Design for Manufacturing: Getting it Right Before it’s Too Late
Why early design decisions can make or break production costs and profitability
During my career I have been fortunate to work extensively in the electronics and automations sectors in varied roles, advising manufacturers in process improvement, quality control, and design for manufacturing.
At the beginning of my career as a research and design engineer, we introduced automated pick-and-place assembly, replacing manual assembly on the latest products. At our regular production meetings, design for manufacturing was always on the agenda, resulting in better design decisions, including component choice and layout.
Efficiency begins at the drawing board, not the factory floor
Manufacturing considerations are frequently treated as secondary during the design phase, a tendency often exacerbated by insufficient understanding of production processes. In today’s world, where design and manufacturing can be in different sites or countries, communication between designers and production is often non-existent. There is a miss-placed perception that design is all about form, function and the bill of material (BOM) cost, while manufacturing is someone else’s responsibility. This frequently leads to increased manufacturing costs due to poor design choices. Over the years I have strived to help manufacturers bridge this divide.
Cost controls are fundamental to the success of a product, and the skill is in knowing where to save and where to spend. Component choices that focus solely on cost reduction, can lead to significant increases in manufacturing costs, often exceeding the few pence per unit increase added to the BoM for better design decisions.
Timing is everything
If you can’t manufacturer the product at a price point that leaves a profit margin then something has failed at the design phase. I’ve known entire projects abandoned due to poor design and a failure to consult on critical component choices early in the project. Help however is out there. Suppliers have a wealth of experience in their field of expertise and are more than willing to help when asked. All too often the supplier is engaged at the latter stage of a design to negotiate a price, rather than advise on the most cost-effective solution.
Process improvement starts with good design
Design for manufacturing is an integral aspect of the engineering process. When executed effectively, it considers ease of assembly, as well as end-of-life disassembly and recycling, ensuring that products are easy to make and meet stringent environmental standards. By factoring in manufacturing methods, engaging suppliers early on, and maintaining continuous feedback, product design can deliver excellent form and function at a competitive price without sacrificing quality. The key to successful product design is communication, balancing engineering ambition with manufacturing reality.
Duncan Nicol Associates 2026