5 Signs You Need External Engineering Capacity
New product development is delayed by day-to-day engineering work
In many engineering departments, the same engineers are responsible for new development, engineering change requests and production support. Urgent changes and production issues are handled first, and development milestones are postponed week after week. If the roadmap keeps slipping while the team is fully occupied, the issue lies in capacity rather than in planning.
The project timeline is shorter than the hiring lead time
A new machine, product variant or large customer order temporarily increases the number of engineering hours required. Recruiting an experienced engineer typically takes several months, including notice periods and onboarding. By the time the new engineer is fully productive, the project phase may already be completed. External engineers can start within the project timeline and phase out once the work is delivered.
A project phase requires a competence the team does not have
Some project phases call for specialised expertise for a limited period, such as electrical schematics in EPLAN, risk assessment for CE marking, FEM analysis or PLC programming. Developing that expertise in-house takes time and is rarely justified for a single project. An experienced engineer can deliver that phase and hand over complete documentation to your team.
Technical documentation lags behind production
When drawings, bills of materials, electrical schematics and technical files are not updated at the same pace as production, risks arise in assembly, service and conformity assessment. From January 2027, the EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies, making complete and up-to-date technical documentation essential for placing machinery on the market.
Orders and tenders are declined because engineering is fully booked
When the sales team has to decline requests or quote long lead times because engineering has no available hours, capacity starts to limit the business. At this stage, engineering capacity directly determines how many orders the company can accept.
If two or more of these signs apply to your engineering department, additional engineering capacity can help reduce lead times and protect delivery dates.
How ACE adds engineering capacity
We provide engineering capacity in two ways, depending on whether you need additional engineers within your team or a defined project scope delivered in full.
Consultancy
Our engineers work within your team, using your processes and software.
✓Engineer proposed by ACE, profile validated by you
✓Work directed by your own team
✓Capacity scaled to the project requirements
✓Best suited to signs 1 and 2
Co-Development
We take responsibility for a defined project scope and deliver the agreed result.
✓Designs, calculations, drawings and schematics
✓Complete technical documentation
✓Agreed milestones and deliverables
✓Best suited to signs 3, 4 and 5
Frequently asked questions
When is Consultancy the right model, and when is Co-Development?
Consultancy fits when your team keeps the technical lead and needs additional engineers to execute within your processes. Co-Development fits when a work package can be defined with clear deliverables, such as the electrical design of a machine or a complete documentation package, and you want ACE to take responsibility for the result.
How does ACE select the right engineer for our project?
We match the engineer to your requirements in discipline, software and industry experience, and propose a profile. You validate that profile before the assignment starts.
Can your engineers work within our CAD environment and engineering standards?
Yes. Our engineers work with the software your project requires, for example CAD, EPLAN or PLC programming environments. They follow your drawing standards, templates and release procedures.
Which engineering disciplines does ACE cover?
ACE delivers mechanical, electrical and software engineering. This covers concept and detailed design, calculations, electrical schematics, PLC programming and technical documentation.
How is knowledge retained when the assignment ends?
Work is documented in your systems throughout the assignment. At the end of each phase, the engineer hands over complete documentation, so your team can continue the work independently.
Can ACE support technical documentation for the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230?
Yes. Our engineers prepare technical documentation for machinery, including risk assessments for CE marking, drawings, electrical schematics and bills of materials.
How quickly can an engineer start?
Start dates depend on the required profile and the scope of the project. Share your requirements with us and we will propose a suitable engineer and a start date.
In which countries does ACE operate?
ACE development & engineering operates in Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal, with six locations. Since 1977, we have delivered engineering for industrial companies, with a team of more than 250 engineers and specialists.
Need additional engineering capacity?
ACE development & engineering delivers mechanical, electrical and software engineering for industrial companies in Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal. Contact us to discuss the engineering capacity your projects require.