ATR Techincal Services

Question: What sort of information do you need me to provide in order to get a quote or estimate for a job?

Answer: The best case scenario would be that you show up with complete drawing package and hand it to us and say "build it". In the real world that rarely happens. So what we ask is that you provide us with as much information as you can. Some of the important factors that go into the generation of a quote or estimate are: What size do you want the item to be? What will be it's intended use? (ie: fully functional prototype or a model under glass or something in between). Will the item be used/displayed in one location or will it "travel" to trade shows and conferences? Do you have any specific material specifications, or are we free to use our experience and judgment there? What is the level of detail that you are looking for? What is your budget? Knowing the answers to these questions before you contact us will help both of us insure that you get what you need out of us.

Question: Do you prefer digital or paper copy drawings?

Answer: The more information you can provide and the more accurate that information is, the smoother the project will go and the better the result will be. That being said, digital data is always preferred. However we will work from whatever you can supply us with. We can even develop digital documentation for you where it does not already exist.

Question: What file formats do you accept for drawings and other project related data?

Answer: For technical drawings we can accept AutoCAD (DWG or DXF), SolidWorks, ProE, Rhino, AutoDesk Inventor, IGES files, STEP files and STL files, Adobe Illustrator (AI and EPS), and Corel Draw. To provide us with other supporting project information you can use PDF, MS Word, Powerpoint, Pages, Keynote, Plain Text, Excel, Numbers, inDesign, Photoshop, JPG, BMP, GIF .... We are a Windows and Mac shop and can accept almost any file that native to either of those platforms. This list includes the most common formats we accept, it may not be complete, please contact us if you have a format that is not listed here.

Question: How detailed will my model be?

Answer: That is entirely up to you and your needs. Sometimes customers are looking for "size and shape" only, other times they want every single detail modeled, inside and out. This is a decision that you need to make and we will help you with suggestions based on our experience and your budget.

Question: Assuming I use you to for my project, how long can I expect the process to take?

Answer: Some jobs take days, some take months. There are too many factors that effect schedule to list here. When you are provided with a quote / estimate the lead time for your project will be part of that document. If you have a requirement for your project to be completed by a specific date just let us know and we will let you know if it is possible or what needs to be done to make it possible. Allen understands that deadlines can be just as important as any other factor on a job and will make all efforts to meet that deadline.

Question: How much does a prototype, mockup or model cost?

Answer: There is no stock answer for the question. The answer depends on many of the factors discussed above. It is always important to have a budget in mind when you approach us with a project. Some people do not like to reveal what their budget is, they believe that we will simply charge you that amount. That is not the case at all. Normally people come in with budgets that are on the low side and rather than us just telling you "we can't do it for that" we will suggest ways to get the job done within your budget. Our experience and knowledge of what your project is going to used for will allow us to suggest alternate fabrication techniques, materials, finishes, etc that will meet your needs at or below your projected budget. ATR Technical Services is a very streamline operation with decades of experience and we can get the job done within your budget

 

Are you ready to move forward and make your project a reality? Contact Us