Developing a custom-engineered product can be a daunting undertaking – but with the right partner, it doesn’t have to be a challenge. Whether your facility needs a new piece of specialized equipment or an entire customized sampling system, working with an experienced partner can make it easy to develop custom-engineered samplers and systems to meet your most demanding requirements for your specific industry.

From hydrocarbon plants to food and beverage facilities, every processing environment is different. Capturing a representative sample varies widely, and sometimes your plant needs a custom-engineered solution to do it right.

Customizing the right sampling solution based on your application is common practice. But there are best practices that can help you develop a solution that maximizes performance and minimizes cost and time.

five tips for a smooth engineering process

1. Start with Strategy 

Before you start developing your customized solution, meet with your supplier to create a detailed plan that brings your vendor’s sales team and your own management team(s) together to talk through your needs, expectations and details that will make this project a success.

The ability of your partner to provide proper expertise and strategies ensures your needs are met quickly and on-time.

This expert collaboration can reduce change orders, which often lead to higher development costs and extended timelines, to simplify and streamline the entire process.

2. Establish Clear Expectations

Having clear expectations up front minimizes errors, builds trust between customer and supplier and ensures the original bid remains accurate and realistic.

The initial quote you get from a vendor often leaves many variables or components open to ambiguity. Make sure you provide as much information as possible to your supplier – and expect the same from them in their bid. If any element of the proposal seems unclear, ask for clarification. The level of detailed information should reduce anxiety and ensure your supplier has a complete understanding of your project and what the applications require.

3. Get a Reality Check 

The choice of configurations and material components can push lead times out due to parts availability. Keep in mind your supplier won’t always have a custom-engineered part on hand. Therefore, it’s critical  your supplier, their distribution channels and you to all be on the same page. Developing a plan early for unexpected complications in the development and engineering process is vital to the project's success.

Make sure you take these factors into account to reduce material changes, expedite fees, prevent design changes – to ultimately achieve your delivery timeline, performance and financial goals.

4. Master Documentation and Job Close-Out

Familiarize yourself with the ordering process to finalize your order. Ask your vendor:

• How do your processes and the supplier’s processes work together?
• Does it fall on the project manager or accounting team to review and close out the project?
• Do I need to submit a documentation request to confirm the project is complete?
• Is a documentation request necessary to close out the project and pay any outstanding invoices?

Asking these questions and more will ensure that your project is seamless from start to finish.

5. Choose Your Vendor Wisely 

When assessing vendors, it’s important to choose a partner who is responsive to your needs and questions, provides concise and detailed information and has a customer-centric culture where they understand your expectations. Look for a partner who provides you the flexibility you need to produce at both high and low levels all while maintaining a fair cost approach.

Sentry Equipment develops custom-engineered products and systems to meet the most demanding and unique customer requirements for a wide variety of industries and companies worldwide. Our engineers are experts in their field and have a deep understanding of the challenges your facility faces daily. Our products provide the real-time data and critical insights needed to control and optimize your process to help your facility develop and implement higher performing, safer processes and output while protecting your assets, operators and the environment.

Ready to start your custom-engineered project? Contact our engineering team to get started developing your unique product or system.