How much time is microphone validation costing you?
Whenever your production line stops, you’re losing money no matter the reason.
Workstations on production lines for consumer audio products feature test microphones to ensure the audio quality of the finished products. This costs you time as each microphone must first be calibrated, and then re-validated up to several times a day. By answering four straightforward questions, you can finally find out how much time this is costing you.
Validation Cost Calculator
How many times a day do your workstations have to adjust and re-validate their test microphones? How many hours does that affect your production line? The compound cost of validation time-loss can be staggering – and is so easy to avoid. But to make change, first you must realize the scale of the problem. Use this calculator to find out just how much time re-validation is costing you.
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Validation time costs you twice
You’re the expert on the economics of your production line. So now that you know how much time re-validation is costing you, you probably already have an idea of the dollar amount, too. Remember, it’s not just a question of your staff and production facilities costing you money with nothing to show for it while production stands still. It’s also the opportunity cost – validation time means reduced income because you end up with fewer products to sell.
Fragile test microphones tie up capital
Not only do test microphones cost you when they are being validated. The validation process makes the microphones themselves vulnerable. Whenever workstation operators have to remove their test microphones and take them to be re-validated, the microphones are susceptible to wear and tear, clumsy handling, and simply being dropped on the floor. This forces you to tie up capital in reserve test microphones, further adding to the initial cost of replacing each broken microphone.
Additional Resources
Whenever your production line stops, you’re losing money no matter the reason.
The solution is simple
Now that you have an idea of the scale of the problem, you’ll be relieved to learn that the solution is simple – and its price tag negligible. The GRAS 40PM and 40PM-1 miniature production line microphones with EQset technology come with fixed sensitivity – drastically reducing the need for adjustment and re-validation and, in turn, the total cost of ownership. They come at the same price as comparable production line microphones – but without the added cost of validation downtime.
Remember: Validation is essentially a good practice
Don’t get us wrong: Calibrating, re-validating, and adjusting the test microphones on your production line from time to time is a good and conscientious practice. Validation ensures dependable and compliant quality control, reducing false passes and false failures. However, reducing the number of validations to a minimum by not having to validate before or during each shift, or whenever the weather changes and causes fluctuations in humidity, temperature, or atmospheric pressure – simply makes a lot of sense.
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