The hub between stimulus and test (continued)
A continuation of our interview with Norton W. Alderson, CEO, Universal Switching Corp., which appeared in the May 2007 Viewpoint column.
Larry Maloney, Contributing Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 5/3/2007 8:28:00 AM
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Q: Are you doing more business in preconfigured switching systems?
A: Yes. We have been offering more of these systems to simplify specifying for customers. There is so much out there that it can be overwhelming for someone who has to choose a system. Based on the what is popular with customers, we offer preconfigured packages that include such features as: redundant power supplies; built-in Ethernet, GPIB and serial ports; front-panel manual controls; standard rack mounting; universal AC power inputs, and our RouteWarePro software.
Q: Can you cite a specific product that demonstrates this trend?
A: Our G2 series is a good example of the flexibility we are offering in our products. Rather than having a dedicated box, the G2 gives you a modular solution that is great for test applications. You might have a device under test (DUT) with microwave signals, and at the same time you might have to control DC to the device or monitor audio or data. You can do all of this within our G2 product. And if there is a failure, you just unplug that specific function and swap in new components. So, there is very little downtime.
Q: Looking ahead, where will the growth come for your products?
A: The ever-expanding communications market will be very important for us. In automated test, we expect to see growth in specific niche areas, such as testing a satellite communications network. We also see more test applications in which our switches will be routing data at very high speeds.
Q: How about demand overseas versus your US markets?
A: About 15% of our sales come from overseas, but that is going to expand significantly in the next five years, as a result of demand from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. China, in particular, is going through an incredible technological boom. Our most valuable vehicles for finding these new customers aretrade shows and the Web. We certainly are putting a lot more effort into expanding globally, but we are also looking for possible additional growth through acquisitions.
Q: What steps do you take to ensure quality in your products? A: The key to our business is to always strive to build in the best technology as the core of our product, and that means establishing strong alliances with our suppliers in areas ranging from fiber optics to solid-state components to relays. We design and manufacture all of our products, using state-of-the-art CAD/CAM systems, software-development tools, and R&D prototyping. And we learn a lot from our customers, since we often must design special products to fit their applications. When that happens, we typically bring those new designs into our product line so that other users can benefit.
Q: You’ve also had a major expansion of facilities. A: Last year, we moved into a new building in Burbank that tripled our space and substantially boosted the resources we can devote to R&D, production, burn-in operations, and customer service. In addition, in January of this year, we received our ISO 9001:2000 certification. That was a huge commitment, and one that has strengthened our overall quality campaign and made our design and innovation processes much more efficient. ISO certification really is a sign to the world that a company has its ducks in line.
Q: Are trade shows still valuable to you as a way of gauging customer desires?
A: There is no question that the Internet has hurt trade shows, and that attendance is down. But there is still value to both exhibitors like us and the engineers who visit the shows. From an engineer’s standpoint, there is nothing like being able to get a firsthand look at the hardware and software. Touch and feel are still vital when it comes to making decisions on products. So, shows continue to satisfy the need of engineers to find solutions to problems that they are having now or to spot the next new technology that could be useful for a future project. From our standpoint as a vendor, the shows gives us an opportunity to hear from engineers how we can better meet their needs, such as offering systems that offer more channels, faster switching speeds, and more compact designs.
Read the first part of this interview.
