mikek396
Mechanical
- May 28, 2022
- 29
How do you guys adjust your pricing for designs that will be used multiple times?
For example: I have been asked by a machine shop to provide SWL ratings for aluminum beams they sell to contractors for rigging equipment (~5000 lbs max load). I have been doing rigging plans and choosing beam sizes for this type of work for multiple years, and I feel confident in my ability to provide an SWL based on the beam sizes. However, this will not be for one off situations, they will be using the ratings I provide to create tags to be applied to the beams. So if I say a particular shape can support x load at x length, they will apply this tag with "SAFE WORKING LOAD xxx LBS". This beam will be used repeatedly by contractors over the course of many jobs, and if the client sells 50 of these beams, they will each be getting a tag.
Normally, saying that a particular beam can support a certain lifted load would take a couple hours at most, if I needed to set up a whole new spreadsheet for a certain project. But, since these ratings will be used repeatedly, my liability is obviously increased and should be compensated for such. One method would be for them to pay me a design fee for each beam sold, another method would be to just quote a significant lump sum up front (not sure I could come up with an amount they would agree to that would also compensate for my liability).
What would you all do? TYIA
For example: I have been asked by a machine shop to provide SWL ratings for aluminum beams they sell to contractors for rigging equipment (~5000 lbs max load). I have been doing rigging plans and choosing beam sizes for this type of work for multiple years, and I feel confident in my ability to provide an SWL based on the beam sizes. However, this will not be for one off situations, they will be using the ratings I provide to create tags to be applied to the beams. So if I say a particular shape can support x load at x length, they will apply this tag with "SAFE WORKING LOAD xxx LBS". This beam will be used repeatedly by contractors over the course of many jobs, and if the client sells 50 of these beams, they will each be getting a tag.
Normally, saying that a particular beam can support a certain lifted load would take a couple hours at most, if I needed to set up a whole new spreadsheet for a certain project. But, since these ratings will be used repeatedly, my liability is obviously increased and should be compensated for such. One method would be for them to pay me a design fee for each beam sold, another method would be to just quote a significant lump sum up front (not sure I could come up with an amount they would agree to that would also compensate for my liability).
What would you all do? TYIA
