It’s easy to look at electrical controls as commodity products, and simply source them online or shop by price alone. After all, a component the makes up just 0.1% of the cost of a typical HVAC unit may not seem like a big deal. However, with every component you source, a little bit of your reputation is on the line. But you can guard against that when you partner with a manufacturer that engineers its solutions—not just sources them for you.
Electrical control vendor considerations
What do you look for when vetting an electrical controls supplier? Price is, logically, near the top of the list, and we understand that. However, there are a lot of other factors that OEMs should consider when searching for electrical control suppliers, especially when their reputation is on the line.
Engineers who live and breathe electrical controls
Does your electrical controls supplier have a dedicated engineering department? Experienced engineers have deep knowledge of the uniques aspects of electrical controls manufacturing and more important—performance. An in-house engineering staff support your company in countless way like these:
- OEM and supplier engineering teams collaborate to design right-sized and cost-effective solutions
- Electrical control engineers are current on codes and standards, and changes in their product lines that ensure the products are sold as specified
- Companies with engineering services invest in research and development to design new products geared to changing OEM needs and industry trends
- Supplier engineering teams work closely with quality personnel to deliver solutions that protect against failure
- On-shore engineering management directs off-shore engineering support at the manufacturing facility to ensure all processes are followed
Engineering services—the perfect assurance policy
Supplier engineering teams that work closely with OEMs ensure each control is optimized for the application. This means OEMs don’t waste money “over-buying” or risk failure by “under-buying.” If a problem arises, engineering services will determine the root cause and correct the issue.
Protect your most important asset—your reputation
While electrical controls may be a small percentage of your overall OEM product cost, careful engineering and product design can lead to years of end-user satisfaction. All of which protects your company’s reputation in the marketplace. And that’s what a real partner should always remember.