Electrical Industry Items

[Todd Suire]

I've got quite a few small electrical businesses in my area and would like to market to them. I've seen mention of switch plates, estucheon plates, and small control panels here on the forum.

I'm vaguely familiar with the electrical world; I know it turns on my lights and TV, and I've been shocked a few times. But I'm not familiar with these or other engravable electrical items, or how an electrician would like them engraved.

Can someone shed some light on this for me?

[James Stokes]

There was 1 real good thread on the subject about a year ago, run a search on the forum and you can probably find it.

[Randy Digby]

One method that might help is to think about the occupations of your friends and perhaps one of them works in a medium or large manufacturing or production facility and can get you in for a tour. In a large facility with much equipment, you will find a large selection of control panels, switch panels, and operator control panels. The simplest form will be a common rectangular laminated plate with one or two lines engraved and adhesive tape applied to the back. The more complicated are the labels that fit around an electrical operator like a push button or selector switch. These have different hole diameters depending on the manufacturer of the component and they will often hav a key slot cut in them to maintain alignment.

The local fire marshal and OSHA are often the motivator for industrial plants to improve their eletrical panel labeling

Your typical residential electrician will have little need for panel labels, but a large firm that works for industrial customers will have medium to large labeling needs from time to time.

Another source for labeling is in the area of Lean Manufacturing. LM is a broad concept but it's application here is that LM says that everything has a place and that place is usually labeled with some type of signage. One of the first pieces of equipment that a company purchases when "going Lean" is a vinyl cutter so that can handle the large volume of signage driven by LM. Most will not buy engraving equipment as quickly as they will purchase vinyl cutting equipment. This is another area for you to query your friends and contacts that might work in an industrial environment. A cousin to the LM process is called 6S or Six Sigma.

Another opportunity in industry is in the area of Lock-Out Tag-Out which oftern requires equipment diagrams and LOTO points affixed to all equipment. Most companies make do with a laminated drawing taped to the control panel. Get you foot in the door and engrave a large plate with the LOTO info and the "WOW" factor could give you some steady work. Along the same lines are Evacuation Route signs. Again, a drawing in a picture frame serves the purpose, but a CAD drawing converted to an engraved, mountable sign gives the customer a much more durable product, and locks you in for updates and replacements.

The last two years I was in industry, I was the LM manager for a 600+ person plant and I contracted out my vinyl cutter almost full time since my facility manager did not want to have to dedicate someone to sign making and the supply tracking and ordering that goes with it.

I spent 37 years in industry and had a lot of labels made over those years. For the last two years, I've been able to be the supplier of those labels. Not enough to make a living off of, mind you, but still income. I don't pursue it with other companies. I just support the palnt I retired from.

I know it's hard to imagine the opportunities if you don't have the freedom to roam around inside a lage production facility, but it sure would help you understand the possibilites if you could make it happen.

[Rodne Gold]

Labels are ok , but generally all one offs and small qtys , what you want to try do is big runs of more complex stuff, for example the front panel of some electonic item being produced or its back panel or a diagramatic picture of whats in the box etc.
Big mimic or process panels for plants are VERY good money too , those are those wall sized thing with stop switches and lights showing the process plant itself in diagramatic terms.
Data, info and warning plates for machinery or products is good too as are just general "made by" labels.

[Frank Defert]

The thread James is refering to was started by Carol VanArnam. It goes on for pages and is what started me into tags and plates.

I mostly do operational placards for industrial equipment, some bag tags for sporting teams and I have a nice set of luggage tags.



http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=59229

Frank

[Tim Bateson]

A word of caution when dealing with major manufacturers: Here in SW Ohio there is a Fortune 50 - unnamed manufacturer. I have refused to do work for. I had once worked as a contractor for them. That company went under, as have several more. The reason is this large manufacturer routinely writes a check for services rendered. However they don't actually send that check for 6-8 months. Meanwhile they expect services on a continued base. It's a matter of playing with the books for them.
I’m sure this is the exception, just be careful.
Just my 2 cents
- no adjustment for inflation.

[Steven Wallace]

Lots of big companies write 30-45 net on their contracts but will routinely go past those dates as they play with the money on their books. I was in the equipment supplier for years and large companies do this all the time. You need to make the penalty larger than the amount they can make on no paying you.

[Todd Suire]

James, Randy, Rodne, Frank, Tim, Steven,

Thank you guys for sharing your knowledge.

Sometimes I know the answer's out there but the ideas just won't click. You've spurred my imagination. There are 3 manufacturing plants in my area and I've got at least one contact at each one. I'm going to see if I can get my foot in those doors.

The advice on payment terms is very welcome, since getting paid is one of the main reasons you make a sale.

I'll check out the thread mentioned above.

Thanks again for your help.