An OEM building the control layer of a product often reaches a point where an off-the-shelf component almost fits their needs, but not quite. Functional Devices, Inc. works with manufacturers of OEM building automation systems to design, customize, and manufacture the relays, current sensors, power supplies, and controls that go into their products. This can mean modifying an existing version of a Functional Devices product, or building an entirely new product to the OEM’s specifications.
What an OEM Can Customize
Voltage
Coil and switching voltages can be set to match the control signals and loads inside the OEM’s system.
Form Factor
The physical package can be sized and shaped for the space the component has to occupy inside a panel or product enclosure.
Mounting
The mounting method can be matched to how the device is assembled into the product: DIN rail, board mount, or a configuration specific to the build.
Labeling
Private-label branding can be applied, so the component ships carrying the OEM’s own identity rather than the manufacturer’s.
Electrical Characteristics
The device’s electrical behavior can be tuned to the application, within the parameters the design requires.
These cover the modifications an OEM most often needs to take a proven device and make it fit a specific product. If your needs extend beyond modification, Functional Devices can also design a new product to your specifications.
Beyond Customization: Designing a New Device
Functional Devices has the in-house design and engineering capability to develop a new component built to an OEM’s specification, if nothing in the existing portfolio meets their requirements.
This is what separates outsourcing from partnering. A catalog supplier sells what it already makes; a manufacturing partner can develop what the OEM’s product needs. For an OEM who needs a component that is not currently on the market, this means their product can be built as designed, rather than needing to be redesigned around existing limitations.
Any new device is developed against the same manufacturing controls and testing discipline as the standard Functional Devices product line.
Why OEMs Build With Functional Devices
Beyond specific customization, several things make Functional Devices a reliable manufacturing partner an OEM can build a product line with.
Made in the USA Since 1969
Functional Devices designs and manufactures its products in the United States and has done so since 1969, which affects lead-time predictability and supply stability.
ISO Certification
Functional Devices is ISO certified.
100% Product Testing
Every product is tested before it ships, and Functional Devices reports fewer than one field failure per 16,000 products.
Repeatability at Scale
Our manufacturing process is built for consistency run after run, so a component specified into a product stays the same even as the OEM’s volume grows.
How an OEM Partnership Comes Together
A partnership starts with a conversation about your needs. At Functional Devices, our Sales, Engineering, and Product teams work together to establish the opportunity, design the device, test it, and deliver it to you.
Frequently Asked Questions About OEM Building Automation Systems
What can Functional Devices customize on an OEM component?
Voltage, form factor, mounting, labeling, and electrical characteristics can all be tailored to an OEM’s needs. Beyond modifying an existing device, Functional Devices can design an entirely new component to an OEM’s specification when nothing in the current portfolio fits.
Is there a minimum order quantity for a custom or private-label device?
Functional Devices does not publish a minimum order quantity. Whether a custom or private-label project makes sense depends on the projected volume over time, which is established in conversation rather than set as a fixed number. Contact us and we can determine what makes the most sense for you.
Can Functional Devices build a device that does not exist yet?
Yes. We have the in-house design and engineering capability to develop a new component to an OEM’s specification, built against the same manufacturing and testing discipline as our standard product line.
Where are Functional Devices products made?
Functional Devices designs and manufactures its products in the United States and has done so since 1969. We are ISO-certified.
Build Your Next Component with Functional Devices
Whether it’s a modification to an existing device or a new design built to your specification, explore Functional Devices’ OEM solutions or contact Functional Devices to start the conversation about a custom OEM component.