Quanta Column for FEI Company

From Proto to Series Production

April 2007

In order to be cost-competitive, companies look for low-cost suppliers. Creating prototypes requires different competences, and the FEI Company was searching for a supplier able to provide entire production cycles. Norma had a solution and started work on the Quanta Column.

Project
The FEI Company needed a supplier that was capable of making the first prototypes for a new product and then continuing with the production. We started with building prototypes, which we approached as a project according to the Prince2 methodology, which is a structured way of arriving at the desired results in a controlled manner.

Indonesia
At the same time, we invested in three high-precision milling and turning Mori Seiki machines in order to process the Quanta Column at our factory in Indonesia. To facilitate the transfer, we purchased the same machine for our location in Hengelo. There, we produced the prototypes and the first production series. Next, we transferred production to Norma Asia in Bandung, with the aid of the same programs, tools and fixtures. By keeping the proto phase in-house and having the production carried out by our Indonesian colleagues, we have met the client’s objectives. This manufacturing methodology ensures that the future product life cycle remains price competitive and that new product technologies are fully integrated when they become available.