Design for manufacturing

The small details that make tooling expensive

Factory quotes often surprise first-time product makers. A part that looks simple on screen comes back with a high tooling price because of details nobody noticed: an undercut that needs a moving slide in the mould, walls of uneven thickness that cause warping, sharp internal corners that crack, no draft angle so the part sticks in the tool.

Each of these has a known fix. A small change in geometry can remove a slide. Even walls with ribs instead of thick sections save material and avoid sink marks. Radii on corners and one or two degrees of draft let parts release cleanly. We find these issues, explain their cost in plain words and change the model.

• Wall thickness: even, and suited to the material and process
• Draft angles: so moulded parts release from the tool
• Undercuts: removed or redesigned where they add tooling cost
• Tolerances: only as tight as the function needs

Fewer parts, fewer problems

Every separate part in a product is another tool, another assembly step, another place for tolerances to stack up and another thing that can be fitted wrongly. Designs often carry more parts than they need because they grew piece by piece.

We look for parts that can be combined, fasteners that can be replaced with snap fits, and assemblies that can only go together one way. Not every change is worth making, since a combined part can make a mould more complex. The report sets out each option with its trade-off, so you decide with full information before committing to tooling.