The EU Ecodesign Regulation Is Coming, But Are You Prepared? [Podcast part1]
• The Experience Effect: The Key to Mass Production Cost Reduction & Efficiency
• The Growing Importance of Software in Electronic Product Manufacturing [Podcast]
• The Impact Of Chinese New Year On Importers & Tips To Prepare For CNY 2021 [Podcast]
• The India Shift: Exploring PCBA Sourcing and Trade Dynamics in a Changing World [Podcast]
• The Iron Triangle of NPI: What to Sacrifice: Time, Cost, or Quality? [Podcast]
• The Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Manufacturing Process
• The Many Benefits Of Preventive Maintenance [Podcast]
• The Need For Many Prototypes [FIGO Case Study]
• The NPI Process: Trouble Awaits If You Skip Its Steps! [Podcast]
• The ODM Trap: When Your Manufacturer Owns Your Product | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 31)
• The Rise and Struggles of Smaller E-Commerce Sellers: Lessons from 2015 to Now [Podcast]
• The Rise Of The Dragon: Exploring China’s Technology Dominance [Podcast]
• The Shore Hardness Test for Silicone and TPE Items
• The War In Ukraine’s Effect On Global & China Supply Chains [Podcast]
• Tips For Continually Getting Good Results From A New Supplier | Vetting Chinese Suppliers (Part 11) [Podcast]
• Tips On How To Get Suppliers To Zero Defects [Podcast]
• Tooling Management for Plastic Injection Molds in China
• Top 10 FAQs about Chinese Contract Manufacturing: Part 1 (Feat. Paul Adams) [Podcast]
• Top 10 FAQs about Chinese Contract Manufacturing: Part 2 (Feat. Paul Adams) [Podcast]
• Top 10 Things Affecting Electronic Product Design Costs
• Toy Safety Tips: The Right Mindset for Inventors & Designers
• Toy Safety, Trade Wars, and Tariffs: Why Compliance Matters More Than Ever (Feat. Thierry Bourret) [Podcast]
• Traceability In Manufacturing: Far More Than Just A Safety Net [Podcast]
• Traffic Lights for Product Success. How Phase Gates Save Time & Money [Podcast]
• Transitioning to Manufacturing from Product Development | 2 Options
• Transparent Plastic Parts: PC vs. PMMA & Alternatives
• Tried-and-Tested Factory Visit Checklist: What to Look for and Why It Matters [Free Download]
• Trump Adds ANOTHER 10% Tariff To Chinese Products [BONUS Podcast]
• Trump’s Second Term: Tariff Talks Ignite Global Tensions [Podcast]
• Trying to Reduce China Tariffs? Don’t Fall Into the Country-of-Origin Trap [Podcast]
• Types Of Batteries For Buyers Of Consumer Electronics [Introductory Guide]
• Types Of Printing Techniques Used In Manufacturing [Whitepaper]
• Typical Problems with Electronic Contract Manufacturers in China
• Typical Reliability Issues in Smart Wearables: Rings, Earbuds, Watches & Smart Glasses (feat. Andrew Amirnovin) [Podcast]
• Typical Timelines for Shipping from China to USA: What Importers Need to Know
• Unpacking the Product Requirements Document [Podcast]
• US–China Trade Truce (Oct 30, 2025): What Changed & What US Importers Should Do Next [Podcast]
• USA Logistics & Shipping Summer 2022 Update (Feat. Marshall Taplits) [Podcast]
• Using Early Field Failure Analysis (EFFA) to Prevent Product Disasters [Podcast]
• Using Real Data to Prove the Link between Factory Audits and Better Quality Products [Podcast]
• Vietnam VS China Manufacturers & Digitizing Processes In The Factory [Podcast]
• Vietnam-US Trade Deal: Trump’s Tariff Tactics & Transshipment Troubles [Podcast]
• We have a product concept. How long will it take to build our prototype?
• We Need To Move Our Molds From China To Taiwan. How To Do It Safely? | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 9)
• We’re Buying Medical Devices From China And Are Worried Our Supplier Isn’t Legit | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 8)
• We’re Suffering from Systemic Supplier Failure in China! | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 29)
• What A New Buyer On A Small Budget Should Know BEFORE Buying From China [Podcast]
• What are your 4 options when sourcing suppliers in China? [Podcast]
• What Can We Learn From Our Supplier’s Org Chart?
• What Common Improvements Can DFM Make To Die Cast Parts?
• What do the USA’s May ’24 China tariffs mean for importers? [Podcast]
• What Does Manufacturing In Vietnam Look Like Today In 2021?
• What Is “Quality?”
• What Is A Process FMEA and When To Use It? [Template]
• What Is Agile Design When Developing New Products?
• What is an inspection level in ISO 2859-1 and ANSI/ASQ Z1.4?
• What is Highly Accelerated Life Testing?
• What is Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS)?
• What is the AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit)? An exhaustive guide
• What is the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation?
• What Is The Industrial Design Process For New Electro-Mechanical Products? [Podcast]
• What Manufacturing Process Controls Are Important In Battery Factories?
• What to do if you have recurring quality problems from your factory? [Podcast]
• What To Do If Your Electronic Product Contains Unreliable Components?
• What To Do When Production Has Already Started But Problems Keep Appearing [Podcast]
• What’s Causing The USA’s Logistics Troubles? [Podcast]
• What’s The Cost Of Quality? [Podcast]
• What’s The Most Effective Apparel Development & Production Process? [Podcast]
• What’s A Good QA Auditing & Inspection Program For New Products?
• What’s in your Bill of Materials? [Podcast]
• What’s the real Cost of Poor Quality and Reliability? [Podcast]
• When a Textile Order from Bangladesh goes AWOL…
• When and How to Switch Suppliers? Detailed Advice. [Podcast]
• When and Why a Product Failure Analysis is Required [Podcast]
• When Big Brands Get Product Safety Wrong: 6 Lessons for Importers [Podcast]
• When Early Orders Backfire: The Worrying Cost of Skipping Part Qualification [Podcast]
• When Is Product IP Most At Risk From Copycats? [Podcast]
• When to do Design Reviews on Innovative Hardware Products? [Podcast]
• When to get a patent for your new product?
• When To Sign Off On Injection Mold Tooling? Inside the Journey from DFM to T0→T2 [Podcast]
• Where is Chinese manufacturing capacity being relocated to in the Asia Pacific in 2023?
• Which Manufacturing Processes Will You Come Across In Asia, And What Are They? [Podcast]
• Who To Bring YOUR Product Idea To Life? CM with vertical integration VS Separate Suppliers. [Podcast]
• Why “China Plus One” Isn’t What You Think For Electronics
• Why A Man-Day For A QC Inspector ISN’T 8-10 Hours Of Inspections
• Why Amazon FBA Prep Should Be Done In China (Not The West)
• Why Are Pilot Runs So Important When Launching New Products? [Podcast]
• Why Assembly and Checking Fixtures provide amazing ROI in the Factory
• Why Checking Quality During Loading Is A Bad Idea
• Why Design Cradle To Cradle Products? [Podcast]
• Why Did The Titan Sub And Siemens Gamesa Wind Turbines Fail?
• Why Do Importers Need Product Reliability Testing? [Podcast]
• Why does new product development take so long?
• Why Good Manufacturers Ask So Many Questions Before Quoting You [Podcast Ep. 345]
• Why Hardware Projects Stall: Avoiding ‘Failure to Launch’ [Podcast]
• Why Is A Pre-Production Sample So Important? [Podcast]
• Why NOT doing ESD testing on new electronic products is scary!
• Why Pilot Runs Are Non-Negotiable Before Mass Production [Podcast]
• Why Pre Compliance Testing Is Critical Before FCC, CE, and UL Certification
• Why Product Reliability Testing Is A MUST During Product Design [Podcast]
• Why Smart Devices Fail CE RED or FCC Testing & How to Prevent It
• Why Social Compliance Audits Often Don’t Work, But Can
• Why Taobao is Unsuitable for Sourcing Parts used in Mass Production [Podcast]
• Why The Bill Of Materials (BOM) Is A Key Document For Importers [Podcast]
• Why The New Product Design & Introduction Process Is More Complex Than You May Think [Podcast]
• Why the Taguchi Method will reduce costs, increase quality, and get products to market faster
• Why UL Certification for Product Safety is so Important for some Importers [Podcast]
• Why Unauthorized Subcontracting Is A Big Problem [Podcast]
• Why User Experience Is Harder Than Engineering [Podcast]
• Why Version 1 Shouldn’t Be Perfect (And What to Do After You Launch) [Podcast]
• Why we say “solutions” not “services” here at Sofeast
• Why Working Product Components Fail After Final Assembly [Podcast Ep. 335]
• Why Working Prototypes Fail in Production, Part 1: What Changes Before Mass Production [Podcast]
• Why Working Prototypes Fail in Production, Part 2: The Failure Patterns and Fixes [Podcast]
• Why YOU Need a Product Safety Program
• Why You Need Mature Product Designs BEFORE Working With A Chinese Manufacturer!
• Why Your New Product Development (NPD) Partner Really Matters [Podcast]
• Will A China NNN Agreement Protect Us If We Start Assembling Products There?
• Will Our Current Supplier Block The Transfer Of Our Molds To A New One? | Disputes With Chinese Suppliers Q&A (Volume 22)
• Your Chinese Supplier Says the Product Is EU/UK-Compliant. But Can You Prove It? [Podcast Ep. 344]

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• ODM
• OEM
• off-site product inspections
• offshoring
• on-site quality improvement
• online sales
• online vendors
• opening a new factory
• org charts
• package reliability testing
• package safety
• packaging
• packaging quality
• packaging reliability testing
• packing loading supervision
• paper products
• patents
• payment terms
• pcba
• pcbs
• PDA
• pilot run
• planning orders
• plastic
• plastic components
• plastic injection molding
• plastic injection molding risks
• plastic products
• podcast
• polymer options
• posting to china
• powder coating
• PP sample
• ppe
• PR
• pre-production
• pre-production sample
• preventive maintenance
• price increases
• price rises
• price validity
• pricing
• primary cells
• printing processes
• printing products
• private label products
• problems from manufacturers
• proces audits
• proces control plan
• process audits
• process automation
• process control
• process control plan
• process controls
• process engineering
• process flowchart
• process FMEA
• process improvement
• process improvement tools
• process specific audits
• procurement
• product compliance
• product concept
• product design
• product design security
• product designs
• product development
• product development agreement
• product development frameworks
• product development process
• product durability
• product inspections
• product integration
• product ip
• product liability
• product modification
• product quality
• product recall
• product reliability
• product reliability testing
• product requirements document
• product returns
• product safety
• product safety program
• product safety regulations
• product safety standards
• product scope
• product specifications
• product specifications template
• product teardown
• product testing
• production capacity
• production cycles
• production processes
• production transfer
• productivity
• professional service providers for importers
• project leaders
• project management
• project managers
• prototypes
• prototyping
• purchasing batteries
• QA
• QA plan
• qaqc
• qc
• qc checklist
• qc in china
• qc inspections
• QC inspectors
• qc plan
• QC testing
• qms
• qualifying components
• quality
• quality assurance
• quality assurance agency
• quality audits
• quality control
• quality control plan
• quality fade
• quality improvement
• quality inspection cost
• quality inspection report
• quality inspections
• quality inspectors
• quality management
• quality management system
• quality standard
• quality standards
• quality system
• quality system audits
• qualityimprovement
• qualitymanagement
• questions
• random inspections
• random sampling
• random sampling inspections
• rapid prototyping
• rapid tooling
• rare earths
• raw materials
• reactive maintenance
• receiving inspection
• receiving packages from china
• recycling
• red sea shipping
• reducing defects
• reliability
• reliability testing
• remote inspections
• remote supplier auditing
• renewable energy
• reshoring
• rework
• RFQs
• risk assessment
• risk reduction
• rmb exchange rate
• robotics
• robust design
• rohs
• samples
• sampling plan
• SCA
• scaling manufacturing
• sea freight
• secondary cells
• selective laser sintering
• selling on amazon
• sending packages from china
• shipping
• shipping capacity
• shipping from china
• silica gel
• silicone
• single sourcing
• slc
• small package shipping rates
• smart devices
• social compliance
• social compliance audit
• social compliance audits
• sofeast
• sofeast solutions
• software
• solutions for importers
• sourcing
• sourcing agents
• sourcing batteries
• sourcing chinese suppliers
• sourcing components
• sourcing from china
• sourcing from europe
• sourcing from india
• sourcing from vietnam
• sourcing outside of china
• sourcing ppe
• sourcing products
• sourcing suppliers
• sourcing tips
• spring festival
• startup accelerator
• startup incubator
• statistical analysis
• steel
• stereolithography
• subcontracting
• suing suppliers
• supplier audits
• supplier background checks
• supplier bankruptcy
• supplier development
• supplier due diligence
• supplier improvement
• supplier management
• supplier performance
• supplier production capacity
• supplier relationships
• supplier reliability
• supplier self inspection
• suppliers
• supply chain diversification
• supply chain kpis
• supply chain management
• supply chain opportunities
• supply chain risk
• supply chain risk management
• supply chain risks
• supply chain visibility
• supply-chain strategy
• support
• sustainability
• switching manufacturers
• switching suppliers
• system imporvement
• taguchi method
• taobao
• tariffs
• Technology Readiness Levels
• test to failure
• textiles
• third party fulfilment
• third party logistics company
• time to market
• tips
• tolerances
• tooling
• tooling management
• tooling packaging
• tooling transfer
• toughness
• toy design
• toy safety
• toys
• traceability
• trade fair tips
• trading companies
• Traffic Lights for Product Success. How Phase Gates Save Time & Money
• travel to china
• trump
• types of batteries
• ukca mark
• ul
• us/china trade war
• us/china tradewar
• usa
• ux
• vacuum casting
• validating product ideas
• validating supplier capacity
• validating supplier production capacity
• vetting suppliers
• Vietnam
• vietnam vs china
• vietnamese suppliers
• warehousing
• warranties
• waste
• wearable technology
• weee
• western relationships with china
• what is a man-day
• wider supply chain
• working with manufacturers
• working with product designers

FAQs

• 1. Different interpretations of what’s required from each lab.
• 3. Ignoring important elements which can decrease risk.
• 4. Testing every single SKU, or every single substance, to max out costs.
• 5. Forgetting critical standards for products in more than one category.
• 6. They assume all needs to be tested in their own labs.
• Am I at risk of my Chinese supplier providing me with fake or low-quality batteries that don’t reach my requirements?
• Any tips on how to work with your project managers for best results?
• Are batteries AC or DC?
• Are Sofeast’s warehouses climate-controlled?
• Are you responsible for the quality of the production?
• Before deciding on a battery technology, what questions should you ask yourself?
• Can Sofeast check if our supplier is legitimate?
• Can Sofeast develop our electronic product’s firmware or mobile app?
• Can Sofeast do design & development work, or do you simply guide that process?
• Can Sofeast handle my dropshipping?
• Can Sofeast help develop and source our packaging?
• Can Sofeast help me create my QC checklist?
• Can Sofeast help me draft an ‘NNN’ agreement to protect my IP?
• Can Sofeast help me to find suppliers?
• Can Sofeast help me transfer tooling from an old to a new supplier?
• Can Sofeast help us deal with our production issues?
• Can Sofeast help us store our tooling in China safely between productions?
• Can Sofeast help us with the certification of our new product?
• Can Sofeast inspect medical face masks?
• Can Sofeast make a prototype of my product idea?
• Can Sofeast perform due diligence checks on companies across Asia?
• Can Sofeast provide a regular re-auditing program on my supplier/s?
• Can Sofeast recommend reliable/trustworthy suppliers to us?
• Can Sofeast sign an NDA before we work with you?
• Can we count just 1 man-day for 1 shipment?
• Can we pay a price per piece, or a percentage of the order value?
• Can we send Sofeast our new product design before we send it to a Chinese manufacturer?
• Can you give us the contacts of good factories?
• Can you help check molds made by our Chinese toolmaker are perfect before they’re shipped?
• Can you help us register patents or trademarks in China?
• Can you negotiate better price and terms with Alibaba suppliers than I already did?
• Can you search suppliers based on our BOM?
• Can’t we just find a standard reliability testing plan and get a quotation for it from Sofeast?
• current Sofeast clients provide me with a testimonial for your work?
• Do I need to run these checks?
• Do manufacturers usually ensure products are reliable?
• Do you have MOQs for 3PL solutions?
• Do you need shipping insurance?
• Do you need to go on-site to audit my supplier?
• Do you work with medical products?
• Do your quality inspectors confirm that the products are fully compliant based on certificates provided by the factory?
• Does Sofeast develop new products in return for equity shares in the business?
• Does Sofeast have its own factory?
• Does Sofeast operate a testing lab?
• Have you confirmed HS code and applicable import duty for your products?
• How can we be sure that a vetted supplier’s products are safe for us to purchase right now?
• How do I contact Sofeast?
• How do we get to Sofeast’s Shenzhen office?
• How do we make payments to Sofeast?
• How do we start an inspection project with Sofeast?
• How do we use sofeast-booking.com to book a product inspection?
• How do you calculate the sample size to check in inspections?
• How does Sofeast differ to its competitors?
• How does Sofeast get paid? With a % on the order amount?
• How does Sofeast invoice for services?
• How does Sofeast prevent bribery of your staff who go to factories?
• How does Sofeast’s R&D team compare to other ways of developing your product?
• How is a contract with Sofeast typically structured?
• How long does an inspection project take?
• How to assess & improve my supplier’s processes when working with Sofeast?
• How to calculate how long a power supply will provide power for?
• How to calculate import taxes?
• How to get competitive product prices?
• How to test battery voltage with a multimeter?
• How would you advise testing Lithium-ion battery quality?
• I ’m developing a new product, is it too early for me to work with Sofeast?
• I want to regularly employ Sofeast to perform product inspections. Can you give me a lower price?
• I’m importing Lithium Ion batteries into the USA. What are the safety guidelines I need to comply with?
• If I want to source a component supplier, can you help?
• If our device’s battery was tested by a 3rd party, will we be covered from any liability should the batteries cause problems later?
• In case of failures, what are the steps of failure analysis?
• Instead of always paying for hours of work, is it possible to pay Sofeast a percentage of the orders?
• Is Sofeast a 3PL?
• Is Sofeast an intermediary/middleman?
• Is Sofeast just a Quality Inspection company?
• Is there a reliable website that tracks costs of cold rolled steel, aluminum, zinc, plastics, corrugate, etc?
• Li-po VS Li-ion batteries. What’s the difference?
• Roughly how long will it take to produce our new hardware product?
• So, does Sofeast do the usual work of a sourcing agent?
• Sofeast helped develop our product. Can you also manufacture it?
• The labs may not take the time to ask certain questions.
• We already have suppliers for certain components, etc. Can we still use them if we work with Sofeast?
• We are looking for a supplier who’s as cheap as possible, but with acceptable quality. Can you help?
• We can find people with lower rates. What justifies your rates?
• We have a product idea and we might have to make it in China. What next?
• What are factory audits?
• What are some of the key battery standards to be aware of?
• What are supplier background checks?
• What are the average shipping lead-times?
• What are the common battery sizes?
• What are the issues related to battery disposal?
• What are the solutions Sofeast offer?
• What confidence can we have in the suggestions you make about product compliance?
• What do the inspection reports Sofeast provides clients with look like?
• What does battery voltage mean?
• What does Sofeast need to know to get started working with me on my new product development project?
• What does Sofeast’s 90-point DFM checklist cover?
• What does volumetric weight mean for air freight and Express shipments?
• What equipment do you have for packing goods?
• What equipment do you have for product assembly for fastened products?
• What happens if an inspection is failed?
• What happens if some of the design work Sofeast’s team does leads to production problems?
• What information do battery buyers really need from their supplier?
• What information do we need, to quote for reliability & durability testing?
• What information does Sofeast need, to give a confirmed quotation?
• What is a ‘BOM?’
• What is a “man day”?
• What is a battery management system for Lithium ion and other secondary batteries?
• What is a Quality Assurance program and why do we need one?
• What is quality consulting?
• What is Sofeast’s office address?
• What is the minimum weight of Air Cargo?
• What is your sourcing process?
• What kinds of products can be quality checked by Sofeast?
• What NPI process does Sofeast follow?
• What services does Sofeast offer that are related to warehousing and fulfilment?
• What should our suppliers know, before sending their goods to your FTZ facility?
• What sort of liability does Sofeast assume for product defects occurring after an inspection?
• What to expect when working with Sofeast
• What type of reliability testing is helpful during product development?
• What type of reliability testing is helpful in every mass production batch?
• What type of reliability testing is helpful in the pre-production stage?
• What types of factory audits do Sofeast offer?
• What types of product inspections do Sofeast offer?
• What types of products does Sofeast work on?
• What types of supply chain management solutions do Sofeast offer?
• What’s the difference between a cell and a battery?
• What’s the difference between LFP, NMC, and NCA secondary cell chemistries?
• What’s the difference between quality and reliability?
• When do shipping costs rise?
• When should supplier due diligence checks be done?
• When Sofeast does R&D work on our product, are we locked into paying a fixed price or do we have flexibility?
• When we become a Sofeast client, how is our project managed?
• Where can I find a good contract manufacturer in China?
• Where can I find out more about Sofeast’s factory audits?
• Where can I find out more about Sofeast’s product inspections?
• Where can I find out more about Sofeast’s quality consulting? Sofeast
• Where can I find out more about Sofeast’s supplier background checks?
• Where does Sofeast provide logistics support from?
• Where in the world can Sofeast perform product quality inspections?
• Which type of batteries are commonly used in portable electronics?
• Who are Sofeast?
• Who do I speak to if I have issues or questions with the way things are going?
• Who does Sofeast typically work with?
• Who owns all the intellectual property generated when Sofeast does design/engineering work for us?
• Why Can’t Sofeast Take On Our New Product R&D Project?
• Why do hardware startups run into problems when launching new products?
• Why do you have minimum amounts for some services, like prototyping?
• Why does Sofeast have minimum budget requirements for R&D projects requiring product design and DFM, and what are they?
• Why to choose a DFM review?
• Why would we need a DFM review, and what is its value?
• Will the quality of my products be perfect following an inspection?
• Your hourly price is too high, and we can find cheaper on Upwork. Can you reduce it?

Glossary

• 8D Problem Solving Process
• Abrasive Wear Testing
• Acceptance quality limit (AQL)
• Amazon FBA Selling
• Amazon Labeling Requirements
• Amazon’s Performance Targets for FBA Sellers
• AQL Calculator
• AQL table
• Bill of Materials (BoM)
• BSI ISO 9001 Certification
• Carriage Paid To (CPT) [Incoterms]
• Carton Compression Test (what it is and its procedure)
• Color Material Finish (CMF)
• Contract Manufacturer
• Corrective Action Plan
• Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) [Incoterms]
• Critical To Quality (CTQ)
• DDU VS DDP Shipping. Which Incoterm To Use?
• Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) [Incoterms]
• Demurrage vs Detention
• Design For Assembly (DFA)
• Design For Crowdfunding (Kickstarter & Indiegogo)
• Design for Distribution (DFD)
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
• Design for Quality (DFQ)
• Design For Sustainability
• Design to Cost (DTC)
• DMAIC
• EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services Supplier)
• EXW Shipping [Incoterms]
• Fabric Inspection: How It’s Done
• FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis)
• FOB Shipping (Free On Board) [Incoterms]
• Free Carrier (FCA) – Named place of delivery [Incoterms]
• Golden Sample in Manufacturing: Definition, Uses, Risks, and Approval Checklist
• HALT Testing (Highly Accelerated Life Test)
• How Does International Shipping Work?
• How to calculate landed cost
• How To Check Humidity In Wood And Cardboard
• HS and HTS Codes
• Inspection levels
• ISO 2859 standard
• Life Test To Determine Product Reliability
• Lot (total ordered quantity)
• Measurement And Test Equipment Calibration
• Measurement And Test Equipment Verification
• Mold Tech Texture Book
• MTBF Confirmation Testing (Mean Time Between Failures)
• New Product Launch Process
• NPD Project Constraints (3 common examples)
• NPI Process (New Product Introduction)
• ODM (Original Design Manufacturer)
• OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
• One Piece Flow Manufacturing
• Packaging Damage
• PDCA: Plan, Do, Check, Act
• Pilot Run
• Plastics Recycling Numbers
• POP Test (for EU compliance)
• Preventive Maintenance Plan Template
• Process Control Plan
• Process Flowcharts
• Product inspections
• Product Teardown
• Production Preparation Process (3P)
• Prototyping Process To Test & Refine a New Product Design
• Quality Assurance vs Quality Control
• Quality defects
• REACH Testing (for EU compliance)
• Reaction Injection Molding Compared To Other Manufacturing Processes
• Recommerce
• Reinspection following a refusal
• Risk Priority Number (RPN)
• RoHS Test (for EU compliance)
• Sample
• Shipping Marks
• Supply Chain Management
• Sustainable Manufacturing
• SynControl Implementation Partnership
• The 8 Wastes In Manufacturing (Free Template)
• The different names & classifications for face masks and respirators
• Trading Companies
• Types of Incoterms
• Visual Management Boards
• What Are Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)?
• What Are TRL (Technology Readiness Levels)?
• What Does ‘Eco-Friendly’ Mean?
• What does biodegradable mean in the context of manufacturing?
• What does compostable mean in relation to manufacturing and packaging materials?
• What is a 3PL?
• What is a battery MSDS (material safety data sheet)?
• What Is A Battery Specification Sheet?
• What Is A Package Drop Test?
• What Is A Package Vibration Test?
• What Is A Packaging Atmospheric Conditioning Test?
• What Is A PP Sample?
• What Is A Quality Assurance Plan?
• What is an FAI First Article Inspection?
• What is an NRE Cost (Non-Recurring Engineering)?
• What is EU RoHS certification?
• What is Model Based Definition (MBD) and its benefits?
• What is MOQ?
• What Is Product Engineering?
• What Is Prototype Tooling?
• What Is Quality Assurance?
• What Is UV Testing & How Is It Performed?
• What Is Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)?
• What Items Are Recyclable?