When The Answer Is Not Obvious
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A difficult design decision. An unexplained failure. A manufacturing problem needing a better solution.
Synthesis brings mechanical engineering experience and a fresh perspective to help you find answers.
Design Review – Failure Analysis – R&D – Manufacturing Improvement – Verification & Testing
Let Synthesis help you find smart paths to results.
Design Review & Design Consulting
This is an experimental fixture made to identify opportunities. The image does not do justice to the technicality of the project, and for confidentiality reasons we will not explain.
Yet, in simplicity, this design shows when we know we hit true innovation. The simplicity makes it feel like the solution should have been obvious, yet it belies the creativity of the solution.
We help with new designs and with evaluating competitive work. Let us look things over and see if there is room for improvement, or to see if there are extra opportunities with your goals.
Why Did It Break?
Unfortunately, that is an all too common question when things don't go quite right.
When things break or parts fail, the reasons are not always obvious. Yet, it is important to find the answers. In mechanical engineering consulting, we dig into not only the obvious issues, but the surrounding factors too. That is a big part of Product & Industrial Forensics.
Especially when safety and reputation are on the line, Synthesis can assist in finding the cause. Forensic study is one way we find solutions to get customers back on track.
Read the Engine Failure Forensic Study article.
Engineering R&D Consulting
Leveraging outside expertise for engineering research helps you accomplish more, faster. Synthesis often serves as a research and development resource for customer projects. This example is designing and refining tiny precision components in a research project for an implant. (Photo taken with a microscope).
In projects like these, we stretch technology, bring ideas from other industries, and pursue solutions through innovation coupled with hands-on experimentation.
Engineering research is a prime example of how Mechanical Engineering Consulting builds levers for business and adds value to a project.
R&D is a great example of Engineering Consulting.
Make It Flow . . .
Better, Faster, More Efficient, Higher Quality, and so many other factors. This project was both design and manufacturing consulting.
The internal design brought simplicity and new hydraulic controls. Consulting on processes brought manufacturing efficiencies and quality improvement.
A streamlined process can be a defining factor in profitability – inside and out. If you have identified bottlenecks or quality opportunities, but find optimization is still evading the team, our fresh perspective can help identify possibilities.
Our goal is to help you reach greater capacity, streamlined flow, higher quality and greater profitability.
Looking Deeper
Synthesis frequently consults with customers on new product designs and design verification. The component shown here is a weldment, and the image shows the optimized, final engineering design.
We offer a fresh perspective and targeted analysis to help each project reach its full potential.
We apply a variety of verification methods – including 3D CAD-based simulations like Finite Element Analysis (FEA) – to evaluate performance, safety, and feasibility before you commit to production. If your project requires a specialized analysis, contact us to discuss how (or if) we can assist with your design verification needs.
Real-Time Validation
Design verification / validation can take many forms. The object shown is a Proof-of-Concept prototype that ran more than 2 million cycles to prove design feasibility.
Sometimes validation is at the completion of a project, but sometimes early, like this Proof-of-Concept. Sometimes CAD simulations are acceptable as calculated verification, yet in other situations validation is physical.
At Synthesis we assess many designs and figure out ways to test early to prove a concept. For the actuator above, we did the design, then on customer request, we made the prototypes and test fixture, then ran the physical validation tests.
Find more examples of Mechanical Engineering Consulting in the Portfolio of past projects, and also in our growing Engineering Case Studies Library. One sample is this Case Study On Design Consulting.
We approach technical problem solving with ideas and innovation. With more than 30 years of successful mechanical engineering consulting, we trust experience with the creative process.
We bring a collaborative spirit to every project, offering more than just a fresh perspective.
Seasoned expertise from years of consulting on hundreds of projects.
A broad spectrum of experience from a variety of industries.
A boost for your capability without a long-term commitment.
Idea cross-pollination, bringing ideas from other industries to you.
Every consulting engagement is different, so our approach starts with understanding the problem, the goals, and the knowledge your team already has.
Whether you may have a design that needs another look, a failure that needs explanation, or a manufacturing concern needing a solution, we begin by seeking to understand both the history and the goals. It also starts the same for an engineering question that is holding things up, or an invention that is needed to make things work.
Your team already knows a lot, so we combine that knowledge with our experience, practical engineering judgment, and fresh perspective to determine where to look next.
Before jumping to solutions, we ask questions. What is working? What is not? What has already been tried? What constraints matter most? Often, understanding the history and framing the problem reveals opportunities that are easy to miss when everyone is close to the work.
Effort that follows depends entirely on the need. For example:
Other consulting work may involve R&D, prototype development, testing, or solving a persistent technical problem. The situation, and your desires, determine the engineering tools we use as well as the approach we take.
Sometimes the need is to understand why something happened. Other times the challenge is finding a way through conflicting constraints, proving a concept, or developing a new product or invention.
We do not force every problem through the same process. Instead, we follow the evidence, test assumptions where appropriate, and focus the engineering effort where it can provide useful answers.
Consulting costs depend on the scope of the work, the time required, and any additional needs such as materials, prototypes, testing, or specialized resources. Some questions can be addressed quickly. Others require investigation, analysis, or hands-on development.
Most of all, you lead the discussion. We will put in the effort that your team requests.
Want a clearer idea of what your situation may require?
Contact us to open the conversation. We are happy to talk about potential costs.
Collaboration is central to the Synthesis approach. We recognize your team has in-house knowledge and skill that are indispensable for success. This collaborative foundation serves as a springboard for effective solutions.
At Synthesis, thinking "Inside the Box" is not our style, and "Black Box" solutions are not our domain. We thrive on breaking barriers and exploring innovative avenues. Working hand-in-hand with customers, we encourage open communication which cultivates a rich exchange of ideas. That is the process leading to desirable outcomes.
Recognizing your expertise in your industry, we embrace a collaborative mindset to turbocharge the creative process. Synergy helps to uncover the Elegant Solutions which align with your goals. Certainly, working together is the most effective way to get answers.
Connect now to explore how an Engineering Consultant can elevate your project, or conquer bothersome challenges.
Are You Ready?
As an independent engineering consultant, Synthesis is not limited by industry boundaries. We work with you to leverage the knowledge of your team and business, while bringing proven ideas and solutions, as a collective knowledge from other industries. This is a part of what makes us so valuable in efficiently finding solutions.
Hiring a consultant is less commitment than hiring a new employee, and we come with a broad range of experience, skills, and fresh insight. That is also a powerful advantage for a business, whether you need ideas on a specific project, support for new product development, forensic analysis, or solutions to mechanical challenges.
The real value of engineering consulting is access to expertise exactly when you need it – without long-term overhead. While some see consultants as an added cost, the true value is in solving problems early, saving money, time, and future headaches. Just like you rely on professionals in other fields (attorney, dentist, plumber, etc.) the right consultant brings advantages as levers to boost your bottom line. These are the long-term benefits to outweigh the short-term investment.
If you are still deciding whether outside engineering help makes sense for your situation, read Engineering Consulting – When Is It Beneficial?
From Synthesis Engineering, our consulting has delivered results for companies across many industries (and countries), tackling challenges in design, manufacturing, R&D, failure analysis, process improvement, and more. Every project is unique, just like our approach.
Every consulting engagement is different, and our experience may or may not be a perfect fit for you. That is why we wrote "How to find the RIGHT engineering consultant?" Truly, the best way to know if we can help:
A fresh perspective could be just the spark that leads to a better answer.
Start the conversation to see what is possible.