Why You Should Involve Your Manufacturer in the Design Phase

When developing new products or components, involving your manufacturer as early as possible in the design phase can be highly beneficial. They may discover an even better way to produce your parts, whether it involves subbing out a material to reduce spending or adjusting features like internal radii or tight corners to improve manufacturability.

At Century-Tywood, we have extensive experience collaborating with customers to enhance designs, lower costs, and expedite time to market. Let’s explore why it’s a smart move to involve our team in the design stage.

Building to Your Specifications

Century-Tywood ensures we meet every specification when we build to our customers’ prints. However, we don’t just follow orders mindlessly. Our experienced team seeks opportunities to optimize designs for manufacturability and cost efficiency.

For instance, if a customer specifies steel with zinc plating, we might suggest galvanneal as an alternative. Galvanneal has zinc plating blended into the material, offering cost savings and excellent corrosion resistance. While it might not be ideal for parts where aesthetics are crucial, as galvanneal doesn’t have quite the same sleek appearance as zinc-plated steel, it is a fantastic option for internal or painted parts.

Material Suggestions

Choosing the right material for your project can be a challenge. Different materials offer unique properties that can affect the final product's performance, cost, and manufacturability. By involving Century-Tywood early in the design phase, we can provide valuable material suggestions based on our extensive knowledge and experience. Whether it’s finding a more cost-effective alternative or a material that better suits the application’s requirements, our team is here to help you make informed decisions.

DfM Expertise

One key benefit of involving your manufacturer early is leveraging their Design for Manufacturability (DfM) expertise. When done optimally, DfM (the practice of designing products so they are easy to manufacture) can significantly lower production costs and reduce the risk of errors during manufacturing. Our team at Century-Tywood reviews designs to ensure they are optimized for our production processes, preventing DfM issues like over-tolerancing, which can drive up costs unnecessarily. 

Reducing Lead Times

Involving your manufacturer in the design phase can also reduce lead time and accelerate your time to market. When a customer brings a part to us, we don't just proceed with manufacturing. Instead, we review the design, consider the end use, and identify ways to make the part better and more cost-effective. By making these improvements early on, we can streamline the manufacturing process, avoid potential delays, and ensure the final product meets all requirements.

It’s important to note that we don’t deviate from the original design without first discussing it with our customers. Some of our customers opt for their initial design, and we respect their wishes each time. 

Collaborative Problem-Solving

At Century-Tywood, we believe in a collaborative approach to problem-solving. When customers involve us in the design phase, we identify and address potential challenges before they become issues. This collaborative effort ensures that the final product is not only manufacturable but also meets the highest quality and performance standards. Our goal is to build strong partnerships with our customers, providing them with the support and expertise they need to succeed.

Ensuring Fit, Form, and Function Every Time

When designing a part, it's crucial to ensure it meets the required fit, form, and function. By involving Century-Tywood early in the design and engineering phase, we can help you achieve these goals. Our team reviews the design to ensure all tolerances are met, and the part will function as intended. This proactive approach helps prevent costly design changes later in the process and ensures that the final product meets all specifications.

Involving your manufacturer early in the design phase offers numerous benefits, from optimizing cost to reducing lead times and ensuring the final product meets all requirements. Century-Tywood is committed to working closely with our customers to enhance designs and leverage our expertise and experience to achieve the best possible outcomes for your projects.

Request a quote from Century-Tywood today!