Factory Partners
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      1. MacroFab Platform Help
      2. Factory Partners

      Factory Direct Jobs Process

      Factory Direct jobs ship straight from our factory partners to our customers. Read how to process these jobs below.

      Factory direct jobs are available to MacroFab's factory partners who have been selected to the factory direct program. Factory direct jobs have longer lead times and higher payouts but require the partner to perform additional receiving and quality inspections done by MacroFab in other jobs. For information on how to join the program reach out to partner.support@macrofab.com.

      Factory Direct Tasks

      Receive Materials Materials that come straight from vendors will need to be received in the MacroFab system.
      Complete PCBA Just like standard jobs, you will assemble the boards to the customer requirements.
      Quality Inspection Factories will be responsible for the full quality inspection before shipping the boards to the customers.
      Customer Shipping Factories will ship to the customers using the MacroFab shipping interface

      Receive Materials

      All material shipments and supporting documentation from the vendors must be entered into the system upon receipt to process vendor billing. 

      Parts Receiving

      On the Parts Receiving tab, locate the Purchase Order and MPN, enter the Received Quantity, the Pack List/Invoice number, and click "Save".

      Note: Pack List/Invoice# is required for auditability. You only need to enter it once per PO - it will save for all items. It will also help automatically retrieve the Digi-Key pack lists.

      Supporting Documents

      To ensure ISO 9000 compliance, please provide scans or images of Pack Lists, Certificates of Conformance, Board Test Results and Impedance Coupons included with the materials.

      🙌Digi-Key pack lists now automatically retrieved once materials ship - so you don't need to upload. If you don't see them, try saving the Invoice ID at receiving.

      In the Supporting Documents tab, upload your files and apply one or multiple Document Type and Purchase Order tags to complete the checklist.

       

      Tip: Use the drag and drop for bulk file uploads, or upload to each checklist item to have the tags apply automatically. 

       

      Tip: In case of a unique file type, you're able to upload and display them without tags. 

      Once the files are uploaded, you are able to edit the tags, remove files, or upload more to each line.

      Quality Inspection

      Quality inspection must be completed before you can ship units.  When receiving has been completed in the platform you will be able to see the quality tab and begin inspection.

      Create a quality Batch

      On the quality tab you will click "Begin Inspection" to create a quality batch.

      From there you will enter the number of units you completed. If you had to scrap any units during assembly enter them here. (Ex. if you started with 10 units but had to scrap 2 you would enter "10" in "Batch Quantity" and "2" in "Scrapped Quantity")

      Checklist and supporting documents

      To certify the batch you must:

      1. Complete the quality checklist. You can choose "Not Applicable" for any items that do not apply to the current job.
      2. Upload any supporting documents showing you have done the appropriate quality checks.

      Tip: tag the document with a category to make it easier for you and MacroFab to find in the future.

      Certifying a Quality Batch

      After you are done you will be able to either submit the batch for review by MacroFab or generate a certificate of conformance for the batch.

      If you do not need approval, you will be able to generate a certificate of conformance as soon as you have completed the checklist and uploaded at least one supporting document.

      If you see the "Submit for Review" button you need to get your checklist and documents approved by MacroFab before you can create the certificate and ship the order. If you have questions about why you need approval email partner.support@macrofab.com 

      Once MacroFab approves your supporting documentation you will see the button to generate a certificate of conformance.

      Customer Shipping

      When shipping finished goods to the customer, please follow the following process:

      1. Adhere to our Packaging guidelines
      2. Include the Certificate of Conformance from the Quality screen and the finished goods Pack List in the package
      3. Select the closest match to customer's quoted shipping method
      4. Ship any excess customer-supplied parts to the customer or MacroFab

      Adding a Package

      On the Customer Shipping screen, click the "Add a Package" button on the right side of the screen.

      Enter the package size and the number of units included.

      Select a shipping method matching customer price as closely as possible while prioritizing UPS (our partner). 

      Before selecting a much pricier option (ex: if an order is late), reach out to partner.support@macrofab.com ​

      Click “Buy Label” to finalize the shipment ​

      Print the package label (the Paper “Ship Label” or the sticky label “ZPL” - Zebra Printer Label). Ensure the label lists MacroFab as the return address​. 
      Then print the Pack List (auto generated based on units entered)​ and include it in the package.


      Please be sure to also include the printed CoC from the Quality screen in the package.

      Returning Excess Customer-Furnished Materials

      When placing their order, customers are able to select whether they'd like materials they supplied be returned to them with the final goods or stored in MacroFab inventory. 

      For any job including customer-furnished materials will appear on the left side of the Customer Shipping screen.

      Before a final shipment can be created, please enter actual quantities of remaining material (even if they are 0) and click "Confirm."

      Once confirmed, the table will remain as a record of shipped units for traceability. The quantities can be changed and re-confirmed if necessary.

      Materials designated to go to the customer will appear on a "Returned Materials" pack list on the last package. 

      Please include the "Returned Materials" pack list and the excess units with the final shipment.

      Materials going to MacroFab will need to be shipped on the "Shipping to MacroFab" screen and do not require a pack list. 

      Shipping Off Platform

      If, for any reason the platform cannot support the customer shipment (customer request or carrier/platform issues), email box dimensions and unit quantities to partner.support@macrofab.com.

      We will send you shipping labels and other artifacts, and enter the shipment in the platform.