Allan L. Griff,
Consulting Engineer
Consulting Services in Plastics Extrusion
Over the last 48 years, I have served as a technical consultant in many
ways. I don't represent any makers of materials or equipment, so my
work is unbiased and independent. I've done some equipment
development, such as screw and die design, but mostly I work
with existing equipment, helping their users understand them
better, to get the most quality and output from them. Some examples, in
addition to training personnel, include:
- Direct problem solving -- raise production
rate, improve strength or appearance, reduce thickness variation or
scrap factor, find out why the product failed in service.
- Materials management -- suggest quality
tests for incoming resins and additives, scrap reduction and more
economical re-use, propose additives to improve product
performance.
- New product development -- product testing,
analysis of
competition, suggesting appropriate raw materials, equipment
adaptations.
- Legal Services -- This is often called
"expert witness"
work, but we rarely go to court as witnesses because most cases are
settled
privately without a full trial. I do not charge for initial
phone
conversations. Sometimes, I am asked to read materials or visit a
location
on a fee-for-service basis. In other cases, we sign
an agreement:
the lawyers can name me as an expert and I agree to keep everything
confidential
and not work for the other side. From then on, the work varies as
all cases
are different. Most of my legal work has been for defendants in patent
infringement,
accidents with extrusion machinery, and failure of extruded
products.
All of these can be combined
in my "On-Call Service," whereby I am on call at all times
to
my subscribers, who can ask questions or discuss problems by email or
telephone,
supported by digital pictures or process data where useful. This
is
covered by a flat monthly fee, so no hours need be counted, and the
callers
don't have to worry that more time means more money (the
lawyer-on-the-clock
syndrome). There is no long-term contract needed, either; we work
on
a quarterly basis, which can be cancelled by either party at any time,
or
the terms altered to match activity levels. In other words, if I
am
asked to do very little, the client can cancel or return to an hourly
basis. If asked to put
in an unusually large amount of time (and if that time is available),
I'll
ask for a higher rate.
The initial fee is $600/month, paid in advance, or $1500/quarter.
A payment of $1500
for the first quarter starts the relationship. If travel is
requested,
charges are $200/hr for working time and $75/hr for travel from/to
wherever
I happen to be at the time. The charge covers contacts with any
full-time employee of the client company, if so identified by my
primary
contact person.
I've done this with many companies in my years of independent
consulting,
but I am promoting this service more now that long-distance
communication
is so easy and effective. My web seminars will reach a much wider
audience
than my in-person sessions did in the past, so I can expect inquiries
from
people in far-away places whom I can serve far better now.
Please call 301-758-7788 or email me at algriff@griffex.com if you are
interested
in this service, or any of the others noted above.
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