Setting the Benchmark

Building Optics That Matter: Achieving Optical Quality at Scale

Zach.Klassen@Bench.com (Zach Klassen) — Wed, 13 May 2026 16:49:27 GMT

Throughout this blog series, we've traced the evolution of precision optics from design and simulation through prototyping and scaling to production. Part 1 covered the role of innovation, systems-level engineering, and intellectual property protection in advanced optical systems. Part 2 addressed the transition from simulation to prototype and scaling for high-volume manufacturing. Now, we conclude with a technical dive into delivering consistent optical quality at scale, optimizing alignment and tolerances, and building robust processes to safeguard performance.

Benchmark’s 2025 Environmental Challenge

Bill Olson — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

In 2025, Benchmark’s Environmental Challenge engaged 9,000+ employees and delivered measurable reductions in electricity (4%) and water (5%), proving that site-led ideas can create scalable sustainability impact.

Signal and Power Integrity Design for High-Density PCBAs

hank.ly@bench.com (Hank Ly) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:31:21 GMT

As PCBAs continue to pack more functionality into smaller footprints, maintaining signal and power integrity has become not only a design challenge but also a vital factor in stabilizing manufacturing processes. Higher data rates, tighter spacing, and lower voltage margins leave far less room for error, potentially introducing unforeseen issues in manufacturing, which can be difficult to understand. This makes early analysis and cross‑disciplinary coordination between design, test, and manufacturing essential. In a recent article published in PCB Directory, Benchmark explores how thoughtful SI/PI design practices can help teams avoid costly re-spins while enabling higher‑performance, denser electronic systems that deliver both higher first-pass manufacturing yields and better field performance. This article also discusses practical implementation challenges engineers often face and how to overcome them effectively.

Collaborative Application Standards Are Shaping Manufacturing Robotics

Jonathan.Pietrangelo@bench.com (Jonathan Pietrangelo) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:15:00 GMT

Manufacturers have long viewed collaborative robots, “cobots,” as the gateway to safer, more flexible automation. But as robotics adoption accelerates and human-robot interaction becomes more complex, global standards committees are challenging the industry to rethink robotic safety. Their message is clear: it’s not the robot that’s collaborative, it’s the entire application.

With new ISO 10218-1/-2:2025 and ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025 standards now in place, the shift from “collaborative robot” to “collaborative application” is reshaping how robots are engineered, deployed, and marketed across the manufacturing world, pushing robot Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to find manufacturing partners such as Benchmark who understand the downstream effects of deploying collaborative applications in real production environments.

Benchmark's Commitment to Sustainability: 2025 Sustainability Report

Bill Olson — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:45:00 GMT

Releasing Benchmark’s Sustainability Report each year is an important moment to reflect on progress, accountability, and the discipline required to turn commitments into measurable results. With the release of our 2025 Sustainability Report, we mark our fifth consecutive year of transparent reporting and continued advancement of sustainability as a core element of how we operate and serve our customers.

Building Optics That Matter: From Simulation to Scale, Part 2

eric.moser@bench.com (Eric Moser) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:19:10 GMT

Precision optics present challenges in the phases of design, prototyping, scaling, and production. In the previous part of this blog series, we began by discussing the challenges to design. However, prototyping and production often create the largest technical issues. Your simulated optical design will now meet the harsh reality of the physical world. Ensuring it survives and performs will be vital to securing your product’s lead in the marketplace.

In the first blog in this series, we discussed why optical technologies are proliferating across industries, including defense, medical, and industrial systems. We also looked at the complexities of optical design, why it can be difficult to develop custom optics if that is not your team's core competency, and how a design and manufacturing partner like Benchmark can help. In this blog, we'll dive into more detail on the transitions from design to prototype and from prototype to production.

Altium Documentary Shows How Benchmark Engineering Teams Rapidly Adapt

benchmark@bench.com (Benchmark) — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

A new Benchmark engineering documentary film, created by one of our engineering software providers, Altium, offers an inside look at how Benchmark’s engineering teams tackle complex challenges and drive innovation across industries, including medical, defense, industrial, and advanced computing. Viewers will see how Benchmark’s focus on developing and building high-reliability electronics is powered by engineers deeply involved in every stage of product development—from design to manufacturing.

Building Optics That Matter: From Simulation to Scale, Part 1

eric.moser@bench.com (Eric Moser) — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:52:18 GMT

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, most companies entering the robotic surgery space focused on mechanical precision—building arms, joints, and control systems that could mimic a surgeon’s hand. However, as the field matured, some companies recognized a pivotal bottleneck: optics. Vision proved just as critical as dexterity, and simple 2D laparoscopic views limited success, no matter the robotic arm's precision.

Innovators closed this gap by transforming vision systems, introducing advanced optics that delivered magnified, stereoscopic, high-definition views of the surgical field. This wasn’t just a better camera—it was a superhuman extension of the surgeon’s eyes, allowing for depth perception, clarity, and precision that traditional methods couldn’t match and completely redefining the surgeon’s experience.

This optical superiority wasn’t just a feature—it was a strategic moat. Competitors who focused solely on mechanical robotics couldn’t match the surgical outcomes enabled by those innovating their vision systems. This ultimately transformed surgery, reshaped the industry, and placed optical innovators on top.

Breakthroughs in optical systems unlock dramatic advances in performance and competitive edge. Yet, innovation can stall due to design challenges, manufacturing difficulties, or concerns over engineering and manufacturing partners disrespecting designs and IP. In this optics series, we detail the most pressing challenges and how to address each one.

Is Flexible Automation Right for Manufacturing Your Product?

benchmark@bench.com (Benchmark) — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:30:00 GMT

Manufacturing limited volumes of complex products has traditionally been a challenge, as it is costly, slow, and heavily reliant on manual processes that introduce risk and inefficiency. With modern technology, where performance and precision are crucial, these limitations can stop businesses from delivering on their promises. To explore how to address these challenges, Benchmark experts recently joined a panel discussion focused on flexible automation—a new approach to manufacturing using technologies that can adapt to a wide mix of products. The event examined how flexible automation can support high-mix, low-volume manufacturing while maintaining quality and repeatability. Speakers—Justin Blair (Automation Manager, Benchmark), Jeff Rodgers (VP of Business Development, Benchmark), and Karel Kruger (Associate Professor of Automation, University of Cambridge)—brought a range of perspectives to the conversation and offered valuable insights for those interested in this evolving field.

Celebrating World Quality Week 2025 at Benchmark

Brenda Battin Cianciosi — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:06:55 GMT

For the fifth consecutive year, Benchmark is proud to celebrate World Quality Week (WQW) from November 10 to 14, 2025 – a time to recognize the incredible contributions of our global quality teams and reflect on how quality shapes our culture, operations, and future.

This year’s theme, “Quality: Think Differently,”encourages us to shift our perspective—moving beyond the traditional focus on compliance and problem-solving, and embracing quality as a mindset. A mindset that drives innovation and continuous improvementand is embedded in every decision, every process, and every team across our organization.