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Manufacturing Day!!! — Parallax Forums

Manufacturing Day!!!

edited 2013-10-10 11:23 in General Discussion
Hello everyone!


My name is Jennifer Fabrizio, the Production Manager here at Parallax. I am new to the forums and this is my first official forum post!


Friday, October 4th is Manufacturing Day! We are joining other manufacturing companies around the U.S. to celebrate our manufacturing abilities and our incredible manufacturing staff. We take pride in our work and proud to make some of THE BEST products around for YOU! :)


This is our first year in participation and to celebrate, Parallax is holding a private event and will be hosting a lunch in honor of our manufacturing staff. We have invited their families to join us and tour the facility.


We would also LOVE to hear from you!! I'd like to share some of your thoughts on this topic with my staff and let them know how much they are appreciated. Please share!!


What are your thoughts on Parallax's ability to manufacture here in our own facility? What has been your experience with the quality of our products? What are some of your favorite Made in the USA products that Parallax builds?


To find out more about Manufacturing Day, visit: Mfgday.com


Thank you! :)
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Comments

  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-09-30 11:54
    Just tell them they are the best, without them, we the customers wouldn't be able to indulge in such a great hobby and learn so easily!

    Keep up the great work :smile:
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,511
    edited 2013-09-30 12:37
    Happy Manufacturing Day!!

    I've always been very happy with the quality of the products I have purchased from Parallax. Not only are they well designed and well built, Parallax stands behind them like no other company I've ever worked with. Congratulations on your part in making Parallax products excellent!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-09-30 13:06
    I think it's great that you manufacture/assemble in USA. It gives me incentive to purchase from you and sets an example that it can be done.

    The 4x5 board form factor. Nice to swap out a variety of boards without changing standoffs, etc. It is nice to have a form factor that does not change every single revision. There are no weirdly shaped boards with odd size mounting holes. The board itself is very durable and will not let you down. From the precision SMT component placement to the included sticky bumps, it is all very nice.

    My favorite, the Prop Project Board, is the most functional for me. It screams build something here, then move it over to custom PCB, mass produce, and make money yourself.
    Chips and boards aside the quality of the experience is great too! Plenty of resources, and a company willing to listen to their customers.

    My only complaint is that you are not located in San Diego ;)
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    edited 2013-09-30 13:53
    Welcome to the Forums, Jennifer. Not one complaint about Parallax. First rate products, technology and such fine people! Your company is generous to a fault. Keep up the excellent work!
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2013-09-30 14:06
    Parallax Manufacturing makes great things happen!

    The DefCon badges were great at Propeller exposure, and I heard you all worked at a dizzying pace trying to get that out. So, hat's off to that. I'm sure that's just one of many examples.

    I've been a customer for 20 years, and have never had a problem with a Parallax manufacturing quality.

    Thank you all for achieving so much!

    --Steve
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,386
    edited 2013-09-30 19:52
    Hey all,

    While I realize that Jen is asking you a few questions (please answer them) I reinforce that she and her team are absolutely critical to our success at Parallax. Running inventory, manufacturing, kitting and shipping takes one very capable, strong and positive person. Jen has a tough job, too - though integrated with our early engineering processes she also has to work with the situations we create by building the products we design. Never a complaint. Jen also manages our inventory and kitting, so this means she has to solve excess inventory problems when poor decisions are made elsewhere upstream. Jen has worked at Parallax for perhaps 13+(?) years in several capacities before accepting the key role she has today.

    And get this - she maintains a 99.97% inventory accuracy with a bunch of people (like the Parallax folks on this forum) that freely check out the inventory they need. Many companies would do anything to have this kind of inventory accuracy.

    There are many key people working for all of us behind the scenes and we appreciate them very much. We'll get to know some more of them in the next couple of days, I'm sure.

    "Manufacturing day" should be every day this week at Parallax!

    Ken Gracey
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,740
    edited 2013-09-30 20:57
    Welcome to the forums Jen. Parallax products are great and it's nice to see that most are now made in the USA and that some also have a lifetime guarantee.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-09-30 21:06
    I've always been happy with Parallax products and I'm pleased to see there's an effort underway to bring some of the manufacturing back to the USA.

    Thanks everyone and welcome to the forums, Jennifer.
  • dgatelydgately Posts: 1,621
    edited 2013-09-30 22:49
    What are your thoughts on Parallax's ability to manufacture here in our own facility?

    Good to know that Parallax is manufacturing products in the U.S. which provides a benefit to workers and the economy right at home, in the country, state and region of Parallax's HQ.

    Keeping as much manufacturing as possible within the company's location provides benefit to design, bring-up and quality as proximity does allow high levels of communication between the entire project team. Continual improvement of process is aided by proximity of all project/product teams.

    As fuel prices increase and the wages of workers in "traditional" manufacturing countries rise, costs of manufacturing in the U.S. should become more competitive. Companies like Parallax are hopefully front-runners in bringing home manufacturing, where it makes sense.


    What has been your experience with the quality of our products?

    Product quality and support directly from Parallax make a big difference to me. Purchasing kits and development components requires at some point a "leap of faith" in that you're depending on individual components to work "as expected" in order to assemble a hobby project or something of a commercial nature. Less time spent "debugging" either a problem or just the intricacies of a component means more time to create new stuff. Parallax provides quality components no doubt and then backs them up with quick replacement when there are problems (Wow, what a concept!). The amount and types of support from Parallax exceed many other companies that I've dealt with in the world of electronic products.


    What are some of your favorite Made in the USA products that Parallax builds?

    Human Interface card
    Propeller Memory Card
    Compass Module 3-Axis HMC5883L Card


    Touring Parallax's manufacturing areas during Propeller Expos, showed a high level of worker pride in the work and facilities. Parallax has a unique quality about how it does business and having some level of manufacturing done not just locally, but internally is part of that quality. Works for me!

    dgately
  • M. HuntzingerM. Huntzinger Posts: 1
    edited 2013-09-30 23:11
    Manufacturing day is a special day for all companies in America! Awesome thread jen!

    I think Jen would agree too a special thanks for: Terrel, Tiffany and Sue who make the wheels turn in manufacturing as well!

    <we need there pictures posted here, can someone do that! :cool:!>

    -Matt





    "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." H.S. Truman
  • edited 2013-10-01 13:17
    Thank you everyone for the great responses!! We appreciate the feedback.
  • edited 2013-10-01 14:16
    I'll be sure to let them know. Thank you!
  • Invent-O-DocInvent-O-Doc Posts: 768
    edited 2013-10-02 07:54
    Welcome to the forums, Jen!

    I've been lucky enough to take a tour of the manufacturing area at Parallax. The equipment was great to see, but the people there impressed me the most. What a great bunch of people, who seemed happy and enthusiastic about their work.

    I've always gotten a good build quality and am quite pleased to be buying made in USA products when we can. I do the same for appliances, cars and tools.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-10-02 08:16
    Wow! October 4th? You mean I can take my wife out for our anniversary and secretly celebrate Manufacturing day?

    Seriously, I think Parallax does an excellent job with manufacturing and kitting. I've purchased a number of boards and kits and haven't had any issues. On the forums you are always seeing example of Parallax doing "the right thing" to correct any situations with part shortages or failures in kits or failures in their manufactured boards.

    As always! Excellent job! You should be a model for other businesses that aren't able to figure out how important satisfied customers are.

    Happy Manufacturing Day to the unsung heroes in the back rooms!
  • EmilyKurzeEmilyKurze Posts: 127
    edited 2013-10-02 15:01
    Want to see our amazing Manufacturing Staff in action? Check out all the pictures in our news post about celebrating MFG Day here at Parallax.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    edited 2013-10-02 20:06
    mindrobots wrote: »
    Wow! October 4th? You mean I can take my wife out for our anniversary and secretly celebrate Manufacturing day?

    Congrats Rick!

    Said another way, Manufacturing Day is the day after our twins' Oct 3 birthday!
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-10-03 11:47
    MFGDay13-02_0.png

    Our manufacturing team works cohesively to create the great Parallax products that are made in the USA and with the old-school pride in their work. These guys are a pleasure to work with and though I don't spend very much time in the manufacturing department, the time I do spend is always great. That said, I have my own personal shout-outs for each member of the team based on my interactions with them.

    BioJenFSq.jpg

    Jen - Thanks for letting the manufacturing team have a say in how some of the processes are defined, giving them the flexibility to work they way they do and for acknowledging them personally on the forums where so many users of our products visit. Also for working with the other departments to improve efficiency between departments.

    MFGDay13-03.png

    Terell - Thanks for very quickly handling all my requests to rework this board, change SMD components on that board and attach wire-wrap wires to create test points while I am troubleshooting a design. You do this without complaint and have even gotten the requests while you were eating lunch. :innocent:

    (sorry, didn't have a photo for Sue)
    Sue - Thanks for running all those test procedures for me on RMAs when we don't have a tester in TS. It helps when you already know the test procedure and can efficiently handle the request much faster than I could. :thumb:


    MFGDay13-05.png

    Tiffany - Thanks for helping me find things when I am looking for them in manufacturing and the laughing at my dumb jokes about how I can't find anything in your department. :smile: Plus you're always smiling/laughing.


    MFGDay13-07.png

    Kenneth - Your modifications to existing designs always keep us engineering types on our toes. Your custom Stingray chassis really made me rethink chassis designs. :cool: Oh, and your Oscar the Grouch T-Shirt still cracks me up.


    MFGDay13-08.png

    Matt - Thanks for always noticing when I wear my yellow Parallax Expo "Ask Me" shirt to the Rocklin office. You're the only one who seems to notice! :nerd:

    And thanks to you all for working so well with us on all the products we come to you about.
    1000 x 650 - 1M
    848 x 1000 - 1M
    1000 x 802 - 1M
    889 x 1000 - 2M
    1000 x 669 - 1M
    125 x 125 - 3K
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-10-04 04:04
    Its got to be done......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us3dQ0nnlHY
  • Mari H.Mari H. Posts: 3
    edited 2013-10-04 11:15
    ~ Happy Manufacturing Day to our Wonderful Parallax Team!! It's a joy working with you everyday.

    Cheers to you!! :)
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    edited 2013-10-04 12:45
    Happy Manufacturing Day to Parallax, and Happy Anniversary to Rick/mindrobots!
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-10-04 12:55
    @erco: awww, thanks, man! 27 years and growing, even longer than Parallax!!


    HMD to Parallax!!
  • EmilyKurzeEmilyKurze Posts: 127
    edited 2013-10-04 13:06
    We made a video in celebration of our talented manufacturing staff! Check out the Activity Board: How It's Made :)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-10-04 13:13
    Nice video!

    How long does an Activity Board spend getting picked and placed? Just curious how fast that little guy can pick&place.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2013-10-04 14:07
    Congratulation to all the Manufacturing Team at Parallax. You all do a fantastic job!
  • edited 2013-10-04 14:28
    Thank you everyone for making this Manufacturing Day great!!!
  • PropGuy2PropGuy2 Posts: 358
    edited 2013-10-04 15:54
    Parallax Manufacturing staff - A big shout out to everybody. I have been using Parallax products for over 15 years, starting with the Basic Stamp. Probably built a hundred test jigs & fixtures over the years using the Basic Stamp. Now I am doing a whole product line using the Propeller chip. It has the competition beat in features, support, AND QUALITY ! Thank you all. Thanks for bringing manufacturing home to the USA !!! icon14.png
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2013-10-04 20:30
    Nice video. It would be great if the educational program had a lesson on PCB design and manufacturing, supported mostly by documentary type videos like the one above.
  • Tony B.Tony B. Posts: 356
    edited 2013-10-06 05:56
    Thanks for all the great products you have, are, and will continue to make for us to use and enjoy.

    One question, do any of the manufacturing staff use the products they make each day in their own projects?
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2013-10-08 08:59
    This group is truly a bunch on un-sung heros. I walk through their area everyday, - multiple times - and it's always hoppin' - And I know that they absolutely love the opportunity to produce QUALITY products - They're given the freedom (and resources) to make every product the best it can be.

    YAY MFRING TEAM!!!
    -MattG
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-10-08 09:43
    I walk through their area everyday, - multiple times

    Are they on your way to the break room?? :lol:

    (just yanking your chain, Matt. You are one of the sung heroes around Parallax!)
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