How
do you select a vendor?
Perhaps the best thing to sort the wheat from the chaff
is a reference list. But check it against your needs, both business ones and cost
constraints.
If
you are interested in lowest cost, be certain your specifications are complete
and detailed and test samples rigorously. Of course, if your organization believes
in, and has, a Total Quality System, such points are moot, except possibly for
the use of standards. Those who buy on price alone run the risk of poor performance,
unless your specifications are fully met. In temperature measurement that can
spell lost productivity or miles of scrap product or a hazard to someone. If
you are interested in best performance, do the same thing.
Bottom Line:
Do a complete job at your end, which means checking for appropriate
standards whenever ordering anything!
If
there are industry standards that apply to your sensor, use them in your specifications.
Anything less is plain neglect. If there are no standards and you think there
should be, get active in standards development. Other companies like yours probably
have similar needs. Standards
are the way to get vendors to provide the best at a competetive price. Some vendors
will give you the best on their own; most will not, until pressured. There
are numerous examples of the advantages of standards to organizations and vendors
world-wide. Usually the most concientious vendors are already involved in standards
efforts. For a partial list of temperature sensor standards and organizations,
see our Standards page. One way to learn which
vendors are truely serious and reliable is to check the rosters of the standards
societies to see which companies foster them by committing the time of their staff
to participate.
The
largest vendors are not necessarily the lowest cost nor the best quality, nor
the repository of competent know-how. Often the small, specialized manufacturer,
or those with a tradition of excellence and a very satisfied list of customers
will provide what you need and participation in standards developments. They are
the gems and any extra cost you must pay is usually well earned and worth not having to go through the process twice!
Finding gems takes time and often costs money. Talk to your peers,
learn of their success and share your own; check to see which vendors are active
contributors in standards development societies/associations and organizations
like ASME-American Society
of Mechanical Engineers,
ASTM-The
American Society for Testing and Materials,
ASNT-The
American Society for Non-destructive Testing,
BSI-The
British Standards Institute,
ISA-The
Instrument Society of America,
IEEE-The Institution
of Electrical & Electronic Engineers,
ISO-The
International Standards Association,
NCSLI-National
Conference of Calibration Laboratories,or
VDI-VDE,
to mention a few.
Our
News & Directories web site, www.tempsensor.net has a special feature that enables all vendors to enter their own listings
and news of products and special events. We also have another feature that enables
interested individuals to enter reviews of products and services. Needless to
say, all submitted listings and reviews are examined and checked for clarity,
truthfulness and appropriateness before being placed on the public web site.
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