Hardware Podcasts

How Design-First Thinking Supercharges Manufacturing Performance with Clarity Design Founder Tom Lupfer

EMS@C-LEVEL · 11 Mar 2026 · 9m

What this episode covers

Tom Lupfer, President and Founder of Clarity Design, explains how integrating engineering and manufacturing under one roof creates a competitive advantage for his Southern California-based EMS company. He details how data from Ko Young inspection systems (SPI and AOI) and Python-driven automation closes the loop between design intent and production reality, enabling rapid redesigns during the pandemic supply chain crisis. Lupfer also discusses the company's strategic focus on medical devices, leveraging ISO 13485 and FDA registration to serve regulated customers, while emphasizing a hiring philosophy that places engineers directly in front of clients to ensure manufacturability and speed.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Clarity Design, Ko Young, Yamaha
Also
ISO 9001, ISO 13485, FDA, ITAR

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