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How do I find/choose a system integrator for a mechatronics project?
August 4, 2008

There are two issues to face when choosing a system integrator for a mechatronics project: how much of the project to keep in house, what to contract out, and how to keep control of the project. If this sounds like Project Management 101, it is.

The minute you decide to do any development involving a third party, you’re playing in the project-management sandbox — and that box is always filled with quicksand. Whether you sink or swim depends on how carefully you approach it.

Before even thinking about looking for a contractor, you need to think about why you need him/her/them. The only reason to look outside your company is to fill a hole in your company’s capabilities.

Every company, of course, has holes in its capabilities. Companies should have internal resources to cover their core competencies, but not be loaded with extraneous baggage. For example, an architectural firm specializing in office buildings incorporates all the architects, structural engineers, computer-aided design experts (draftspeople), model makers, accountants, etc., needed to conceptualize a large building, make sure it’s within the realm of the physical and financial possibility, and communicate it to others. Such firms do not, generally, include bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, and the myriad other folks needed to actually put the durn thing up. They contract all that stuff out to third parties who have core competencies in those areas.

The same thing holds true for your company. When it wanted a state-of-the-art inspection system for its Twin-Cam engine, Harley Davidson (HD), which has plenty of in-house mechanical engineering expertise, contracted with Midwest Engineered Systems Group (MWES). That turned out to be a very smart move.

HD’s core competency is designing and manufacturing motorcycles. MWES’ core competency is (in their own words) as: “an innovative systems integrator of electrical/electronic controls and computer software for machine and process control, coordinated drive systems and supervisory control.” That means it has designed and built a lot of such systems for a range of applications, and their engineers are motivated to keep up with the latest applicable technology.

HD’s original expectation for the inspection system was quite modest. It envisioned a system that would simply ensure that the timing chains were installed correctly. MWES, with its wider experience, knew that even a minimal system would be capable of much more. By the time the two companies were done, the system included a SCARA robot carrying a smart machine-vision camera, and was programmed for 30 tests. While the system’s cost rose with the additional tests, it replaced a number inspection and test stations that would, altogether, have cost several times as much.

From this story, we can learn several things:
• Even large, well managed companies with lots of resources need third parties to provide expertise outside their core competence areas;
• Look for third parties whose core competence is the expertise needed;
• Listen carefully to advice tendered by your contractor; and
• The right third-party integrator can provide a better solution that may save a lot of money in the long run.

Competency holes are not the only reason to seek third-party help. Other reasons include:

Compartmentalization — Why distract your production folks or maintenance people with a project that’s not part of their primary function? Bringing in a third party integrator lets them focus on keeping production moving. That’s what they’re there for, not to stand around scratching their heads over why the frammis won’t sync with the deeliewop in a machine off line.

Personnel limitations — Your staff may already be stretched too thin, and adding temporary staff for one project may not make good sense. It may be wiser to hire a third party integrator with permanent staff having the required expertise. At least they’ll be easier to find when something goes wrong (and something always goes wrong) later on.

Specialized/additional equipment — You’ve set up your facilities to support your day-to-day business. There’s no reason to invest in specialized equipment that you may never use again. Hire a contractor who already has it in house.

Managing technical risk — While it may sound like a weaselly thing to do, hiring a third-party contractor for a specific project transfers some of the technical risk onto its narrow shoulders. If, for example, the project goes over budget or past schedule, you may be able to get your contractor to eat some overruns. That will make you look a lot better when you need to save face.

These reasons have force for any decision to hire third-party help. They certainly motivate your search for a mechatronic system integrator.

Once you’ve figured out why you want to find a system integrator, and figured out exactly what capabilities you want them to bring to the party, how do you find them?

The first place to start is the Control Engineering Automation Integrator Guide. Look for integrators who have the expertise you need for your project. Use the basic word search function to pull up names by specialty. Search on multiple keywords. For example, integrators with mechatronics expertise might also be listed under “motion control.” To be thorough, you want to be both wide ranging (to capture everyone relevant) and specific (to make the results manageable). Since a single search logically can’t be both, expect to do multiple searches with different keywords and combinations.

You might also consult solution partners of companies that make products that might go into your system. For example, I originally met my friends at Bloomy Controls through the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program. They’re now one of the first places I turn when faced with a data acquisition and control issue I can’t resolve myself. The good thing about solution partner programs is that, in most cases, the vendors require entrants into their programs to prove competency with their products.

Finally (and I do mean save it for last), do a Google search for companies that provide the services you need. The reason to leave a Web search for last resort is that it’s bottom fishing. Not only do you have to sort through all kinds of hits that include the keyword, but are totally irrelevant (The third-ranked hit in a recent search on “matrix analysis” was a film critic’s analysis of The Matrix.), there’s no way to sort by quality of work. All you get is what the integrators say about their capabilities. Confirmation is difficult to find. 

After gathering info, pare your short list down to one or the few you want to contact with a request for quote. Check their websites. What do they claim for capabilities? Can they cite success stories for projects similar to yours?

How professional does their site seem? That might sound off track, but remember the Website is the work of a company your prospective integrator hired to groom its public face. Professionals tend to work with professionals. If an integrator puts up with sloppy work from its Website developer, can you trust it with your project?

Contact your top 3-5 potentials. How quickly do they respond? How knowledgeable do they seem to be? Do they listen to you, or jump into a canned sales pitch? You will have to work with these people throughout the life of your system, in good times and bad. Are you hitching your wagon to a star, or a boat anchor?

Finally, ask your favorite for references to customers with whom they’ve worked recently. I stress “recently.” If they did the project five years ago, haven’t they satisfied any customers more recently? Contact those customers and ask about their experiences. Remember, most companies will send you to clients they think are satisfied.

In the end, you want a warm and fuzzy feeling about the integrator you finally choose. Initial concerns you have about your project partner will not go away. If anything, they will grow, and additional problems will surface later. Hopefully, none will turn into disasters. Start by giving your project the best chance of success possible.

Also read, from Control Engineering: How to Find the Ideal System Integrator 

Posted by Charlie Masi on August 4, 2008 | Comments (1)