Cutting Edge Tehnology

Visit just about any manufacturing company today and while waiting at reception one often has time to read stuff company's say about themselves. Amongst the BBBEEE ratings, "Best Supplier" and other awards and mission statements, some a bit jaded now, you often find reference to this company being a leader in its field, with Cutting Edge Technology. (CET)

How come then, when you offer CET to a production manager or senior technical person, one of the first questions to be asked is: "Who else is doing this?"



So is Copy Paste the same as Cutting Edge?

Uber is cutting edge. Everyone else is copy paste.
iPhone is cutting edge.
New Zealand Rugby is cutting edge.

The best way to explore a cutting edge project is firstly to realise that it is a process that requires more than one input. As a manufacturer, you may have a very clear idea of what outcome you desire. An equipment supplier may be able to meet parts of that desire, and a system integrator completes the circle. Academics may know what has to be integrated, and appropriate engineers will know how to do it.

If you are in the happy position to have assembled the Dream and the Team, then don't wait for someone else to prove it can be done. Be secure that cutting takes effort, and if you have a running start, your competitors will always be catching up.

Customisation is always the goal when looking to rise above the herd. It not possible for everyone to do the same old same old (so-so) things and expect customers to be excited, and excited they want to be.

Purchasing managers know that an adversarial relationship with suppliers is more expensive than a more collegial approach. Suppliers will go the extra mile to make an outcome possible with a customer who is both willing to experience the odd blip on the way, as well as contribute to the costs of trial and error.

One huge advantage German manufacturers have over their competitors is small cutting edge company's working together with a University or Academic Specialist and a major manufacturer to perfect some tine part of their overall processes. For this reason we have set up "Centre of Excellence" relationships with Academics as a bridge to "Proof of Concept" trials to allow Try before you Buy experiences.

This process seems a bit slower, requires more planning, meetings, clarifying and trust all round. The results are not a tweak or gloss to an old process, but a whole new way of doing things.

Light and Spectroscopy is in the fore field of CET. If you don't understand it, get to grips with it and reap the rewards.