Finding the engineering solutions that are needed to meet today’s market challenges is not easy. Against the backdrop of a supply crisis, we must have the capacity to develop projects with a 100% digital approach. This is something that can mark the difference between success and failure in any activity. A good team can provide solutions in sectors such as transport and automation, among others.
Engineering services during a supply crisis
Undoubtedly, the current situation is one of the most difficult that we have seen for decades in the automotive industry. The shortage of basic necessities for vehicles such as microchips has put many projects on hold. This has caused operational problems for many companies, which is something that can be corrected by planning.
Industrial engineering in relation to the automotive industry is very dependent on essential electronic components in almost every system of the vehicle. On average, a new car comes out of the factory with more than 1000 semiconductor chips. Their scarcity is estimated to have delayed or suspended the delivery of more than half a million vehicles in Spain alone.
This is where the experience of engineers and the implementation of different engineering services can make a difference. It is true that it is impossible to avoid the shortage of raw materials, but there are strategies to avoid the worst consequences of it. All that’s needed are the right experts capable of putting those strategies into practice to turn this problem into a growth opportunity.
Engineering as a fix for problems
The field of engineering services is very wide. It’s important that efforts are made to bring professionals closer to project management and advice in every stage of the project. To do this, we must take into account what has been said above about the paralysis of various industries as a result of the supply crisis.
There are numerous ways that we can solve the problems. In the first instance, engineering begins with the important step of pre-implementation advice. Logistics chains can be strengthened to overcome the shortage of raw materials and microchips that many are suffering today.
It all begins with a detailed study of the client’s tasks and workload. This allows for a proper analysis to be carried out to avoid subsequent problems such as a lack of supplies. This is a preliminary step towards deciding on concrete measures.
The creation of tailor-made working groups
The type of services to be provided is determined by the initial analysis of the situation in which the company is operating. Getting a close look at the business activity generates a huge amount of data. If the data is interpreted properly, a clear course of action can then be set out.
This type of analysis not only offers the opportunity to know how a company works. It is also important for determining how a particular project should be carried out. It sheds light on aspects such as workloads and deliverables, which are variables that change from one activity to another and from one company to another.
All of this makes the initial data collection the fundamental first step in project management. The next step is the formation of working groups,tasked with ensuring the execution of the project in question. In this way, efficiency will be assured, as well as profitability. It should not be forgotten that at the route of everything is the question of maximising resources to reap the benefits of an activity.
Turnkey support services
All the previous activity, analysing the situation of the company and creating working groups, has one objective: to execute the project in a completely satisfactory way.
Companies that avail of this process can count on it being planned out to the very last detail. This includes the tasks that ensure that the deliverables are always on time, complying with quality and cost requirements. These are requirements that have to be made clear from the beginning to guide the process.
This is what is known as turnkey support, where the client hires an engineering service to handle everything. The result is a phased completion of the project. The engineering services create every last work process to give consistency to the project.
It should be noted that this goes far beyond the simple management of resources. That’s why experts in industrial engineering are able to develop new tools and all kinds of systems for the companies they work with.
Digitisation: the key to a more efficient company
It’s essential to have some understanding of all of the above. The tools and the methods used to carry out projects must move towards digitisation.
Nowadays, seeking engineering solutions without taking into account the digital environment is unthinkable. Therefore, engineers must be able to improve the digitisation processes in the companies they work for.
There are three forms of collaboration possible with the company that hires the engineering service. These are In-House: in which the equipment is installed on the company’s premises. Off-Shore: where external servers provide remote support.
And in between the above is Near-Shore. This stations work teams close to the client to provide support services, but without the need to be part of its facilities. These qualified professionals only require the access and tools needed to meet this proximity requirement.
All of this ensures the optimum provision of engineering services. In fact, such teams work with the latest technologies. A clear example of this is the use of virtual reality to test products and work phases before they are implemented. In this way, their effectiveness can be estimated in advance so appropriate changes can be made.
In any case, what we can say for certain is that engineering is a resource that many companies could draw on to solve the problems caused by the current supply crisis. It only needs a little specialised and imaginative work to turn this crisis situation into an opportunity to grow like never before.
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