NK Technologies, a developer and manufacturer of innovative current-sensing products, recently improved their manufacturing capacity by participating in Manncorp’s Trade In, Trade Up program. Ron Rapczynski, Director of Business Development at NK Technologies, agreed to an interview about their experience.

The Equipment: Old & New

In March of 2015, NK Technologies purchased an AP430 automatic stencil printer and a high-speed MC-389 pick & place machine. Since then, their company has experienced increased demands that have necessitated an expansion of their production capabilities. To achieve new goals while reducing equipment costs, they took advantage of the Trade In, Trade Up program, trading in their AP430 printer for another MC-389.

When asked about this decision, Rapczynski said, “We chose Manncorp because they offered a compelling economic advantage.”

The relationship between Manncorp and NK Technologies goes back to 2013, when Terry Semon, another employee of NK Technologies, first came to the East Coast Manncorp demo center to view the SMT equipment in action. Their first purchase from Manncorp was a CR-5000 5-Zone SMT Reflow Oven. After seeing improved levels of production as a result of this updated equipment, they became a loyal Manncorp customer.

Manncorp Equipment at NK Technologies

The new Manncorp equipment installed at NK Technologies is being used in the production of their ground fault sensors. “Most of our ground fault sensors incorporate two PCBAs within the product case,” explains Rapczynski. “The ability to assemble these PCBAs using automated assembly equipment has significantly increased our manufacturing capacity.”

NK Technologies’ ground fault sensors provide an industrial solution for ground fault monitoring. Essentially, these sensors are an industrial version of the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) receptacles located in most kitchens, bathrooms, and garages found in today's housing.

Bringing Production In-House

While many Manncorp customers are looking to bring production in-house, Rapczynski explains that their company has always “been vertically integrated,” having manufactured their own products “since the company’s founding in 1982.” However, it was Manncorp equipment, says Rapczynski, that allowed “for replacing manual assembly operations with an automated alternative.”

The Trade-up Process

During the process of trading in equipment, Rapczynski explains, Manncorp offered a substantial credit option for trading in their “AP430 printer against the purchase of another MC-389 Pick and Place Machine.”

He reports that the “trade-in process was straight forward and easy” and along the way, “Manncorp has always been responsive” to their needs.

Choosing to Trade Up

For many customers, one of the biggest perks of trading in equipment is being able to keep their existing feeders. On this topic, Rapczynski says, “[because] we did not have to purchase new feeders…we could interchange the existing feeders between both machines.”

The result: Greatly reduced equipment upgrade costs.

Another major reason NK Technologies had for trading up was improving the speed and capacity of their production. Manncorp is happy to hear about the success NK Technologies has had with their equipment; since trading up for the MC-389, Rapczynski informs us that their “production capacity has significantly increased.”

Top Benefits of Trading Up for New Equipment

•    Expand Production Without Substantial Capital

By choosing to trade in old equipment for new, your company can use internal assets to avoid making a major economic expenditure while eliminating the hassle of receiving outside financing.

•    Receive Risk-Free Equipment at an Affordable Price

Choosing to trade in equipment with a trustworthy company like Manncorp eliminates the risks that come with buying from unreliable internet sources or from resale companies that do not warranty their machines. By choosing equipment that is being offered by the original manufacturer, customers can be assured that each machine has been thoroughly inspected and is warrantied to work exactly as it should.

Final Word from NK Technologies

Ron and the team at NK Technologies are happy to report their success with this new program from Manncorp, and will soon be taking advantage of it again; this time, they are receiving an additional CR-5000 reflow oven. Once installed, NK Technologies will have a second complete manufacturing line for assembling their products.

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