The delivery date depends on three things: when the design can be released, when the specified switchgear will arrive and when the workshop can build and test the board. CWS checks these against your required site date before confirming a programme. Send the drawings and shutdown date early, especially where the job needs an ACB or specialist control equipment.
Define what the quoted lead time includes
“Six weeks” can mean six weeks from order, from receipt of complete information, from approved drawings or from delivery of free-issued equipment. Those are different commitments. Confirm the trigger and the finish point in writing.
Dispatch, site delivery, installation and energisation are also different milestones. A board that leaves the workshop on time may still need freight, unloading, installation, site testing and commissioning before it can serve the load.
How CWS confirms the programme
We review the board scope, identify long-lead components and establish the drawing approval, manufacturing and factory-test stages. The quotation should state what starts the lead time and whether the finish date means dispatch or delivery.
Ordering long-lead gear before the design is fixed can save time, but changes may require replacement equipment or rework. Agree which items can be released early.
Work backwards from the operating date
Allow for installation, site testing and commissioning after delivery. Then work back through freight, factory testing, assembly, equipment supply and drawing approval. A workshop completion date is only one part of that programme.
Keep a programme gate register
Use this single programme register to record the dates, evidence and responsibilities for your job. The confirmed programme comes from your quotation and project updates.
| Gate | Evidence or input needed | Owner / confirmed date |
|---|---|---|
| Brief sufficiently defined | Current schedules, supply data, physical constraints and open-input register. | Name the responsible party; record the agreed date. |
| Equipment procurement authorised | Selected references, substitutions and the commercial approval to order. | Record who releases each long-lead item. |
| Drawings approved for the agreed work | Coordinated revision and accepted departures. | Record approval scope; note work permitted before final approval. |
| Manufacture and external interfaces ready | Materials, free-issued equipment and confirmed interface requirements. | Record dependencies and the party resolving each one. |
| Factory acceptance completed | Agreed records, witness arrangements and treatment of outstanding items. | Record accepted findings and required completion dates. |
| Dispatch and site readiness confirmed | Transport, unloading, access and installation responsibility. | Confirm readiness with the receiving and installation teams. |
When a date changes, record the cause, the milestones affected and the recovery decision. Keep the receiving contractor informed so site work and shutdowns can be adjusted.
Keep approvals moving
Give each open design item an owner and a required date. Cable entry, incomer selection and communications can hold up drawings or equipment ordering. Return one coordinated set of comments and identify the revision approved for manufacture.
What can move the delivery date?
- A late fault-study result that changes device selection or assembly construction.
- Changes to cable sizes or entry locations after the enclosure is designed.
- Unavailable switchgear, relays or metering equipment.
- Slow or conflicting drawing comments.
- Free-issued components arriving after the agreed date.
- An expanded FAT scope or unresolved test results.
- Site access or shutdown dates changing.
The effect depends on where the job is in the programme. A small change to a drawing may be a large change to a partly built board. Ask for the cost and schedule impact before approving a variation.
How to improve programme certainty
Send the enquiry information together, identify the decision-maker and agree review dates at order. Confirm essential equipment early. Give CWS notice of shutdown windows and staged handover requirements.
Assess alternatives against the whole project
If a specified component is unavailable, a proposed substitute needs more than a similar current rating. Check its protective characteristics, physical arrangement, control compatibility, verification implications and documentation. The responsible parties should approve the substitution before it becomes a purchasing assumption.
An alternative that shortens equipment supply may still require design revision or additional checking. Compare its total effect on cost and programme. Keep the decision visible to the installation team so site wiring, settings and spare-parts information remain consistent.
For staged deliveries, identify exactly which sections or boards can be installed and commissioned independently. Transport splits do not automatically make an assembly suitable for partial operation. Agree the practical sequence with the manufacturer, installation designer and site team.
Urgent and staged projects
Tell us the required date and what happens if it is missed. We will check the parts, workshop programme and test requirements, then give you a delivery commitment for the defined scope.
For multi-board projects, staged delivery may help, provided the design and installation sequence support it. For a replacement, align the new board’s readiness with the shutdown and changeover plan. CWS manufactures in Invercargill and arranges delivery requirements for projects across New Zealand.
Questions we hear
How do I get a current CWS lead time?
Small distribution boards, industrial MSBs and multi-tier MCCs have different procurement and build requirements. Send the current drawing set and target date; we will confirm component availability, workshop capacity and the programme for that enquiry.
Can a late design change affect an agreed date?
Yes. Ask for a documented assessment of the change before proceeding, including revised drawings, equipment and testing.
When should I involve the manufacturer?
Bring the manufacturer into planning while the scope, equipment and site programme are being developed. Early discussion can identify missing inputs before the required delivery date becomes difficult to achieve.