NAI - Design & Engineering Services

The NAI New Product Introduction (NPI) Operation links a new customer project from its early design phase through launch and mass production. The NPI Team develops a manufacturing assembly plan, documents and implements the related best practices, and provides cross-functional team support. This specialized group is dedicated to providing shorter lead times, on-time delivery, premium quality and a safe launch.

A drawing of a completed assembly and its related “working board” is created by the NPI Team. They also create a prototype and a production sample, along with a Bill of Materials. NAI can provide the First Article within two to four weeks.

The focused and agile NPI team is also tasked with preparing the visual aids and other tools needed for production. In addition, dedicated program managers utilize and oversee the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process, similar to the tool adopted by major auto manufacturers, for proactive quality planning in the design and manufacturing stages.

NAI’s Solutions Center in Troy, Michigan is staffed by experienced design and application engineers who partner with our customers to provide the right connectivity solution for the application. Our capabilities can be scaled to meet our customers’ needs, ranging from design assist to full service. Our engineers are available to help our customers in selecting the appropriate off-the-shelf materials and perform VA/VE reviews of existing applications as well as design an entire connectivity solution.

Through expert engineering and specialized testing, our dedicated Center of Excellence design and development facility ensures Design for Manufacturability (DFM), product performance, reliability, on-time delivery and achieves cost savings. We also have proprietary processes for bonding over-molds to the cable jacket substrate and for near bubble-free fiber optic cable connections.

The CoE utilizes CAD equipment and 3D printers to realize the appropriate design solution that will meet a customer’s requirements. CAD software platforms include ACAD, SolidWorks and CorelDraw. FormLabs software is utilized for 3D printing to simulate prototype assemblies.

A wall of monitors provides CoE engineers with project dashboards, allowing them to control the design and testing process. Monitors display project status in real time, progress percentage and highlights, as well as live thermal test data.

Test operations include:

• Environmental test (thermal chambers)
• Immersion test according to IP67
• Cross-section analysis (connectors, cable assembly and transition areas)
• Tensile and connector tests based on connector specification or customer requirement
• End face and geometry, per standard spec IEC 61300 or customer requirement