what was your budget again?
I just did some finger in the air pricing for just the bare simple system (transformers + rectifier, simple meter for voltage, enclosure, connectors and circuit portection) and for you to buy it off someone (qualified) you'd be looking at a couple of thousand just for the prototype you described, that includes the labour, testing and shipping....if your lucky
Those transformers (also called site transformers - cos they're used on building sites) are
£240 (inc VAT) each. There's nearly 1/3 my estimate there.
I don't think I would ever run it to 16 amps, maybe near 13 max but most times I would like to run it between 8 to 12, thats why I wanted something to control the current.
Add in some sort of current control circuitry and it goes up again.
Much later, you revealed to us that this is probably a commercial product that you intend to build in multiple copies ....
This totally changes the problem.
Indeed, if for experimental purposes, we can not respect the standards and regulations, this is no longer the case when it comes to a commercial product.
The DIY solution of transformers with variac does not meet European standards for power factor.
It can not be applied to a commercial product.
Compliance testing - price goes up again...CONSIDERABLY! Test houses charge quite a bit. So more pretesting to make sure you're not going overrun your allotted time at test house, cos that'll cost more too.
we'd really need to know a budget....what can you afford?