Introduction
Ouster's vision is to manufacture products that enhance the quality of human life by making driving and intersections safer and increasing the efficiency and safety of industrial processes. To make its technology available to a wider market, Ouster has always been focused on offering reliable products at low cost. In a recent blog post, they disclose where and how they manufacture their sensors and how they guarantee quality.
Manufacturing sites
If you are the owner of an Ouster OS-series lidar sensor, chances are high that it has been produced in Thailand. In fact, since 2019, Ouster outsourced most of its production to Benchmark Electronics, a global contract manufacturer in Thailand. They guarantee low-cost and large-scale production at high standards.
Apart from the site in Thailand, Ouster is developing, testing, and manufacturing new products in San Francisco.
Manufacturing process
Because the design of digital lidar sensors is similar to CMOS camera sensors, Ouster has been able to scale production quickly. For every new product, a team is designing the manufacturing process in San Francisco and then replicating it on large scale in Thailand.
Quality
To insure quality and reliability, each sensor goes through vigorous testing before being shipped to the customer. During this process, the sensors are continuously optimized for best performance.
Sustainability
Ouster also states that one of their core corporate values is sustainability:
We are committed to making decisions and conducting our business in an environmentally responsible and proactive manner by minimizing our carbon footprint, conserving natural resources, minimizing waste, using renewable and cleaner energy sources when possible, and upholding the principles of human rights and fair labor practices.
