Intelligent Integration Saves Money

Software. Communications. Vacation. Combo meals. These are all products and services that are available as a bundled package with the benefit of costing less than the same components purchased individually.

While the concept of bundling products or services isn’t new, it is growing into new territories. We can have our internet, television, mobile phone, and landline phone all wrapped up into one neat little package. Our new cars are bundled with mapping software so that we don’t get lost and a little button to push in case of emergencies. We can even bundle a vacation package to include room, meals, travel, entertainment, etc. So, why pay more by purchasing everything separately, when we can group it all into one package and get a discount?

But what if we don’t really need those value added services and features? Are we really saving money by purchasing the software package that includes applications to manage word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentations when we really only need one or two of those programs? Why pay for the landline telephone that we don’t really want or need just because it’s included in part of a package?

Maybe more isn’t always better.

In 2006, Sunapsys won the contract to provide the telemetry system for the Kim Stan Leachate Collection System. The system design was split into functional components, pumps, pump control panel, telemetry system, and central monitoring system, and bid out separately. By splitting the system into these components, the owner hoped to create a highly available system with the lowest cost of ownership.

Our engineers take all projects through a specific process to help maintain our high quality standards. Part of the process includes a series of reviews with the owner, engineer, and general contractor, etc. to make sure we deliver what the customer wants and needs.

Although the pump control panels were to be provided by a different sub-contractor, our engineer took the time to evaluate the operation of the system as a whole. During that review with Kim Stan, our engineer realized that the pump control panels and the telemetry panels were duplicating components, without adding any functionality.

The new design combined the pump control and telemetry panels, thus replacing two enclosures with one slightly larger, more economical enclosure. Additionally, it completely eliminated one PLC and reduced the amount of TVSS required by fifty percent. These changes saved Kim Stan more than $1000 for each pump station, improved the reliability, gave them new remote monitoring ability, and reduced the installation labor.

Sunapsys’ focus on intelligent integration gives our customers the flexibility to upgrade small portions of the system without the expense and difficulty of making global changes. Additionally, a packaged system may force the customer to settle for “less-than-the-best” components in the original design. Our specifically tailored designs give our customers the flexibility to choose the brands and classes of components to best integrate with their existing systems. And, we can help our customers avoiding the unnecessary and unwanted cost of duplicate components and non-upgradeable systems.

At Sunapsys, we believe that it’s our job to design and build a system to meet your needs; you shouldn’t have to change to meet an off-the-shelf design. Let us show you how a custom designed system can save you time and money both in the short and long term.

Take advantage of our offer of four hours of free consultation and let us help you find the most cost effective way to split your design.