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Ordering Process at M-4 for Student-Works

Ordering Process at M-4 for Student-Works

By Thorsten A. Kern
16 Oct 2023

Background info, please read!

Please note: Orders in companies (and Universities) need time. When you want to place anorder, the following process happens

  • Someone has to enter it into the ordering system (SAP), every little detail
  • The budget-responsible has to confirm the order
  • Controlling will check budget once more
  • Legal will check, whether all rules were followed
  • An order number will be issued, the order number will be communicated to the supplying party including all taxation information
  • The supplying party will create an invoice and a delivery number
  • The parcel is going to be shipped, typically in a slow 3 to 4 days delivery mode
  • At arrival, the content is checked and the material will be registered and confirmed in the ordering system
  • Then hand-over to the student can happen


DURATION

This process easily takes three weeks!!!!!!


On Stock

We do have a huge amount of material on stock. Especially cables, cable-fasteners, solder, resistors, many mechanical parts, Arduinos, capacitors, breakout-boards, thousands of screws. 

Inform yourself

INFORM YOURSELF ABOUT THE STOCK:

Your supervisor is your first point of contact. They are supposed to have a good overview on what is there or not. However sometimes a more detailed look is necessary. 

  • Any mechanical part: Talk to Thorsten Münsterberg or Thorsten Düring, they know everything!!
  • Arduinos/Rasperry: All supervisors have an idea where to find what, if this does not work, ask Dennis Kähler
  • Actuators for haptic applications: Ask Maximilian. He knows many places where they are
  • Measurement equipment - Always align with your supervisor and then jointly go to Thorsten Münsterberg and Thorsten Düring to see what is available and what may be required
  • Some parts can also be available in the central materials management of the University (batteries, cabling components,...) you can ask your supervisor to go there for you (only employees can go). 


AND: There is the WorkINGLab at TUHH. They also have plenty of material on stock, especially small size mechanical components and electrical components. 


Ordering limitations

Not all suppliers can be used. Suppliers to companies need to follow certain technicalstandards (compatability of the ordering systems) and they have to confirm to the rules ofthe company (e.g. sustainability targets, purachsing targets, labor-targets…)

For TUHH, this means:

GOOD companies to order from


NO GOs  (DO NOT USE, THEY DO NOT COMPLY TO HAMBURG RULES!!!!!)

  • AMAZON
  • ALIBABA
  • any other international distributor


Ordering Process

The general process of ordering is like this:


Internally at M-4 we have a template for orders, which is accessible to your supervisor. You should align with your supervisor what data are required.

In case you already search for part, prepare yourself to provide

  • Speaking name (e.g. „motor“)
  • Description of the part (Name, something which can be found in the shop)
  • Order number of the part in the shop (usually a >10 digits number for exactly the part you need)
  • Example about what is challenging: https://www.digikey.de/en/products/detail/vybronics-inc/VZ43FC1B5640007L/12323649
  • Quantity (how many of this order number, so if you buy a package of 10 with order number 0022002 you order 1x 0022002 (which is 10 pieces).
  • If available: Manufacurer of the part
  • If available: Weight
  • Price (of the ordered part)
  • Shipping costs
  • your contact details if questions pop up

Always be aware (which is true):

Ordering is done by people having no technical background on the item to order. They will just execute, and they may not have time to answer complex questions popping up!

Consider Lead-Times of the shop!!!!! We may be able to process an order in three weeks, but the shop may not be able to deliver in time!!!


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Institut für Mechatronik im Maschinenbau (iMEK), Eißendorfer Straße 38, 21073 Hamburg