Unlock Answers to Tricky Challenges
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Fresh eyes can change the outlook on engineering challenges. At Synthesis, we tackle obstacles with knowledge, experience, practical know-how, and creative thinking. Together, we can move forward in discovering useful solutions.
The right insights will save time and reduce cost – moving your project forward. Let Synthesis help you find the short, smart paths to results.
We approach technical problem solving with ideas and innovation. With more than 25 years of successful mechanical engineering consulting, we trust experience with the creative process.
In every project we love a collaborative spirit, offering more than just a fresh perspective. Here are some of the benefits we bring:
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.
Advantages Sound Great, But . . .
The word "consulting" means slightly different things in different areas. At the core, it is about bringing in outside expertise with a fresh perspective to assist in solving challenges – in our case Engineering Challenges.
Indeed, "Engineering Consulting" covers a wide range of services. Things like design reviews and forensics analysis, or process improvement and manufacturing efficiency are typical. See the samples below, and remember, no two consulting projects are the same.
Each engagement is unique, shaped by your project goals and urgency. We usually start by collaborating closely with your team, capturing your in-house knowledge, and combining it with our experience. This foundation ensures solutions that truly fit your needs.
For more information about Synthesis and our approach to Engineering Consulting, read the How To article for Success With Your Consulting Engineer.
You are the expert in your field and your business, so you guide the goals. We provide an educated outside perspective and technical insight, but true success comes from combining your expertise with an injection of our experience and creative problem-solving.
All of it is guided by you.
Yes, every project is different, so we will ask a lot of questions. You are the experts, so our role in engineering consulting is often to simply guide thinking around roadblocks, or introduce new perspectives. Other times we drive exploration, spark innovation, or help develop test plans.
Sometimes the project is for us all to learn why something happened, or is happening. Other projects focus on how to achieve a new goal even in the midst of conflicting constraints. Still other times the need is an innovative solution to a persistent obstacle.
Whatever the need, we work alongside your team to solve the engineering challenges quickly, letting the situation drive the direction, so your business keeps moving forward.
This is an important question, and a key factor when considering a consultant. Engineering consulting fees depend, of course, on the scope of the project. It is time required, plus any additional expenses like materials, testing, or specialized resources. There may also be costs to you associated with your team's involvement.
In all of it, the real cost of consulting is not in the fees, rather, the costs of delay. Value is in time saved, solutions found faster, and long-term savings from increased efficiency or avoided mistakes. The right engineering consultant can deliver value that far outweighs the investment.
For more on the value proposition and perspective for engineering consulting, read the article "Levers To Boost Your Bottom Line".
Want a clear idea of consulting costs for your project?
Contact us to discuss your needs. We are happy to talk about potential costs.
Design Review & Design Consulting
This is and experimental fixture to identify opportunities. The image does not do justice to the technicality of the project, and for confidentiality reasons we can't explain.
Yet, in simplicity this is when we know we hit true innovation. The elegance makes it feel like the solution should have been obvious.
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's important to find the answers. In mechanical engineering consulting we dig into not just 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 will assist in finding the cause. Forensic study is one way we find solutions to get 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 simulation 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.
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 "Back 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 s 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 a powerful advantage for a business, whether you need ideas on a specific project, support for new product development, 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.
From Synthesis Engineering, our consulting has delivered results for companies across many industries, 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. That is why we wrote "How to find the RIGHT engineering consultant?" Truly, there is only one real way to know if we can help:
A fresh perspective could be just the spark your project needs for a successful leap forward. Start the conversation to see what's possible.