Our Strengths
The key to Viable Power’s success has been our ability to provide quality custom products to our customers. Some of our key strengths which allow us to achieve this are listed below:
1 – Short Product Development Cycles
Viable Power uses industry standard power converter modules from a broad range of renowned manufacturers to develop a custom solution that addresses all requirements. The modular design approach permits shorter design cycles. Our design efforts can be focused on any additional circuitry required, thermal design and mechanical design attributes.
We target a 16-week development cycle, from receipt of order (with agreed specification) to delivery of the first article. Although delivery of product is always dependent on component lead times, with our varied portfolio of products and re-use of circuit designs, we stock a large proportion of the material for most products.
2 – Reduced Development Costs
Shorter development cycles reduce development costs. Wherever possible, Viable Power maximizes the use of already proven circuits for the various functions required within our designs. This provides design cost reduction, shorter design cycle and improved reliability through use of proven circuits.
3 – Supplier Relationships
Viable Power works hard to nurture strong relationships with all our suppliers. We support local and Canadian suppliers wherever possible. Our approach is one of win-win-win, for our customers, suppliers and ourselves. Strong supplier relationships result in reduced lead times, reduced costs and satisfied customers.
4 – Proprietary ERP System
In 2010, Viable Power initiated the development of a custom Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system which closely reflected our quality management system (QMS). The result is an ERP system that fully integrates our work, from the configuration and control of all product drawings and bill of materials (BOMs), the customer demands for products, the supplier purchase orders for all required materials, the review and approval of suppliers, management of nonconformances, control of manufacturing activities, documentation of test failures, the management of corrective and preventive actions, and the issuance of certificates of conformity.
The ERP system provides a one stop shop for all our ‘In House Designed’ and ‘Customer Designed Contract Manufacturing’ configuration information and allows us to quickly trace and manage any issues.
5 – Rapid Production Turn-around
Viable Power targets a 12-week turnaround for mature repeat production. Collaboration between ourselves, our customers and suppliers to actively expedite all material shortages often results in meeting or beating these targets. Our lean, dynamic workforce can be quickly re-deployed to address the ever-changing demands of our various Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) rated orders as soon as the required material is on hand. We are always willing to work with our Customers to ensure we can achieve their delivery demands. To address specific fast turnaround customer requirements, we institute agreements to hold a minimum stock of longer lead products enabling us to commit to the shorter customer lead times.
6 – Commitment to Quality
Viable Power is fully committed to an ethos of Quality. We are ISO9001:2015 and AS9100:2016 certified. Our ongoing commitment to certification to these internationally recognized quality management systems (QMS) has allowed us to realize improved customer satisfaction, better decision making, employee engagement, improved supplier relationships and a systematic cycle of continuous improvement.
Our electronic assemblers are trained and certified to IPC-J-STD-001. Our quality control inspectors are trained and certified to IPC-A-610. We manufacture all products to Class 3 requirements. Viable Power stands by each and every product manufactured for the lifetime of that product.
7 – Highly Customized Skill Based Manufacturing
The manufacturing facility is divided into skill-based workstations rather than a line-based system. Multi-skilled assemblers can quickly be deployed to work on different products throughout the facility. This process allows multiple products to be progressed simultaneously through the facility. This methodology is highly suited to the concurrent manufacture of multiple low to medium volume products.
8 – Automated Test Equipment (ATE)
The Viable Power Automated Test Equipment (ATE) is capable of testing a power supply unit with up to 8 output channels. It uses standard AC or DC sources and electronic loads. Measurements are done with Keysight and Tektronics instruments. The proprietary design facilitates simple application and re-configuration to different products in a short timeframe; thus, it is ideally suited to our multiple products, low to medium volume production runs.
The ATE runs National Instruments LabVIEWTM and TestStandTM software. Individual tests are developed and use standard virtual instruments to control the test hardware. TestStandTM sequences the tests resulting in a consolidated procedure for each product. Tests results are prepared into easily read reports which are submitted with every product to the Customer. The ATE yields shorter production cycles and improved repeatability resulting in a high-quality product.
