Quality and productivity in injection mold tool construction: A view from manufacturing

In today's consumer electronics market, being first to the marketplace is paramount to success. The need for early entry into the market has its origin in the rapid evolution of the electronics industry. The saying “It's obsolete by the time you get it home” suggests the desire that drives consumers back to the marketplace for the products with the latest features. Early entry into the market can mean the difference between financial success or failure of any electronic customer premises product. It is generally recognized that the first six months in the life cycle of a low-end consumer product can represent 50 percent of the product's opportunity for return on investment. The Shreveport plant's tooling efforts extend throughout AT&T. Tooling is provided for the Consumer Products, General Business Systems, Business Communications Systems, and Network Products business units. These divisions are all involved with customer premises terminals that have product life cycles of one to four years.