The I-Bus TOPS Program is designed as a total support package to meet the needs of OEM customers, and operates as part of the ISO9001:2000 accredited procedures operated by I-Bus facilities in the US and Europe. The primary aim of TOPS is to minimize time-to-market and maximize return on investment (ROI) for OEM's choosing I-Bus as their preferred power and computer solutions provider. Key areas of the Program cover:

• Engineering expertise at the component and systems level
• Expertise in agencies approvals testing and certification
• High quality products and integration
• Product and vendor management
• Brand management of products and packaging

Engineering Expertise
Since the company's foundation in 1982, I-Bus engineering expertise has been focused on component electrical and mechanical design for industrial grade computer systems and power management systems.

• Custom computer systems to meet specific requirements
• Custom power conditioning systems to meet specific requirements
• Customization of standard mechanical enclosures
• Customization of standard electrical components
• Customization of enclosures or electrical components to complement proprietary hardware / software technologies
• Design-for-manufacturability: take an existing product/design and modify for manufacture in any I-Bus facility to meet demand
• Rack level customization: Customized SCSI + Fiber-Channel SAN, NAS and JBOD storage

Agencies Approvals
Testing and Certification With a firm background in computing solutions for telecommunications applications and power conditioning systems for medical imaging, I-Bus have extensive knowledge of worldwide agency standards, legislation, testing and certification to meet the needs of converging technologies worldwide. Testing is conducted in government approved labs.

• Full time I-Bus Agency Approvals Engineering staff
• Conducted emissions testing for worldwide agency standards
• Safety agencies testing for worldwide agency standards
• Engineer support on testing days
• Design for agency approvals services
• Documentation and filing administration

High Quality and Integration
I-Bus is able to offer customers integration and support services. With our own design and integration facilities and a choice of high quality contract manufacturers worldwide, we can ensure a comprehensive multi-sourcing resource for our customers.

• Worldwide design facilities
• Custom systems integration
• Custom test regimes
• Custom rack integration, power and computing
• Custom system and storage integration

I-Bus Product and Vendor Management
I-Bus product and vendor management services are aimed at helping OEMs deliver the product quality and brand image they require, while enabling them to offer their customers competitive pricing, guaranteed delivery lead times and a systematic upgrade path.

Product management is tailored to assisting both product and channel managers, enabling a fast response to unpredictable demand and after sales support.

• Fully documented build process
• Fully documented BOM control
• All parts serialized for traceability
• Customer notification or approval level revision control
• Full ISO 9001:2000 contract review on all incoming orders
• Guaranteed upgrade path
• 3rd party vendor management
• Vendor reduction program support
• Training programs tailored to in-house or external service organizations
• Modular stocking programs
• Scheduled delivery programs supported
• Logistics support

Vendor management is tailored to helping OEM's keep platform costs competitive without compromising product quality or their ability to deliver.

• No single sources
• Vendor reduction for lower maintenance costs and quicker delivery lead times
• Incoming part level inspection
• Part revision management
• Guaranteed upgrade path

Brand Management of Products and Packaging
I-Bus understands that our end-product is often the main element of an OEM solution purchased by the end user. I-Bus offer OEM's a range of product and packaging branding services to ensure that your channel product image is highly visible on both system and packaging.

• Enclosure color - paint or powder-coat in any RAL color
• Silk-screen logo and branding of the enclosure or part
• Logo and/or branding of rack cabinets o Custom color and branded rack accessories
• Custom systems packaging design
• Silk-screen and printing on carton or packaging
• Joint-marketing initiatives, exhibitions and case studies
• Joint sales calls with channel sales

Process for TOPS Services: TOPS services are available to all I-Bus customers. Our aim is to fit our product offering to meet your needs. Because those needs differ greatly, as a first step please contact your local sales representative who will work with you to understand your requirements are met promptly and competitively.
The process will then follow this general pattern:

• Generate a Product Requirements Document (PRD)
• Review PRD with responsible Manager and I-Bus Engineering
• Generate proposal to provide solution
• Initiate design work
• Review internally against PRD and externally with customers
• Produce prototypes for customer and agency evaluation
• Review prototype, BOM and production processes
• Finalize BOM, build guide and production processes
• Go into production
• Manage BOM in conjunction with customer and vendors