Customization

Podcast Transcript

Jeff: Welcome to RECOM's Powerful Podcast, where we discuss new topics and products. I'm Jeff Deutschman, your product moderator. From a quarter watt up to 1,000 watts, whether the power is required for an industrial setting, a new IoT gadget, or a high-end medical-grade device, RECOM has you covered.
In this episode, we'll be discussing RECOM's customization capabilities. Peter, what can you tell us about our process?

Peter: Hello, Jeff. First off, I'd like to state that every custom project is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This is simply the nature of the game. We need to make sure a project makes sense for both RECOM and our customer.

Jeff: Well, that absolutely makes sense. So, what are some of the key items we need to know before pursuing a custom opportunity?

Peter: Well, the first and most important are the technical specifications and really understanding the customer's requirements. We can serve a wide range of power levels. So, whether it's a 2W or a 2000W, we have multiple design teams who are capable of tackling these problems.

Jeff: That's awesome. We also check to see if there's any existing RECOM solutions that might work also, right?

Peter: Exactly. So, our technical team can also see if there's another product in our portfolio that will work, whether that is past, current, or future.

Jeff: What other details do we need to take into consideration?

Peter: Yeah, so we also need project details. This includes project timeline and annual usage. We need to have a general understanding of when the customer needs engineering samples as well as full production parts.

Jeff: Certainly, makes sense. What about certifications though?

Peter: Yes, of course, certifications are also very important. Once the customer approves the design, RECOM would submit it to the certification agency and get the stamp of approval. From there, we'd be able to provide all the proper documents.

Jeff: Okay. And for some customers, are we able to skip the recertification altogether?

Peter: Definitely. It all depends on the situation and what level of customization the end customer needs.

Jeff: Right. I'd say get on my level, but what are those different levels?

Peter: We break it down into three different levels. They are modified standard, semi-customs, and fully customs.

Jeff: That's great. Can you go over those for our audience?

Peter: Of course. We'll start with the most simple one, modified standard. This is where we modify an existing part to fit the customer's needs. This could mean changing an internal component to slightly alter the performance to better suit the customer.

Jeff: All right. Can you provide an example of this type?

Peter: Of course. This could be mechanical, such as removing a no-connect pin or adjusting pin length. We also had a customer from the past who wanted to add an internal resistor to act as a dummy load. And this dummy load would help provide better regulation for this specific customer and their application.

Jeff: All right. And these are simple modifications that may not require a recertification.

Peter: Exactly. With something like this, we can skip that altogether.

Jeff: What about the next level?

Peter: Semi-customs are a little more complicated and require us to change a critical component of an existing power supply. One example would be changing the input or output voltages for an isolated power supply.

Jeff: Sounds a little intense. What would that require?

Peter: Most likely, we'll have to construct a new transformer and change a few of the other internal components. Since the transformer is a safety-critical component, we'd have to go through recertification here.

Jeff: Would we cover the certification costs in this example?

Peter: Yeah. Again, everything is handled case-by-case, but I'd say in most situations, we'd do our best to cover this for the customer.

Jeff: Excellent. Let's wrap up with the fully custom solutions. What can you tell us?

Peter: Sounds good. Like the name implies, these are completely new products that we would design from the ground up. This involves collaboration between tech support, the customer, and our design teams. This is a newer program for us, but we have the technical expertise, and the sky's the limit.

Jeff: Definitely some exciting stuff, Peter. As always, thanks for sharing with us. Well, that wraps up another episode of RECOM's Powerful Podcast. Be sure to listen next time when we delve into the pros of another RECOM topic. As always, please contact your regional sales manager for any samples or pricing information. Our application engineers are always happy to assist you with any technical questions or requests. You can email them at techsupportamericas@recom-power.com. Until then, have a great day and always remember, RECOM powers your products!