Investing in an industrial automation system for the first time or upgrading an existing system is a large undertaking.
Industrial automation is an innovative field with new advances every year combining hardware and software, often within an existing system to have production and control systems operate at their maximum efficiency. This is where a system integration partner comes in.
They are companies not tied to any company specifically, who partner with you to help achieve top results in your facility while managing schedules. Whether that be storage, conveyance, Robots, etc.
A system integrator will manage all components like engineering, and materials, as well as installation and implementation of control systems.
The right system integrator can bring great benefits to your company such as:
- Having the capability to be able to quote more than one solution for comparable numbers.
- Long-standing relationships with the right partners to be able to provide the solution desired either in an area or nationwide.
- Experience with more than one product line that could tie into the system that you already have in place or to help you rebuild that line.
In this blog, we will discuss finding the correct integrator and the due diligence that it takes to make sure that your experience is nothing but successful.
Determine Your Needs
Are you looking for short-term solutions, or do you need a long-term ROI? Once you have established what your company will need, the search for the correct system integration partner begins.
Ask for sites to visit or references.
Speak with people who have worked with the integrator in the past. Listen to what solutions they represent and do those solutions fit your needs.
Select the Necessary Credentials
Even though cost is a huge factor when you are looking for efficient solutions, do not let this be the entire reason you go with a system integrator. As we mentioned earlier, ask colleagues you worked with in the past. Surprisingly enough, the integrator world is a lot smaller than we think so there is a high chance your peers have been through the process before and will probably have insights and recommendations.
Reviewing Their Work
This is the most telling aspect. While all systems are unique, and require different solutions, at the higher level there is something you can learn from the installation and implementation of the integrator. Learn as much about the problems they encountered and what they did to tackle those hurdles. Ask what they felt was a success of that project. If there is an area that just seems odd then ask them why they designed it this way, more often than not there is a story to tell of how they came to the final solution.
Do They Have Connections to Get the Job Done?
We would argue that one of the most important, yet underrated facets of being a successful integration partner is networking. Working with trusted companies can be a huge advantage when it comes to choosing an integrator because they will be able to generate a quicker less stressful completion date due to already having the connections they need.
Searching for subcontractors with availability is minimized because many work exclusively with the integrator. Something that Lafayette Engineering takes a lot of pride in as a system integrator that has been built over time.
We value our long-standing relationships with vendors and subcontractors, as well as our ability to do almost every aspect in-house. Though we can work with a great majority of companies there are some situations Lafayette is not the correct integrator to work with and it could be for many different reasons.
At the end of the day, we want each and every customer or potential customer to be happy so if we are not able to help with your system, we have the network to help you find the right fit for the job.
Give us a call today to see if we are the right system integrator for you or let us help you connect with the right one. Call us today at (844) 845-7580.
