Source
r/engineering•
GrumpyTanker

Do you want me to not use your product ever? Because this is how you get me to not use your product ever.

[ELECTRICAL]

So I'm working on a project that calls for a GE RX3i PLC.

Because I like to have pretty drawings, I decide to pull up a nice CAD graphic from the manufacturer's website to use on my drawings instead of just a rectangle.

I am very surprise when I am find that they lock their CAD graphics behind a login wall.

Highly irksome, but I'll deal with it.

Go through an annoying sign up process. Wait for the confirmation email. Go back to website, log in. Note: this is several days after my initial find of the file, due to waiting for the email and waiting a day just to make sure it's propagated through their system.

Imagine my rageface when this is the error that pops up.

I've tried it about 3-4 times over the course of 2 days. No luck.

Omron does the same BS of locking CAD stuff behind a login, but at least their website actually works.

Begin rant

I have to say that GE has the worst website unless you know exactly what you're looking for and where to look for it. Many of the brochure type catalogs they have are incomplete. i.e. the quick overview type brochure which tells you what kind of modules are available.

I had to dig down a level to the detailed catalog to find out that the Versamax Remote I/O does have a Profinet controller, despite it being omitted from the most easily accessible brochure on their website.

And by dig down, I literally mean dig. Start from the Versamax I/O page. The game is to see how many clicks it takes you to find DO2097, the catalog for GE controls products. It takes me 4 clicks, and it's only because I know where it is. The path is not obvious. Why the full catalog is not included somewhere on the main page is beyond me.

I know a lot of other manufacturers also have user unfriendly websites, but I have to say, GE has won the race by a long rod in my book.

end rant

I have by no means run into all the fail websites that manufacturers provide on the internet. Please share any other websites you know of that are annoying to use as an engineer, so I know to avoid them if I can.

TL;DR: I still have to use GE products and their garbage website because the customer and my project manager said so.

Posted Jun 15, 2015, 12:53 PM UTC

210
dietleinPh.D. EE•

Have you talked with a GE rep? Many times, websites are the least efficient way of getting what you want. A rep (or helpful tech support person) who you can call or email will usually be much more responsive. In this case, I'd expect them to be able to email you the files you need - especially if you explain why.

7
jhchawkME grad student, UT Austin (DMLS 3D printing)•

This has been my experience with a variety of different vendors. Some of them have terrible websites, some have actual brochures, but getting a person on the phone is always the fastest way. Occasionally they will actually get someone from engineering to hear your question.

4
dietleinPh.D. EE•

One good way to speed this up, and have some fun doing it, is attend a conference or trade show (or combination) where vendors you're interested in have booths and are trying to sell their wares. Go talk with them and shake some hands, and you'll find yourself the recipient of... business cards - yes, those old things. Call them antiquated if you will, but now you have direct contact information - emails and phone numbers - so you never have to deal with 1-800 numbers and computerized BS trying to connect you with someone, ever again.

1
Inigo93Mech / Ordnance•

At least GE has a website.

There once was a vendor that we'd dealt with for 20+ years. I was the new guy and we needed to buy some replacement parts. I searched and I searched for their website. Couldn't find it. Managed to track down their phone number, called them, and was like, "Hey, can you point me to your website? I couldn't find it!" To which they answered, "You couldn't find it because we don't have one."

THIS WAS APPROXIMATELY 2009!!!

My response was, "Oh. I think we're done here." [click] My feelings that were any company that didn't have a website at that stage of the game had no interest in technical innovation or anything of the sort. Not wanting to buy crap from the 1960s, I decided we were done with them. I found an alternate vendor and haven't dealt with them since. Have no idea if they're still in business or have a website now, but... yeah.... No website with downloadable catalogs and such means you don't get my business.

edit: Just for fun I just did a search... Hey, they finally have a (shitty) website. Too late, guys! I'm very happy with that alternate vendor.

6
BrentRS1985Mechanical - Application Engineer•

A metal stamping house gave me a call because they needed a replacement item that my company supplies. I verify what they need and ask for an email to send the quote. They don't have email. "Can you fax it?" Sure, let me hit pause on my 8-track, slide that Betamax out of the way and blow the dust off my fax machine.

4
TBBT-Joel•

To be fair when I worked in a very heavily classified government lab, we had neither external e-mail or internet. If you had to deal with an outside vendor it was fastest to MAIL me a cd with PDF's or literature, or I would walk 300 yards away to a different building login into a computer with internet (but no phone) and look up your product.

2
platy1234Civil - CPM•

If you're going to buy some shit from them call up a sales guy and have him send you what you need.

5
Inigo93Mech / Ordnance•

...and then end up getting cold calls / spam for the rest of your life whether you ended up buying from them or not. No thanks. He who has the website that gives me what I need without requiring me to hand over my email address / phone number wins.

1
DNGTA•

We deal with local suppliers that have garbage websites. Their website does not list every PN, it is slow, and has way too many drill-down menus that require entire page reloads. It sucks but that's part of the reason we have quoting and sales. We tell them we need item X and they go get it. Mostly what we do is in-house we use McMaster as the number system. Now on the other hand our purchased items are all physical stuff. We don't do electronics so our specs are limited to "Bolt, Grade 8, blah blah blah" and not something like a PLC or MicroController.

1
tank5•

Parker's website is surprisingly terrible too. They have so many product lines, but no functional search as you'd find on Digikey or McMaster. If you just want a solenoid valve of a specific spec you have to hunt through all the catalogs to find one that works.

Then it's a total crapshoot as to whether or not a CAD model exists somewhere on their website. Just finding models for basic parts like AN fittings is sometimes near impossible, and only by searching Google with "site:parker.com <part number>".

1