"If you're connecting a circuit board to another circuit board, to solder a wire from one place to another is not practical. So the Zebra connector was created for this purpose," Fujipoly's Quality Assurance Manager Jeffrey DeVries explained during a recent site visit with Assemblyman John Wisniewski.
Wisniewski was there as part of NJBIA's Site Visit Program to learn about the company, which is in his legislative district, and about issues facing manufacturers.
As DeVries demonstrated, the connectors are extremely versatile and can be used for virtually any electronic connection without solder or wires getting in the way.
Fujipoly provides the connectors to major automotive companies here and abroad. The connectors are used in many cases to connect circuit boards to the LCD or LED displays in automobile dashboards.
Zebra connectors' small size and flexibility makes them ideal for small electronic devices such as cellular phones, wristwatches and wireless communication devices.
To make the connectors, conductive layers of rubber are sandwiched between non-connective layers and pressed together to make a block, which is then sliced into sheets. As many as 500 conductive lines per linear inch can be pressed together in a sheet, creating a series of thin stripes that give the Zebra connector its name. The sheets are then cut into individual connectors in the size and shape specified by the customer.
Fujipoly puts a premium on quality control. A group of four employees hand inspects every connector, tossing out those with ragged edges or even merely cosmetic flaws. Batch samples are then visually electronically evaluated by a "QuickScope." An employee programs the QuickScope with the job's specifications; the scope then scans the connectors and measures the degree that each connector conforms to specifications.
Economically, Fujipoly is on the rebound. During the information technology boom of the late 1990s, Zebra connectors were in high demand because technology companies are Zebra's core customers, DeVries said.
When the technology industry hit a severe recession, Fujipoly was significantly impacted. "When the economy hit, it hit us pretty hard," DeVries said. Business development strategies and cost controls were vigorously pursued.
Fujipoly is coming off three successful quarters in a row and feels that it has turned a corner. The company is poised for growth and hoping to add to its staff.
One edge DeVries touts is Fujipoly's ability to deliver a finished product faster than the competition. "Our strength is delivery," DeVries said. "We can turn an order around in as little as two or three days, while at most places, it takes a month. We're a quality job shop. Our niche is speed-get it done quick."
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