Instrumental Inc.

With tariffs in the zeitgeist, factory transitions are at the forefront of supply chain leaders’ minds. No matter how experienced your team is, factory moves are high-stakes operations with many moving pieces. Getting it right is critical—but it’s not easy. Anna-Katrina Shedletsky has spent the last month speaking with experts about how to execute these delicate maneuvers, and today, we are releasing her 15-page guide to elegant factory transitions. Many thanks to significant input from Andre Neumann-Loreck, Founder at On Tap Consulting, and Bill Carter-Giannini Founding Partner of BrightLNK. Download the guide here: https://lnkd.in/gBPB6tUW #FactoryMoves #Tariffs #Electronics #Manufacturing #SupplyChain #Operations #Hardware

Tariffs are now officially in effect, and many electronics leaders are weighing big decisions—including factory moves. At Instrumental, we have hands-on expertise in executing rapid, efficient factory transitions and have compiled key best practices into a step-by-step guide. While some may wait to see the full impact, it’s smart to start laying the groundwork now. 📗 Download the guide here: https://lnkd.in/gBPB6tUW

Necessity is the mother of invention. When Alex Neskin’s neighbors complained about his dog’s barking, he invented a solution that helps millions of pet parents stay connected to their furry companions. Alex, founder and CTO of Petcube, turned a simple problem into a global pet tech empire. With nearly two decades of experience and teams spread across the U.S., Ukraine, and China, he’s built Petcube into a leader in the pet tech space. Here’s his advice to manufacturing leaders and startup founders: ⚙️ Launch before you feel ready. If your first product isn’t a little embarrassing, you waited too long. ⚙️ Testing isn’t optional. Cutting corners on quality = cutting your success short. ⚙️ Curiosity > Credentials. Hire problem-solvers, not just résumés. ⚙️ Your supply chain will fail. Plan for it before it happens. ⚙️ Painful feedback is priceless. If it stings, it’s working. Watch his full interview with Anna-Katrina Shedletsky at our Instrumental HQ in the Build Better Handbook: https://lnkd.in/gN6dyvV3 #BuildBetter #Hardware #Manufacturing #ConsumerElectronics

Moving a factory isn’t just about shifting production—it’s a materials planning challenge that can make or break the transition. To get it right, we turned to Andre Neumann-Loreck, founder of On Tap Consulting and a veteran in manufacturing operations. With hands-on experience—from working on the line in a Nagano factory to consulting on major electronics manufacturing moves—Andre has seen it all. Here are his top insights on managing materials during a factory transition: -Address engineering qualification early. Some materials are tied to the old factory. Involve engineering early to source and qualify alternatives before they become a bottleneck. - Keep suppliers informed. Unexplained order increases can cause confusion. Communicate proactively so they know exactly which factory to ship to—and don’t let them reach out to the old site unexpectedly. - Understand supply chain capacity. For critical components and sub-assemblies, know the capacities of factories and lines, plus lead times for ramp-up. - Control supplier reactions. If suppliers learn about the move through the industry, it can create disruptions. Ensure they follow your plan, not their own assumptions. - Micromanage material orders at the new site. Factory buyers often optimize for inventory levels, which can lead to shortages. Stay hands-on to prevent last-minute scrambling. Learn more about Andre’s approach in the handbook: https://lnkd.in/gEvajUbe A factory move is high risk, but with the right strategy, it can be a seamless shift. How do you approach supply chain planning during a major move?

Our most recent tariff session was a Q/A event for electronics leaders.  If you missed it, you can watch the full session in the #BuildBetter Handbook. Here is a broad overview of topics covered: ✅ The types of critical vendor communications you need to tee up ✅ How tariffs impact consumer behavior and must be contemplated in your model ✅ How to assess your position relative to your competitors ✅ Strategic methods to reduce costs—through valuation, Chapter 98, and supplier negotiations Stay up to date on the latest by following Instrumental on LinkedIn and subscribing to our Change Notice Newsletter on the Handbook. Watch the full session here: https://lnkd.in/g4i4s_7f #Electronics #Tariffs #Hardware #SupplyChain #Chapter98

We’re hiring a Senior ML Engineer to join our team in developing high-impact AI methods and algorithms to solve novel problems in electronics manufacturing. We do our own research and productize it quickly – with new AI features getting to our customers quarterly (or faster). This role is hybrid, and based at our HQ in Palo Alto. You will have the opportunity to work with an amazing team including Rustem Feyzkhanov, Samuel Warren, Kenneth Hua, and Samuel Weiss! Apply Here →

In case you missed it, our event on Aerospace & Defense Headwinds & Tailwinds for Electronics Manufacturing in 2025 is now available on demand. In this Build Better session, experts explored the top issues reshaping the sector, including: - Demand for advanced systems like drones and unmanned systems driven by global conflicts -Technology upgrades needed to keep up with the complexity of modern circuit boards -Supply chain vulnerabilities pushing companies to seek more reliable sources -The balance between old tech and new: how the tension between sticking with legacy systems and embracing innovation is slowing progress They also discussed the need for early-stage testing, automation, and shifting from a zero-failure mentality. This is a time of massive change in A&D, and companies that can be agile, and innovate quickly will lead the way. Thank you to our collaborators at Cogiscan and to guest experts: Jason Sciberras, Kris Moyer, Benjamin Walker, and our host Caitlin Curtis for leading such a valuable conversation. Watch the full panel now on demand here: https://lnkd.in/gWaGzsEu

Lost know-how. Slow bring up. Emergent issues – are these new or have they always been there? These are the realities of a mismanaged factory move. We have helped some of the world’s most admired electronics brands move their production sites successfully. Here’s our 4 step approach: 1️⃣ Establish a Baseline: Document everything about your current production process, from CAD databases to as-built specs, SOPs, and yield data. The devil is in the details, and a strong baseline sets the foundation for success. 2️⃣ Bring Up Site 2 in Parallel: Never shut down your current line before the new site is operational. Building redundancy ensures continuity and prevents delays that could cost you. 3️⃣ Requalify Everything: Treat Site 2 as uncharted territory. Requalify your IQC, functional tests, assembly processes, and parts. 4️⃣ Decommission the Original Site: Once Site 2 is up and running, you can shift focus to scaling further, prototyping new products, or repurposing equipment for future needs. Planning a transition like this isn’t just about moving equipment or staging materials in the right place (though it does need thoughtful plans about both of those things!) – it’s about transferring knowledge, ensuring process continuity, and embracing opportunities to improve. To learn more, download the full comprehensive guide to factory moves, the link is in the comments. #tariffs #electronics #factorymoves #hardware #NPI

We’re looking for a Hardware Design Engineer to join our Solutions team! If you love tackling complex design challenges, working closely with Fortune 100 customers, and building innovative and integrated solutions that help brands build better, we’d love to hear from you. Instrumental helps high-volume, data center, and defense electronics companies like Bose, SolarEdge, and F5 build better by leveraging AI to extract insights from manufacturing’s digital exhaust. While Instrumental is a software company, our customers leverage Instrumental’s hardware to get some of the fastest time-to-value and payback periods in the industry to enable rapid onboarding and value delivery. We’re looking for someone who will go deep with our customers to develop hardware that seamlessly integrates Instrumental’s AI into our customers’ manufacturing processes. Apply here→ https://lnkd.in/gG4zfR5m

E-commerce isn’t just about what sells anymore—it’s about what stays sold. Would you buy a product on Amazon that said “frequently returned”? Probably not. For manufacturing leaders, here are the facts: ☑️ Bad quality = lost revenue (returns cost retailers 16.5% of online sales!) ☑️ Ratings drive sales (a 0.5-star increase on Amazon boosts sales by 3% across all channels according to Pattern Data, but it might be much higher!) ☑️ Quality must be a strategy, not a cost center Brands shouldn’t just monitor quality—they should predict and prevent defects before products leave their factory. Read more in the Build Better Handbook: https://lnkd.in/g37dSYT8 (Image by Pattern Data Science)