Inside A Factory 4: The DVD Player

Streaming video - 2015

Many UK products are now manufactured in China. But Arcam designed and manufactured its upmarket DVD player Solo Movie in Britain. This film explains why and how. CAD: A key decision was what components to use - and how to put them together. Computer-aided design allowed them to pinpoint many problems before anything was actually put together. The look of the product is vital, too. It has to appeal to its target users and have the controls laid out in the best possible way. But functionality always comes first. ASSEMBLY: The product is assembled by Arcam's production team. A production control system is used to check all the individual units in a batch are completed. Testing is vital - including the most crucial test of all: does it pl...ay DVDs? Stock control is a major challenge - the trick is to keep stock as low as possible, at the same having enough to cover unexpected changes. BUT WILL IT SELL? Arcam want their products to be used for as long as possible - up to 30 years! But there are problems ahead. The launch of the new Blu-ray system will have a drastic effect on the likely lifespan of Solo Movie. more