Electrical engineering companies perform a variety of services from designing and implementing power grids, transformers and electric motors to computers and microprocessors. Electrical engineers work in any field that deals with electrical power, including telecommunications, utilities and health care. Electrical engineering technicians can develop and maintain transmitters and receivers to relay energy for local utility and power companies, or design lighting and electrical systems for small offices.

Electrical engineering firms usually specialize in lighting design for offices, hospitals and other large buildings, building environmentally friendly electric systems or mechanical engineering for factories and industrial clients. When choosing an electrical engineering consultant, review the following:

1. Some electrical engineering technicians only work on large-scale industrial and government projects.

2. The more specific you are about your company's needs, the easier it will be to find an appropriate engineer without a lot of legwork.

3. Consider power safety concerns for your company when looking for electrical engineer information. For example, you may need on-site backup generators, standby systems or an electronically controlled water distribution system if engineers need to shut off major systems.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Contact prominent energy and electrical engineering companies for multi-pronged services

When researching electrical engineer information, consider the services your company will need. If you are a large facility, such as a school, hospital or warehouse, you'll need a variety of services from paging systems and phones to the building's heating, air conditioning and lighting. Consult a large company with electrical engineering services in all these areas and deal with one contractor instead of several.

I recommend: Call Siemens Energy and Automation for complete electrical engineering technology services. They provide industry solutions including motor and transformer repair, servicing substations, air core reactors furnace transformers and any electrical power system you need fixed, maintained or implemented in your building. Work with Beckwith Electric for power grid and unity services. Theses electrical engineers plan, map and install power platforms including industrial automation and transformer paralleling.

Use electrical engineers to design motors, transformers or even medical devices for your company

You can't always buy electrical systems off the shelf the way you can other products, so your project may need a specially designed generator, transformer or cabling system. Electrical engineers can design and manufacture products to your institution's exact specifications.

I recommend: Choose Tricor Systems to design circuit cards, wiring and cabling and black boxes for the aerospace industry. They also design and build award-winning electronic medical devices. Check out Anidea Engineering, one of many electrical engineering firms that design and build electrical hardware, including micro-controllers and microprocessors.

Purchase standard transformers, cables and other items from electrical engineering companies

Some electrical engineering firms stick certain industrial electrical components. You can purchase them and have an in-house engineer connect them, or hire the electrical company's serviceman do it for you.

I recommend: Buy square case and round case transformers from Midwest Current Transformer. They're part of an engineering company, so you can purchase services from them as well. Contact Rapid Pump & Meter Service for installation, repair of emergency generators and pumps as well as whole items for purchase.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you don't have an engineering background, ask a friend with electrical expertise to help you find the right electrical engineer.