Mechanical Engineering Services
Our engineers are in a unique position to leverage AOP’s superior product application knowledge to enhance our customers’ product designs.
We work with companies with very large engineering departments, and companies with no engineering department at all. Regardless of the company’s capabilities, we bring mechanical engineering knowledge to the discussion that is useful, valuable, and likely unique to every situation.
Because we’re also a distributor, we have strong product application knowledge for our mechanical engineering services. Leveraging that knowledge gives our customers access to the specific information they might not otherwise have. We discuss options your engineers might not know are available. And, if you don’t have an engineering staff, we can help you determine exactly what your application actually demands.
Importantly, our mechanical engineering team knows how to balance cost, performance, and schedule to achieve the best value in design.
Across all of these services is a strong foundation of quality processes and procedures, as signified by our ISO 9001:2015 certification, the most rigorous in the industry.
Contact us today, and let us show you how partnering with AOP Technologies can add value to your business and give you a competitive edge in the marketplace.
What to Expect When Working With
AOP’s Engineering Team
Overview
You’ll find that collaborating with AOP Technologies’ engineering team is seamless and productive. Our processes are tailored to meet our customers’ needs, providing technical expertise while ensuring an efficient experience from start to finish. Clarity, precision, and efficiency are essential components of successful collaboration – that’s why we prioritize these qualities in everything we do!
Below, we address common questions about working with our engineering team, from initial contact to project completion, providing transparency into our process and partnership approach.
Initial Engagement
How do I initiate a project with AOP's engineering team?
If you’re an existing customer, projects typically begin by contacting your territory manager, who will help qualify your needs and connect you with our technical team. If you’re a new customer, please complete our product development inquiry form, which will be directed to a territory manager in your area.
In all cases, we’ll gather initial requirements before scheduling a technical consultation with our engineering team.
Who will be my primary contact?
How quickly can I expect a response to my inquiry?
Initial inquiries receive a response within one business day. For existing projects, technical questions are typically addressed within 24 hours, and often much faster. We understand that engineering challenges don’t wait, and our team prioritizes responsive communication.
Do I need complete specifications before contacting AOP?
Can AOP sign an NDA before I share project details?
Yes. We routinely sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) before discussing proprietary designs or applications. We can use your company’s standard NDA or provide our template if you prefer.
Project Qualification & Quoting
What information does AOP need to evaluate my project?
Our project qualification process focuses on understanding:
- Functional requirements
- Performance specifications
- Operating environment
- Regulatory requirements
- Reporting requirements
- Production volumes
- Timeline expectations
The more information you can provide, the more accurate our initial assessment will be. However, we recognize that most projects are still in development, and we can work with preliminary information.
How detailed is your quoting process?
AOP uses a comprehensive documentation system that captures all technical requirements, component specifications, labor estimates, and testing parameters. This thorough approach ensures quote accuracy and prevents surprises later in the project. This project document will serve as a reference throughout the project to ensure alignment with your needs.
How long does the quoting process take?
Simple component quotes may be turned around in 1-2 days. More complex engineered solutions typically require 3-5 business days to complete. For highly customized projects with numerous components or special requirements, we may need 5-7 business days to ensure accurate specification and pricing.
Engineering Capabilities & Approach
What types of engineering expertise does AOP offer?
Our engineering team includes specialists in:
- Mechanical design and development
- Product manufacturing
- Pneumatic systems
- Fluid handling
- Electro-pneumatic controls
- Materials selection
- Sealing technologies
- Testing and validation
- Technical documentation
This multidisciplinary approach allows us to address complex challenges that span multiple technical domains.
Does AOP provide design assistance or only manufacturing?
We offer various levels of design support based on your needs:
- Complete design services from concept to production
- Design refinement and optimization for manufacturability
- Component selection expertise
- Performance verification testing
- Technical documentation
- Direct implementation of your existing designs
How does AOP handle design revisions?
Design revisions follow a structured process:
- Changes are documented in our system
- Engineering evaluates the impact on performance, cost, and timeline
- You receive documentation of proposed changes for approval
- Once approved, revisions are incorporated into the project documentation
- Depending on the stage, samples or prototypes may be produced for validation
- Follow-up reports such as FAIRs and FMEAs may be generated
What design tools and software does your engineering team use?
Our engineering team utilizes industry-standard design tools, including SolidWorks and MasterCAM. We can accept most file formats. We can work with your existing design files or create new designs based on your specifications.
Quality, Testing and Validation
How does AOP ensure quality in the engineering process?
Our ISO 9001-certified Quality Management System governs all engineering activities. Key quality assurance elements include:
- Documented work instructions for all processes
- Design review stages with formal sign-off procedures
- Material and component verification
- First article inspection
- In-process quality checks
- Final verification testing
- Comprehensive documentation is maintained throughout the project lifecycle
What testing capabilities does AOP offer?
Our testing capabilities include:
- Functional testing of pneumatic and fluid systems
- Pressure and flow testing
- Leak testing
- Electrical testing of control systems
- Lifecycle testing for durability
- Environmental testing for specific conditions
We can also arrange for specialized testing through qualified third-party labs when needed.
How are test results documented?
All test results are formally documented according to our ISO procedures. You receive test reports that include:
- Test parameters and acceptance criteria
- Measurement results with appropriate precision
- Pass/fail determination
- Calibration references for test equipment
- Technician identification and date
Does AOP support regulatory documentation requirements?
Yes. We understand the documentation needs of medical device manufacturers and provide comprehensive documentation packages that support your regulatory submissions, including material certifications, process validations, environmental declarations, and test results.
Project Management and Communication
How will I stay informed about the progress of my project?
Every project is led by a project manager who will maintain regular communication through:
- Scheduled project update meetings (frequency determined by project complexity)
- Email progress reports
- Access to your project manager for questions
- Critical milestone notifications
- Immediate alerts regarding any challenges or issues
Who manages the project timeline?
How does AOP handle technical challenges that arise during the project?
Our approach to technical challenges is proactive and transparent:
- We identify potential issues early through risk assessments in our engineering review process
- Potential risks are a specific focus of the project manager
- When challenges arise, we immediately notify you
- Our engineering team develops multiple solution options
- We present these options with recommendations for your decision
- Implementation proceeds only after your approval
Can I speak directly with the engineers working on my project?
Absolutely. Direct engineer-to-engineer communication is encouraged and is often the most efficient way to address technical questions. Our territory managers facilitate these connections while remaining involved to ensure commercial aspects remain aligned.
Prototyping and Production
Does AOP offer prototyping services before full production?
Yes. We offer several prototyping options, including:
- Proof of concept models to validate fundamental design approaches
- Functional prototypes for performance testing
- Pre-production of the first articles for final validation before production commitment
The appropriate approach depends on the complexity and requirements of your project.
How does AOP transition from prototype to production?
The transition follows a structured process:
- Prototype evaluation and refinement
- Production process development
- First article production and approval
- Documentation finalization
- Initial production run
- Production monitoring and quality verification
Our systems ensure that the knowledge gained during product development transfers effectively to the production team.
What production volumes can AOP accommodate?
We specialize in low- to medium-volume production, particularly for complex assemblies requiring skilled labor and quality verification. We can efficiently produce batches ranging from dozens to thousands of units, with the flexibility to scale based on your demand patterns.
Can AOP provide ongoing production or only initial manufacturing?
We offer ongoing production services with flexible scheduling options, including:
- Regular production runs on a set schedule
- Just-in-time manufacturing aligned with your production needs
- Blanket orders with scheduled releases
- Inventory management programs
After-Sales Support
What kind of engineering support is available after my order is complete?
Our engineering support continues beyond delivery, including:
- Technical assistance with implementation
- Troubleshooting help if issues arise
- Technical documentation for future reference
- Comprehensive support for product revisions or modifications
If we need modifications to an existing design, what is the process?
Design modifications follow a streamlined version of our initial engagement process:
- Submit modification requirements to your territory manager or project manager
- Engineering review and feasibility assessment
- Quotation for the modification
- Implementation upon approval
- Verification and documentation update
Does AOP offer repair services for items they've manufactured?
Yes, we provide repair services for assemblies we’ve manufactured, including:
- Diagnosis of issues
- Repair estimate
- Replacement of damaged components
- Re-testing to ensure proper function
- Return shipping
Getting Started
Ready to engage with AOP’s engineering team? Contact us through any of these channels:
- Call your territory manager directly
- Email automation@aoptech.com
- Complete our online Product Development Inquiry Form
- Call our main office at 253-735-5449
Our team looks forward to applying our technical expertise to your next project challenge.
This FAQ is provided as a general guide to working with AOP Technologies’ engineering team. Project-specific details may vary based on complexity, requirements, and other factors. Please feel free to contact us directly at any time to discuss your specific needs.
Why Choose AOP Technologies?
AOP has earned an excellent reputation providing industrial automation manufacturing services with premium product offerings for over 55 years. AOP was founded in 1963 in Portland, Oregon, under the name Air-Oil Products Corporation. In the early days, our business focused on distributing sealing products and servicing fluid power customers in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. We soon became the Pacific Northwest’s largest distributor of Parker Hannifin seal products.
Within the next few years, our company expanded and diversified to include the distribution of pneumatic and automation components. In 1999, we expanded our business once again, this time to include contract manufacturing services. We have since become an industry leader, focusing on quality, competitive pricing, and on-time delivery.
Today, we have a 20,000 square foot facility in Auburn, Washington, with over 5,000 square feet dedicated to industrial contract manufacturing and plastics machining services, including medical device contract manufacturing. Our contract manufacturing division is staffed by highly trained assembly professionals and machinists, supported by our experienced engineering staff, production management, and quality control specialists.
Our entire staff participates in a rigorous training program built upon a comprehensive library of processes developed through our ISO 9001:2015 Certified Quality Management System. All departments within our organization are audited annually, both internally by our quality control department and externally by an accredited 3rd party auditor. This is done to ensure both quality and consistency in manufacturing for the customers we serve.
Our business is generally viewed as a high-mix, low-volume contract manufacturer. We boast an extensive assortment of specialty tooling and automated equipment, enabling our technicians to quickly convert assembly lines and ramp up production.
We honor the trust our customers put in us and view those relationships as partnerships. We realize that what makes us successful as an organization is our customers’ successes. To that end, we continually invest in tooling, technology, and training in order to provide our customers with premium quality and exceptional value. We strive to be the premier solution for manufacturing services to our customers.
If you have a project opportunity and are considering outsourcing manufacturing services, we invite you to contact one of our representatives. Let us show you how partnering with AOP Technologies can add value to your business and give you a competitive edge in the marketplace.