What is an Approved Manufacturer List (AML)?

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Approved Manufacturer List (AML) Definition

An approved manufacturer list (AML) is a set of approved relationships between manufacturer parts and a company’s internally defined parts. Each relationship links a manufacturer’s part number to an internal part number and results from the R&D team’s identifying the third-party parts that can be used to satisfy the manufacturing requirements for the internal part. All approved AML parts for each internal part can share a single inventory bin.

Approved Manufacturer List software screen capture

FAQs

Why should I have an approved manufacturer list?

Having an approved manufacturer list (AML) reduces risk by ensuring that the manufacturers are properly vetted by your organization. It also reduces the likelihood of incorporating incorrect or obsolete parts into your product design.

*Source: https://www.siliconexpert.com/acl/

What questions should I ask a manufacturer?

When selecting a contract manufacturer, it’s important to ask these questions:

  • What is your pricing structure? Can you provide a breakdown based on raw materials, labor, overhead, and profit?
  • Do you have a solid quality program in place? What are your certifications?
  • Can you provide credit reports or similar documentation to demonstrate financial stability?
  • Can you provide three customer references?
  • How large is your company?
  • What industries do you serve?

*Source: https://www.manufacturing.net

How do I maintain an approved manufacturer list?

To maintain an approved manufacturer list (AML):

  • Review the list on a routine basis and remove all at-risk parts
  • Monitor pricing and lead times to ensure that the best manufacturer parts are being used
  • Implement a process for requalifying and approving parts that are included on the list

*Source: https://www.siliconexpert.com

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