Sourcing for industrial automation at SFbei.
Automation integrators do not have a sourcing problem so much as a comparison problem: twelve credible vendors per component, all claiming the same thing, and a customer who wants the line commissioned in eleven weeks.
Three sourcing problems we watch teams hit.
Twelve vendors, one aisle
Drives, safety relays, light curtains and pneumatics all have deep vendor lists. Standing in front of them side by side collapses a week of evaluation into an afternoon.
Retrofit means matching what exists
Half of automation work is fitting new parts to a twenty-year-old machine. Bring the old component; somebody on the floor makes the drop-in equivalent.
Safety compliance is not optional
Category ratings, performance levels and the paperwork to prove them. Suppliers on the floor carry the certificates, not just the claim.
Your route
through the building.
- Floor 02
PLCs, drives, safety systems, conveyors, vision, pneumatics
- Floor 01
Sensors, encoders, connectors, control-panel components
- Floor 03
Framing, guarding, machining, tooling, MRO and consumables
What you'll find
on the floor.
The categories most relevant to industrial automation teams. The directory lists who covers each one.
- PLCs & I/O
- Servo & VFD drives
- Safety relays
- Light curtains
- Pneumatic cylinders
- Valve manifolds
- Conveyor modules
- Machine vision
- Aluminium framing
- Machine guarding
A checklist for
your first visit.
Five things that make the difference between a pleasant walk around and an afternoon that moves your programme forward.
- Bring the part you are replacing — retrofit equivalents are the fastest win on the floor.
- Ask for the safety certificate for the specific SKU and its performance level.
- Compare pneumatic and electric actuation for the same motion before you commit.
- Check framing and guarding suppliers together; they are usually specified late and rushed.
- Ask which suppliers hold US stock — for retrofits, availability beats unit price.
Sourcing guides for neighbouring sectors
Bring the part.
Leave with three quotes.
Free unlimited access for builders after a one-time screening. If you make components for this industry, apply for a display.