Today, I went to visit one of our PCBA suppliers with our Production Director and Quality Director. They’re both foreigners—the Production Director is from Scotland, and the Quality Director is from the U.S. We visited the supplier because we had just received the first batch of products and found a few issues that needed to be discussed.

The meeting was really productive. We worked through quite a few problems and reached agreements on several important points. After the meeting, we toured their production line and took a look at their overall operations. The workshop was clean and well-organized, and the staff looked neat and professional.

Our two directors also gave the supplier some practical and valuable suggestions. For example, all the shelving units used for storing electronic components in the warehouse need to be properly grounded. The solder paste also needs to be stored in a refrigerator, and the refrigerator should be locked. Solder paste is quite expensive, so keeping it locked up helps make sure the material is properly protected and accounted for.

They also pointed out that some of the production equipment needs to be calibrated regularly. The factory is preparing for an ISO 9000 audit, so keeping all the equipment properly calibrated is an important requirement for passing the audit.

I acted as the interpreter throughout the entire visit because none of the supplier’s staff speak English. I translated back and forth between Chinese and English and helped both sides communicate clearly. I actually really enjoyed taking on this role. It felt good to be able to connect both sides and make sure everyone understood each other.

Overall, the visit went really well. The supplier’s facility left a very good impression on us, and they seem to be a reliable partner. Hopefully, we can build a long-term relationship with them and work on more projects together in the future.