Looking to Procure Custom Coils in Thailand but Concerned About Scaling to Mass Production? | Manufacturability Checks at the Prototype Stage Help Prevent Development Delays

In Thailand's manufacturing sector, there is a growing trend of developing products locally for automation equipment and industrial machinery. On the other hand, regarding the procurement of special coils, we receive endless inquiries stating, "Prototyping went smoothly, but numerous defects occurred after mass production started, causing development delays."

This article outlines the characteristics of coils that make them difficult to manufacture exactly according to drawings, and explains the conditions for improving yields through manufacturability verification geared toward mass production.

Table of Contents

• Why Rigid Specification of Design Dimensions Limits Coil Yields
• How Wire Non-Uniformity and Tension Cause Deviations from Design Dimensions
• Conditions to Achieve Both Pre-Verification at the Prototype Stage and Yield Improvement in Mass Production
• Presence of "In-House Equipment": What to Check Before Selecting a Vendor for Air-Core Coils
• What PRONEC Can Do

Why Rigid Specification of Design Dimensions Limits Coil Yields

Unlike metal-processed parts where micron-level precision can be pursued, coils are made through hundreds or thousands of wire windings. Therefore, even if strict dimensions are specified on a drawing, the actual dimensions will not always be constant due to the structure where wire materials overlap each other.

Even if tolerances are provided, if the center value at the design stage deviates from actual manufacturing conditions, a high volume of out-of-tolerance products may occur during mass production. This problem is difficult to detect during the small-scale prototyping stage.

However, when aiming for mass production of tens of thousands or millions of units, it lowers yields, makes manufacturing according to plan difficult, and becomes a factor that hinders the progress of the entire project.

How Wire Non-Uniformity and Tension Cause Deviations from Design Dimensions

Because coils have a structure in which wire materials overlap, they are components prone to variations in actual dimensions due to material characteristics and winding conditions, even if dimensions are strictly specified on drawings.

The wire material itself has variations in thickness much like udon or soba noodles and is not always a constant size. For example, even in a design calculation where a 1mm diameter wire wound 10 times in 10 layers equals 10mm, in reality, the entire dimension may shrink to about 9.5mm due to wire non-uniformity and the tension applied during the winding process.

On the other hand, in the production of square coils, it is not uncommon for the corners to bulge, increasing the size to nearly 11mm. Such discrepancies between drawing dimensions and actual dimensions cause issues in subsequent processes, such as the coil failing to fit into its housing.

Conditions to Achieve Both Pre-Verification at the Prototype Stage and Yield Improvement in Mass Production

The solution to this problem requires the manufacturing side to conduct simulations assuming the "actual product" based on the drawings provided by the customer.

Rather than just manufacturing according to the drawings, it is crucial for a company with manufacturing know-how to participate from the development stage to perform pre-verifications, identifying points like "this design may cause dimensional deviations" or "this dimension is physically difficult to achieve."

By feeding back the characteristics of the actual wire and its behavior during winding into the design, it can be modified into a design that easily maintains a high yield at the start of mass production. This prevents prototype reworks and development delays, making it possible to establish stable production conditions while keeping costs down.

Presence of "In-House Equipment": What to Check Before Selecting a Vendor for Air-Core Coils

When the design is finalized and the mass production system is being established, the vendor’s equipment environment becomes an important selection criterion. A company that builds its own manufacturing equipment for air-core coils and other products can design and manufacture dedicated machines tailored to the special specifications of each product. They can also operate flexibly, such as modifying small machines to handle medium-sized products.

Compared to a system that procures general-purpose large equipment externally, the advantages include shortening the preparation period for dedicated machines and avoiding excessive capital investment. The key evaluation points in selecting a vendor are whether they can quickly construct an optimal production system matching product specifications and the extent of their in-house equipment design and manufacturing capabilities.

What PRONEC Can Do

PRONEC provides integrated support from prototyping to mass production for various special coils, including air-core coils, at our factory in Thailand. From the initial stages of development, we listen to our customers' concepts, conduct simulations to predict dimensional variations unique to coils, and provide advice on manufacturability.

In addition, since we own a large number of in-house manufactured winding machines, we can design and modify dedicated machines according to product specifications and build efficient production lines internally. The main conditions required for consideration are coil specifications, estimated production volume, and the mass production start date. We can assist you even if all conditions are not yet finalized, so please feel free to consult with us first.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What information should I prepare for design consultation at the prototype stage?
A: Please prepare drawings from the concept stage or basic information showing your desired specifications and dimensions. Based on the provided drawings, we will conduct simulations assuming the actual product and propose design revisions that consider yields during mass production.

Q: Can you handle the manufacture of coils with special shapes or specifications?
A: Yes, we handle the manufacture of special coils in various shapes. Since we manufacture our own winding machines, we can design and build dedicated machines according to product specifications, or modify existing small machines to flexibly establish production systems.

Q: Do you support new development projects and exports from outside Thailand?
A: Yes, we accept requests from outside Thailand. With our Thailand factory as the main production base, we have a proven track record of exporting to various countries worldwide, including Japan, Taiwan, China, and Mexico. We can handle production transfers from overseas as well as new development projects, so please feel free to contact us.

Keywords

• Air-Core Coil: A coil structure without a center core. It is used as a component in moving machinery, such as motors for automation equipment and solenoid valves for medical devices.
• In-House Winding Machine: Dedicated manufacturing machinery uniquely built by a company to match product specifications. It can be flexibly modified or expanded.
• Yield: The ratio of actual finished good products to the materials input in the manufacturing process. It directly impacts mass production costs and planning accuracy.

※ For more details, please download the PDF attached to this article, or feel free to contact us via the inquiry form at the bottom of the page.