Upcoming in February, in Dallas, TX from 19th to 22nd is the latest USA trade show on a growing list of ones I have attended. This is the annual conference of the WHMA organization, the Wiring Harness Manufacturers Association – a body which promotes best practice and standardization in the industry. Like many conferences of this type the event features supplier partner presence and that’s why I will be there – part of the Siemens contingent. The first one I ever attended was Hershey, PA when the Mentor Graphics booth (equipment didn’t arrive,thanks for nothing well known shipping company) As best I can remember that was perhaps 14 years ago.
The Wiring Harness Manufacturing Association – what and why.
Trade shows and trade associations bring together people with a common stake in a commercial activity. One function the fulfill is to provide an event and a physical space and time during which that shared interest can be exposed to innovation, updated with stories about success and collaboration relevant to their working life.
Connect and Interact
Usually the locations of trade shows reflect the organizers’ desire to foster a sense of being outside of your normal environment – the better to learn and to be open to new ideas. Attendees come to research and experience new ideas – relatively undisturbed by your normal work. That’s more difficult in the age of always electronically connected by mobile phone but the silent mode engaged means that you can listen to the presentations and stroll up and down the alleys of vendor booths.
What will be done there in downtown Dallas this year – https://annualconference.whma.org/ is serious business with of course a fun element too. It is pleasant to meet colleagues in the same business sector with overlapping interests. Vendors show what’s new and what’s interesting, and in the case of Siemens of course it is both new and interesting and furthermore of provable value to attendees. But I would say that wouldn’t I?
Go with an open mind
A pleasant surprise happens when you see some product or company or talk with someone and find a different point of view, get an insight and something unexpected comes in to focus about your own work. Trade show events are not for passive consumption. You get more of of attending if you are actively involved. I’m flattered this year to have been invited to facilitate a discussion round table. I’m really pleased to have the opportunity to listen to industry figures sharing wisdom and insight.
As well as understanding the design elements of wiring harnesses, to cost accurately you must appreciate the steps taken to assemble the final product
The subject being considered is preparing quotes for new contracts or indeed re-estimating for changes to an existing product being manufactured. At the heart of this topic is profitability, which lots of people are understandably concerned about. Is estimating manufacturing cost more of an art or a science? The quote process involves you differentiating your business from the competition in your favor and is a major factor in your relationship with your customer. Do it inefficiently and you lose business, do it efficiently and without scrupulous attention to detail and you lose money. And you want to do the opposite, have a reasonable margin on the initial contract and sustain that through your customers’ design change requests.
Question: What’s your favorite quote about Wiring Harnesses? Answer: The one where you win the contract.
If you don’t understand how this “daisy chain” is composed how can you accurately price it out?
And if you do it well, do it consistently well, quote with accuracy and be able to repeat your accuracy under different conditions for different products then you will make more money for your company. That’s interesting isn’t it?
Capturing your business logic for retrieval in calculations for quotes – this is a picture of Capital TVM
The truth’s out there somewhere – the truth about what’s happening to USA wiring harness manufacturing will be on show at the WHMA event in Dallas Feb 19th to 22nd. I’m looking forward to having a small part to play in it, and I expect to learn a lot from attending. I’m there because I know about the way modern software tools like Mentor/Siemens Capital can speedily capture the processes and costs to automate the repetitious tasks, and help in many other ways. I believe Capital is uniquely valuable, but I also appreciate that automation via software is just one strategy that can improve performance – and usually comes in conjunction with other non-software related initiatives. After the WHMA conference I’m expecting to take away an improved understanding of those strategies to use for the benefit of Capital customers.