The small-carton filling quote looked reasonable when it was an FR10 and a gripper, and now I have presentation fixtures, guarding and training in separate conversations with no combined price. One supplier says training is included but means an introduction at its premises. We need people able to run the agreed job after handover. I am trying to make a fair comparison without pretending our internal work is free or asking a supplier to price a fixture we have not defined. What would you settle first?
I cannot choose an FR10 proposal with three empty cost lines
WillBennett0748 · 7 Mar 2026, 13:35 UTC
14 replies
Replying to WillBennett0748
Who defines the fixture? That seems to be blocking the rest.
23pointsReplying to YasminBell0615
Our toolroom and the integrator together, but neither had allowed time for that design work in the quoted figures; I have asked them to price a defined study before the production fixture.
10pointsReplying to WillBennett0748
Did the study price arrive?
11pointsReplying to GraceChen1190
Yes, with a deliverable covering presentation and access options using our carton samples. We approved that stage. The arm order is still separate, and the complete fixture cost remains unknown.
2pointsReplying to WillBennett0748
Your training point deserves its own line too. An introduction can be useful, but who teaches the actual changeover and interrupted-job decisions? I've seen a course certificate arrive long before anyone knew who could answer a production question
19pointsReplying to ChloeAbbott0048
Does either proposal include support after that job-specific handover?
12pointsReplying to AlexAdams0124
Chloe, our training lead has written the job-specific scope. Alex, one supplier includes a defined support period for its application, the other only hardware enquiries. That difference was invisible in the original totals.
6pointsReplying to WillBennett0748
Are you comparing those as different offers, or asking for matching support?
9pointsReplying to YasminBell0615
Different can be acceptable. Invisible is the expensive part
12pointsReplying to GraceChen1190
Grace, yes, but somebody must cover the gap if they pick hardware-only support. Will, does your own team actually want to maintain that application, or is purchasing volunteering them?
9pointsReplying to ChloeAbbott0048
They do not have capacity to own it. We asked the hardware-only supplier to quote application support too; they declined, so that proposal is no longer a complete alternative for us.
23pointsReplying to WillBennett0748
And guarding remains in the remaining supplier's scope?
22pointsReplying to AlexAdams0124
Included in the study's integration scope, with final cost to follow the assessed layout. We can choose who does the study now, but the final cell purchase still depends on the fixture and guarding total.
8pointsReplying to WillBennett0748
That sounds like a decision you can actually make.
23pointsDiscussion closed
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