Terms & Conditions

1. About these Terms

These Terms and Conditions of Sale ("Terms") apply to the sale of ACE-Lab educational equipment, electronic components, accessories and related physical products ("Products") by ACE-Lab Consulting Ltd ("ACE-Lab", "we", "us" or "our").

These Terms apply to orders placed through our website, by email, by purchase order, by invoice or by any other method agreed with us. By placing an order with us, you agree to these Terms.

If you are purchasing on behalf of a university, college, school, company or other organisation, you confirm that you have authority to place the order on behalf of that organisation.

2. ACE-Lab Products

ACE-Lab Products are educational engineering systems intended primarily for teaching, learning, demonstration, experimentation and research in control engineering, mechatronics, electronics, embedded systems and related subjects.

Products may include ACE-Lab rigs and enclosures, microcontrollers, sensors, electronic components, breadboards, motors, encoders, servos, cables, connectors and other accessories described on the relevant Product page, quotation or invoice.

The precise contents of each package are those stated on the applicable Product page, quotation, order confirmation or invoice. Photographs and illustrations are provided for identification and explanation. Minor variations in appearance, colour, component manufacturer, enclosure finish or component layout may occur between production batches.

We may substitute a component with an equivalent or improved component where this does not materially affect the functionality or educational purpose of the Product. We will seek the customer's agreement before making any material substitution.

3. Educational Use and Safety

ACE-Lab equipment is designed as educational and laboratory equipment. Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, Products are not designed, certified or intended for medical or life-support systems, safety-critical systems, production machinery, safety-critical vehicle or transport systems, hazardous environments, protective or emergency equipment, mains electrical experimentation, or any application where failure could reasonably result in death, personal injury or significant property damage.

Products must be operated in accordance with supplied instructions, safety information, technical limits and recommended procedures. Educational institutions and other organisations using Products with students are responsible for appropriate teaching, supervision, risk assessment and laboratory procedures suitable for the age, experience and competence of users.

Users must not deliberately operate components outside their stated electrical, mechanical or thermal limits. Nothing in this section limits any responsibility or liability that ACE-Lab has under applicable product-safety law.

4. Product Information and Specifications

We take reasonable care to ensure Product descriptions, technical specifications, photographs and prices are accurate. Because ACE-Lab equipment may incorporate third-party electronic components, manufacturers may occasionally change a component's design, appearance or specification without notice.

We reserve the right to make minor technical improvements provided that they do not materially reduce Product functionality. Dimensions associated with manufactured or 3D-printed parts may be subject to normal manufacturing tolerances.

Where a particular technical characteristic is essential to your intended use, please contact us before ordering.

5. Third-Party Components

ACE-Lab Products may incorporate components manufactured by third parties. Any third-party names, trademarks or product names remain the property of their respective owners.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, inclusion of a third-party product within an ACE-Lab rig does not imply that the third-party manufacturer sponsors, endorses or is affiliated with ACE-Lab Consulting Ltd.

Third-party components may also be subject to their manufacturer's documentation, specifications, licence terms and safety instructions.

6. Placing an Order

Orders may be placed using purchasing methods made available by ACE-Lab, including online card payment, other electronic payment methods displayed at checkout, quotation and invoice, institutional purchase order, or another payment method agreed in writing.

Submitting an order does not necessarily mean we have accepted it. A contract is formed when we send an order confirmation, accept your purchase order, issue an invoice in circumstances confirming acceptance, or dispatch the Products, whichever occurs first.

We may decline or cancel an order before acceptance where a Product is unavailable, there has been an obvious pricing or description error, payment has not been authorised, we cannot deliver to the requested address, we reasonably suspect fraud or unauthorised use of a payment method, or fulfilling the order would breach applicable law.

If we cancel an order after receiving payment, we will refund the amount paid for the cancelled Products.

7. Prices

Prices are those shown on our website or stated in the applicable quotation when the order is placed. Unless stated otherwise, delivery charges are additional and will be shown before an online order is completed or included in the relevant quotation.

Any taxes legally required to be charged will be displayed or stated as applicable. If ACE-Lab Consulting Ltd is not VAT registered at the time of sale, VAT will not be charged. If our VAT status changes, applicable taxes will be shown as required.

An obvious pricing error does not oblige us to supply a Product at the incorrect price. If such an error is identified after an order is submitted, we will contact you before proceeding.

8. Quantity Discounts

ACE-Lab may offer quantity-based discounts for larger orders. Any applicable discount will be shown on the website, quotation, checkout page or invoice.

Discounts apply only to the particular order for which they are offered and cannot normally be combined with another offer unless agreed otherwise. If an order is later reduced or partially cancelled, we may recalculate the price to reflect the quantity actually purchased.

9. Payment

Payment must be made using one of the payment methods offered by us. For online orders requiring immediate payment, payment must be successfully authorised before the order can be processed.

For universities, colleges, companies and other approved organisations purchasing by purchase order or invoice, the applicable payment period will be stated on the quotation or invoice. Unless otherwise stated, payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date.

Customers are responsible for ensuring purchase orders contain accurate billing and delivery information. For business customers, we reserve the right to suspend further deliveries where an undisputed invoice remains overdue.

10. Delivery

We will deliver Products to the address provided when the order is placed. Available delivery methods and charges will be displayed during checkout or stated in the quotation.

Estimated dispatch and delivery dates are estimates unless we expressly agree a guaranteed delivery date in writing. For consumer orders, we will deliver within the period required by applicable consumer law unless a different delivery period has been expressly agreed.

Large institutional orders may require additional manufacturing or assembly time. Where this applies, an estimated lead time will be provided. We are not responsible for delays caused by incorrect or incomplete delivery information supplied by the customer.

11. International Orders

Where we agree to supply Products outside the United Kingdom, the customer may be responsible for import duties, taxes, customs charges and other charges imposed by the destination country unless stated otherwise.

The customer is responsible for ensuring the Products may lawfully be imported into and used within the destination country. International delivery times may be affected by customs processing and other matters outside our reasonable control.

12. Risk and Ownership

Consumer customers

Risk in the Products passes to you when the Products are delivered into your physical possession or the possession of a person identified by you to receive them.

Business and institutional customers

Risk in the Products passes to you on delivery to the delivery address stated in the order. Ownership does not pass until we have received payment in full for those Products.

13. Checking Your Delivery

Please inspect your delivery as soon as reasonably practicable. If Products appear to have been damaged in transit, components are missing, or the order does not correspond with the Products ordered, contact us as soon as possible at james.pickering@ace-lab.co.uk.

Where possible, include your order or invoice number, a description of the problem, details of the affected Product and photographs where useful. Nothing in this section reduces a consumer's statutory rights.

14. Consumer Customers

A consumer is an individual purchasing Products wholly or mainly for purposes outside their trade, business, craft or profession. Sections specifically referring to consumers apply only to consumer purchases. Universities, schools, colleges, companies and other organisations purchasing Products for their activities will normally be treated as business or institutional customers.

15. Consumer Right to Cancel Online Orders

If you are a consumer who purchases Products online, by telephone, by email or through another distance-selling method, you normally have the right to cancel your order without giving a reason.

The cancellation period ends 14 days after the day on which you, or a person nominated by you other than the carrier, receives the Products. Where an order contains multiple Products delivered separately, the cancellation period runs from receipt of the final Product.

To exercise your right to cancel, clearly tell us by emailing james.pickering@ace-lab.co.uk and provide your name, order number and sufficient information to identify the order.

16. Returning Products Following Consumer Cancellation

After telling us that you wish to cancel, you must return the Products without undue delay and normally no later than 14 days after notifying us of the cancellation.

Unless the Products are faulty, damaged or incorrectly supplied, you are responsible for the direct cost of returning Products following a change-of-mind cancellation.

Products should be returned securely packaged and, where reasonably possible, with supplied components, accessories and documentation. We may reduce the refund where handling beyond what is reasonably necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the Products has reduced their value.

17. Consumer Refunds

Where you validly cancel an order under your consumer cancellation rights, we will refund the price paid for the returned Products and the cost of our least expensive standard delivery option, where applicable.

Additional amounts paid for enhanced or expedited delivery do not have to be refunded beyond the cost of standard delivery. Refunds will normally be made using the original payment method unless otherwise agreed.

We may wait until we receive the returned Products or evidence they have been sent back before issuing the refund where permitted by law.

18. Custom or Personalised Products

The statutory cancellation right may not apply to Products manufactured to the consumer's specification or clearly personalised. This may include equipment manufactured or permanently customised specifically for a particular customer.

A standard ACE-Lab rig assembled from our normal Product range is not treated as personalised merely because it was assembled following an order. We will make it clear before purchase where a Product is considered custom-made or personalised.

This does not affect rights if the Product is faulty, damaged, not as described or otherwise fails to comply with applicable consumer law.

19. Faulty Products and Consumer Rights

Products supplied to consumers must comply with applicable consumer law. Nothing in these Terms restricts legal rights where Products are faulty, not as described, of unsatisfactory quality or otherwise fail to conform to the contract.

Depending on the circumstances, statutory remedies may include rejection, repair, replacement, a price reduction or a refund. If you believe a Product is faulty, contact james.pickering@ace-lab.co.uk.

Where a Product is confirmed to be faulty and we are legally responsible for the fault, ACE-Lab will bear reasonable return costs where required by law.

20. Business Warranty

ACE-Lab warrants to business and institutional customers that ACE-Lab-manufactured or assembled Products will be free from material defects in workmanship when supplied and will materially correspond with their agreed specification.

Unless a different period is stated in the quotation, this warranty applies for 12 months from the date of delivery. Where a valid warranty claim is made, we may repair the affected Product, replace the affected Product or component, or refund or credit an appropriate amount of the purchase price.

This warranty does not cover faults or damage resulting from misuse, operation outside specified limits, incorrect wiring, unsuitable power sources, accidental damage, unauthorised modification or repair, normal wear and tear, improper storage, liquid damage, inappropriate electrostatic handling, incompatible hardware or use contrary to supplied instructions.

21. Educational Experiments and User Modifications

ACE-Lab equipment is intentionally designed to support experimentation. Users may modify software, controller parameters, wiring arrangements or system configurations.

ACE-Lab cannot guarantee Product performance when operated outside documented configurations or electrical and mechanical limits. Modification of software, control algorithms or normal experimental configuration will not automatically invalidate warranty protection for unrelated hardware faults. Damage directly caused by inappropriate modification, wiring, over-voltage, excessive current, mechanical overload or other misuse will not be covered.

22. Software and Third-Party Platforms

Some ACE-Lab learning activities may use third-party engineering, programming, modelling or simulation software. Unless expressly included in the Product description, the purchase price of ACE-Lab hardware does not include licences for third-party commercial software.

Customers are responsible for obtaining any required third-party licences. ACE-Lab does not control the availability, licensing terms, functionality or future compatibility of third-party software.

23. ACE-Lab Teaching Materials and Intellectual Property

Unless expressly stated otherwise, ACE-Lab-created teaching exercises, laboratory exercises, diagrams, graphics, photographs, written instructions, control examples, website materials, training materials, course structures and associated documentation remain the intellectual property of ACE-Lab Consulting Ltd or the applicable rights holder.

Purchasing a Product does not transfer ownership of that intellectual property. Where teaching materials are supplied, the purchaser receives a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use them for its own internal educational, teaching, training or research activities.

An educational institution may reproduce supplied student-facing materials internally for its own students and staff unless a particular item states otherwise. ACE-Lab materials must not be resold as standalone teaching material, commercially redistributed, publicly republished in substantial form, represented as another person's or organisation's original work, or incorporated into another commercial product or training package without prior written permission.

24. Customer-Generated Work

ACE-Lab does not claim ownership of software, models, designs, experimental results, assessment work, research outputs or other original material independently created by customers or students using ACE-Lab equipment.

25. Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded or restricted.

Consumers

Nothing in these Terms excludes or restricts your statutory rights. We are responsible for losses that are a foreseeable consequence of our breach of these Terms or our failure to use reasonable care and skill, subject to applicable law.

Business and institutional customers

Subject to liabilities that cannot legally be excluded, ACE-Lab will not be liable for loss of profit, revenue, anticipated savings, business, opportunity, goodwill, loss or corruption of data, or indirect or consequential loss arising from or in connection with the purchase or use of Products.

Subject to applicable law, ACE-Lab's total aggregate contractual liability to a business customer arising from an order will normally be limited to the amount paid or payable for the Products giving rise to the claim.

26. Events Outside Our Reasonable Control

We will not be responsible for a delay or failure to perform contractual obligations where this results from circumstances outside our reasonable control, including courier or transport disruption, component shortages, manufacturer supply interruptions, industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire, flooding, war, civil disturbance, government restrictions, telecommunications or payment infrastructure failures, or similar events.

Where such an event materially affects an order, we will take reasonable steps to inform the customer and minimise disruption. This does not affect any consumer right to cancel or obtain a refund where applicable.

27. Privacy

We process personal information associated with orders in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection law. Payment-card information submitted through a third-party payment provider is handled in accordance with that provider's payment and security arrangements.

28. Complaints and Customer Support

Questions, complaints, warranty requests and return requests should be sent to james.pickering@ace-lab.co.uk. Please include your order or invoice number where available.

29. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to our Products, business practices or applicable law. The Terms applying to an order are normally those in force when that order is placed.

30. Severability

If any provision is found to be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable, it will be treated as modified or removed to the minimum extent necessary. The remaining provisions will continue in effect.

31. No Waiver

If we do not immediately enforce a provision of these Terms, this does not mean we have waived our right to enforce it later.

32. Third-Party Rights

Unless expressly stated otherwise, a person who is not a party to the contract between the customer and ACE-Lab has no right to enforce these Terms.

33. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and any contract between you and ACE-Lab Consulting Ltd are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

If you are a business or institutional customer, the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction. If you are a consumer, this clause does not deprive you of mandatory legal protections or rights to bring proceedings in another UK jurisdiction where applicable.