The author talks about a trip to China, namely, to a factory producing cheap photo and video cameras, video recorders and something else. A very interesting journey, I recommend watching it.
Author: On this trip, I finally discovered the secret of the prosperity of some Chinese factories, which were unremarkable at first glance. This often happens: the market is falling, the product is cheap, and for some reason the owner drives a Panamera, sent his family to Hong Kong, and opens one factory after another.
In this case, the Chinese dream came true for one of my friends, who produces cheap photo and video cameras, video recorders and something else. These cameras are sold by the millions all over the world. Quite a lot are released under the license of Disney and other Hello Kitty. But there are almost no sales to Russia, so Chen, the business owner, is still trying to find some way into our market. That’s actually why he called me to take a photo.
I went to the factory with Nadya, a camera sales manager who speaks Russian quite well. The boss sent his BMW for us, we got to the factory in style.
Everything in the workshops is standard - conveyor lines, screwdrivers and soldering irons. Shipments for the Christmas holidays have already been completed - most of the conveyors are empty.
Cogs-springs. There are a lot of assembly operations, the parts are small - the work is labor-intensive.
Uploading software.
A lot of testing. Here they photograph a white sheet.
And then they record the white sheet on video. To test sound, they use the sound of breaking glass and broadcast it through speakers in the testing area.
There are cameras that are dust and waterproof to IP67 and have a personal bath.
Repair area. Despite all the cheapness, electronics are relatively expensive, and it is profitable to repair defects.
In the next room they are launching a new product - MID. Tablets, if we say so.
A tablet is a pretty simple thing. There are suppliers of ready-made solutions; you buy a board from them, attach a screen, a battery, and some other small things to it, and put it into the case. That's all production. With this scheme, the quality of the tablet depends on the right choice of suppliers and perseverance in working with them.
We move on to the printed circuit board assembly shop. Here is the bonding section - bonding the crystal to the board. The operation is exactly like in the production of microcircuits, only the chip is mounted not in a separate case, but directly on a printed circuit board.
However, today the bonding section was idle - only a team was working, doing functional testing of finished boards.
I'm switching to surface mounting. The girls are embarrassed by the camera and are having fun.
Installation of components is done on old Samsungs.
But there are also quite new machines. There are three lines in total.
Nearby is the manual soldering of components.
The buttons are installed manually.
Here, in fact, is the whole production - let's go see the laboratory. The path runs through the office and the design bureau.
Optics are tested here. I remembered the tuning table that used to be shown on TV.
In the next room, in complete darkness, some measurements are taking place.
Color rendition.
And another test, I didn’t understand. Maybe an exposition?
Please turn on the light. Surprise!
Go ahead. Standard set: temperature, humidity, vibration.
Various homemade mechanical tests.
Here, for example, is checking the reliability of the connector. Pneumatic drive, camera fixation - and off we go.
Testing in the refrigerator. The brand of a major American client appeared here.
And finally, the showroom. They make very different cameras, prices range from 5 to 50 dollars. Recorders are more expensive - from 20 to 40. Over 40 is already HD. Lenses everywhere are simple, like in cell phones. You can install a good lens, but who will buy it?
Nadya is a modern Chinese self-made woman. Child, husband-customs officer, own apartment in a good area. Well done, in short.
We go out into the yard. Three factory buildings stand in the shape of a P. On the right are the cameras, we were just there. Straight - housings: casting, painting, silk-screen printing.
And on the left -...
Let's go and have a look together.
On the ground floor is the GD Display showroom. This is a separate company that assembles televisions.
The conveyor is empty: they say there is no electricity. It may be so, but the real reason is something else - and I already understand what it is.
Another direction! Traffic lights, road displays and signs.
We go higher - everything is sterile here, they ask you to wear slippers.
But still they won’t let us into the clean room - we’ll only say hello to the astronaut through the window.
And they assemble the following devices there: monitors for medical measurements. They give this monitor to the patient, and he can independently measure blood pressure, pulse, pulse wave speed, cardiogram and something else. A blood test will be added soon. The analysis immediately goes to the clinic - the attending physician can immediately make a decision.
Well, that seems to be all, you can leave. Before leaving, Nadya approves the paint color of the hull.
And I run to look at the foundry - maybe I’ll spy something interesting.
I won’t tell you the secret of the prosperity of this and many other similar factories yet. Maybe you'll want it too :)
