Published on June 7, 2026
Helped a Tier1 supplier resolve high cost and long lead time issues with imported encapsulated parts. From order to mass production in just 35 days, unit cost reduced by 62%, successfully entered domestic EV brand supply chain.
In February 2024, a Tier-1 supplier for Li Auto and NIO approached us with a challenge. They had been importing radar sensor overmold parts from Japan - each piece cost 28 RMB, and a car uses 4 of them, totaling 112 RMB per vehicle.
The bigger issue was lead time. Japan quoted 8 weeks but often stretched to 10 weeks. In 2023, one production stop lasted 12 weeks waiting for these parts, causing 3 days of line downtime and a 200,000 RMB penalty from the OEM.
They had tried 5-6 domestic suppliers - none could meet the precision requirements or pass automotive-grade certification.
1. High dimensional precision: Inner cavity must fit sensor chip with ±0.05mm tolerance
2. Strict material requirements: UL94 V-0 flame retardant, 130°C heat resistance
3. Wave transmission: Silicone must not interfere with radar signals
4. Batch consistency: CPK ≥ 1.33 required for mass production
We had ready stock of UL94 V-0 certified automotive-grade LSR material from previous connector projects. Material confirmed same day.
3 days on precision mold design with:
Continuous trial production of 3,000 pieces, measuring 150 samples:
Step 4: Automotive Certification
PPAP approval completed in 18 days.
| Metric | Japan Import | Xiangchu Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Price | 28 RMB | 10.5 RMB |
| Lead Time | 8-12 weeks | 2 weeks |
| MOQ | 5,000 pcs | 1,000 pcs |
| Dimension CPK | 1.25 | 1.41 |
| Defect Rate | 0.8% | 0.15% |
Total orders in 2024: 320,000 pieces. Annual savings: 5.6 million RMB.
"We thought precision parts could only be imported. Xiangchu proved domestic can match and exceed import quality. Our localization rate improved from 30% to 65%."
Excellent cooperation experience! Oakley solved our import substitution problem perfectly, the cost reduction effect is remarkable.
