2026 terms
and conditions

Effective date: May 29, 2026

A. Labor Rates

Primary technician labor is billed at $175 per hour. The first additional technician is billed at $100 per hour. Each additional technician thereafter is billed at $80 per hour.

Scheduled maintenance services are billed at $110 per hour unless otherwise specified in writing.

Labor is billed portal-to-portal and includes travel time and on-site labor.

B. Engineering, Design & Integration Services

Founders CNC may perform offsite engineering, programming, design, documentation, integration preparation, project planning, electrical design, PLC/HMI programming, software development, and related technical services prior to project execution.

Engineering and integration services may be quoted separately or included within an estimate.

Onsite integration and commissioning services are performed on a time-and-materials basis at rates defined in the applicable estimate.

Founders CNC does not guarantee project duration, completion schedules, throughput, cycle times, production rates, or customer profitability due to factors outside its control.

Time-and-materials billing includes labor, travel, lodging, freight, consumables, parts, materials, subcontractors, and all associated project costs.

C. Machine Installation & Commissioning

Unless otherwise specified in writing, machine installation and commissioning services include the following:

1. Machine Placement & Installation

• Position and install equipment in its designated location.
• Installation is based upon customer-provided site conditions, utilities, and accessibility.
• Customer is responsible for site readiness unless otherwise stated in the estimate.

2. Leveling & Geometric Verification

• Perform machine leveling.
• Verify machine geometry to manufacturer specifications where reasonably achievable.
• Results are dependent upon machine condition, foundation condition, utility quality, and environmental factors.

3. Assembly & Component Installation

• Install machine covers, guarding, chip conveyors, lubrication systems, and standard accessories supplied with the equipment.

4. Calibration & Alignment

• Perform standard calibration and alignment procedures required for commissioning.
• Additional corrective alignments, geometry corrections, repairs, rebuilding, laser calibration, or replacement of defective components are outside the standard scope and require customer approval.

5. Functional Testing & Troubleshooting

• Verify machine operation including spindle functions, axis movement, automatic tool changers, safety systems, and standard machine functions.
• Perform reasonable troubleshooting required to place the machine into operational status.

6. Peripheral Equipment Setup

• Connect and configure standard peripheral equipment intended for operation with the machine, including coolant systems, mist collectors, probing systems, rotary devices, bar feeders, chip management systems, and similar accessories where applicable.

7. Test Run & Production Verification

• Perform test cuts, machine run-off, or operational verification as applicable.
• Production verification confirms machine functionality only and does not include process development, capability studies, cycle-time guarantees, production certification, tooling optimization, or process engineering unless specifically contracted.

8. Scope Limitations

Standard installation and commissioning services do not include:

• Rigging or crane services unless specifically quoted.
• Utility installation or modification.
• Electrical service upgrades.
• Air system installation.
• Foundation modification or repair.
• Machine rebuilding or reconditioning.
• Laser calibration.
• Ballbar analysis.
• Process development.
• Production optimization.
• Advanced programming.
• Production consulting.
• Operator training beyond basic familiarization.
• Geometry correction requiring machine disassembly.
• Any work not expressly included in the estimate.

Founders CNC does not warrant or guarantee machine accuracy, repeatability, capability, performance, production rates, compliance with original manufacturer specifications, or suitability for a particular application when servicing, installing, relocating, commissioning, repairing, or integrating used equipment unless specifically stated in writing and agreed to by both parties.

Additional work requested by Customer or determined necessary to complete installation shall be billed in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.

D. Minimum Service Charge

A four (4) hour minimum charge applies to all service calls and includes travel and labor.

E. Travel Time

Travel is billed portal-to-portal with a minimum charge of one (1) hour.

Technician assignment is based upon availability, qualifications, and project requirements.

F. Fuel Surcharge

Fuel surcharges are applied to travel charges based upon EIA weekly diesel fuel rates and may range from 3% to 9%.

G. Per Diem

For projects requiring overnight travel, per diem charges shall be based on current GSA rates.

Founders CNC may exceed GSA lodging rates when necessary due to safety, availability, project requirements, or location constraints. Actual lodging costs incurred shall be billable.

H. Extended Travel Approval

Projects located more than 100 miles from Founders CNC facilities require customer pre-approval.

Travel expenses remain billable for scheduled or requested work.

I. Overtime Rates

Labor exceeding eight (8) hours per day is billed at one and one-half (1.5x) times the applicable labor rate.

Sunday labor is billed at two (2x) times the applicable labor rate.

Holiday labor may be billed at premium rates.

J. Maintenance Contracts

Active maintenance agreements supersede standard service rates where applicable.

K. Diagnostic Services

All diagnostic and troubleshooting time is billable regardless of outcome.

Founders CNC does not guarantee identification or resolution of all equipment issues.

L. Parts and Materials

Parts, materials, tooling, consumables, replacement components, software licenses, and third-party services are billed separately unless otherwise specified.

M. Taxes

All prices, rates, estimates, quotations, labor charges, travel charges, parts, materials, equipment, freight, and other charges are exclusive of applicable taxes, duties, tariffs, governmental assessments, and similar charges.

Customer shall be responsible for all applicable sales, use, excise, value-added, import, export, tariff, duty, and similar taxes unless a valid exemption certificate is provided and accepted by Founders CNC prior to invoicing.

If Founders CNC is required to pay or collect any tax, duty, tariff, fee, penalty, or assessment on behalf of Customer, Customer shall reimburse Founders CNC for such amounts, including any associated interest, penalties, or administrative costs.

N. Shipping & Handling

Shipping, freight, packaging, handling, and related charges apply when applicable.

Founders CNC may select shipping methods based upon urgency and project requirements, including expedited freight services.

Founders CNC is not responsible for carrier delays, shipping errors, or freight damage after transfer to the carrier.

O. Consumables

Consumables utilized during service, installation, commissioning, repair, or integration activities are billable as used.

P. Equipment Usage

Specialized equipment, metrology equipment, laser systems, alignment systems, lifting equipment, and specialty tooling may incur additional charges.

Q. Labor Warranty

Founders CNC warrants labor performed for thirty (30) days from completion of service. Warranty coverage is limited solely to the workmanship of services performed by Founders CNC.

This warranty does not cover:

• Pre-existing conditions.
• Machine wear.
• Component failure.
• Consumables.
• Customer-supplied materials.
• Software issues.
• Utility-related problems.
• Environmental conditions.
• Operator error.
• Misuse.
• Accidents.
• Acts of third parties.
• Issues unrelated to the specific work performed.

Founders CNC's sole obligation under this warranty shall be the re-performance of labor determined by Founders CNC to be defective.

Warranty coverage is void if equipment is altered, repaired, serviced, moved, modified, re-leveled, re-aligned, crashed, or otherwise adjusted by any party other than Founders CNC after completion of the original work.

R. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Founders CNC's total aggregate liability arising from or related to any services, products, estimates, quotations, installations, commissioning activities, repairs, maintenance, engineering services, integration services, or other work performed shall not exceed the total amount paid by Customer to Founders CNC for the specific services giving rise to the claim.

Under no circumstances shall Founders CNC be liable for:

• Loss of production.
• Loss of profits.
• Loss of revenue.
• Loss of business opportunity.
• Loss of use.
• Downtime costs.
• Scrap or rework costs.
• Product recall costs.
• Damage to workpieces, tooling, fixtures, or customer materials.
• Consequential damages.
• Incidental damages.
• Indirect damages.
• Special damages.
• Exemplary damages.
• Punitive damages.

Customer acknowledges that machine service, installation, commissioning, relocation, troubleshooting, repair, calibration, alignment, and integration activities involve equipment and processes affected by factors beyond Founders CNC's control.

Founders CNC makes no warranty or guarantee regarding production output, machine accuracy, machine capability, cycle time, process capability, throughput, product quality, profitability, or suitability for a particular application unless expressly stated in a written agreement signed by an authorized representative of Founders CNC.

S. Payment Terms

Payment is due upon receipt unless otherwise agreed in writing.

A 4% processing fee applies to payments made by credit card.

Late balances may accrue interest at the maximum rate permitted by law.

T. Changes in Scope / Additional Work

Any work outside the original quoted scope, including repairs, corrective alignments, geometry corrections, component replacement, utility modifications, process development, production optimization, relocation activities, engineering changes, commissioning support, or customer-requested modifications shall be billed on a time-and-materials basis.

Authorization may be provided verbally, electronically, through issuance of a purchase order, approval of a revised estimate, or direction to proceed and shall constitute authorization for billing.

U. Payment Default & Collections

Founders CNC reserves the right to suspend work, withhold deliverables, or delay project completion due to unpaid balances.

Customer agrees to pay all collection costs, attorney fees, court costs, and expenses incurred in collecting overdue balances.

V. Customer Responsibilities

Customer shall provide:

• Safe working conditions.
• Adequate equipment access.
• Required utilities.
• Site readiness.
• Necessary permits.
• Appropriate customer personnel.

Delays caused by site conditions, utility issues, scheduling conflicts, inaccessible equipment, or other customer-controlled factors shall be billable.

W. Right to Refuse Unsafe Work

Founders CNC reserves the right to refuse, suspend, or terminate work deemed unsafe or likely to cause injury, equipment damage, or property damage.

Any resulting delays, remobilization costs, travel expenses, or lost labor time shall remain billable.

X. Acceptance

Approval of any estimate, quotation, purchase order, service request, work authorization, scheduling request, onsite service, installation, commissioning activity, or direction to proceed constitutes acceptance of these Terms & Conditions in their entirety.

Questions about these terms

Call 281-923-4886 or email service@founderscnc.com. For billing, email AccountsPR@founderscnc.com.