How can you design a cost-effective product that is easy to manufacture?

In order to save the underground water recources, there was a requirement in country. We received many offers about manufacturing of water measurement devices so we tended to change our products to electromagnetic flowmeters. We started it and we gradually gained experience and developed the product.

Based on my experience, "cost effective" is not a simple thing. It will require more holistic approaches not to make a situation earning money from the front and losing money from the back. This is a direct translation of Korean expression but it is very common to see cost saving programs targeting "numbers" only, which could cause a potentially bigger loss. Not to make this situation, we need product experts and other teams who understand well not only their work scope but also the others'. Otherwise, all the steps listed in this article and the results will be separate sand particle not a complete house.

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Questions to ask- - Can the right product be made closer to the market place cheaper? - Or is it cheaper to source from afar where manufacturing costs maybe low and supply chain of all the inputs needed for the product might be well established? - Has sourcing team been involved from the concept level of product creation to determine the right manufacturing partner based on the product deliverables? - Has product/process engineering been simplified for easy manufacturability while delivering the quality and durability and other deliverables product is expected to meet?

Cost effective and ease to manufacture requires the developer/engineer to understand the process, capacity, and limitations of the production line. If in house production is not capable, then it will be necessary to look for contract manufacturers and understand their process, capacity, and limitations. Same goes when looking for vendors of the materials to make the product.

Once minimum physical requirements are defined, early work with suppliers on which material are most available, capability of which processes will yield desired results. Similar work with manufacturing, what features do they need for internal processing and controls, explain what features are critical for end customer and how to beat achieve those.

Materials and manufacturing processes go hand in hand. Look at manufacturing techniques in everyday products (injection molding, machining, stamping, tube fabrication, laminated products, electronics, etc,) and look for a manufacturer in a low-cost country to work with. Plan a trip there, go to a tradeshow, visit factories, find a mfg rep. Most processes in low-cost countries can be done for low cost, and quality can be verified before it ships if given the right inspection criteria. Designs should accommodate typical variances and reduce tolerance stacks.

- User-Centric Approach: Understand user requirements through research and feedback. -Innovation and Clarity: Innovate solutions and communicate them clearly. -Cost-Effective Design: Optimize costs while maintaining quality. -Material and Component Selection: Choose durable, readily available materials and compatible components. -Feasibility Demonstration: Showcase real-world application. -Implementation Plan: Chart the course for execution. -Ongoing Communication: Maintain user engagement

In my experience, material selection influences the total cost of the end product and is one of the main cost drivers. A few guiding criteria: - Picking the right material for the right application - Understanding the material properties - Material availability (close to manufacturing unit)

Consider heavy use of prototypes, not just to work out design issues, but also to understand if a production process is right for your design. The devil is often in the details. It may make sense to create generic prototypes of IP that could get reused in several actual end products, and thus spread out the cost and make it easier to justify. Planning and having a roadmap for the future are important here. Don't just throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.

Besides the right requirements and material selection, setting the design that is suitable for manufacturing can be a game changer.

Too many iterations push dead lines, too tight of dead lines mean not enough time to think amd plan properly. Both end up hurting the bottom line. "Measure twice, cut once". Provide ample planning time, research, time for engineers to think ahead. Make use of previous teams knowledge or similar projects. Use experience.

Optimizing your production process means making it work better, faster, and cheaper while maintaining or improving quality. Think of it like making your car run more efficiently to save fuel while still getting you to your destination. Imagine you run a small restaurant's production process means finding ways to make the business more efficient, reduce costs, and improve the customer experience. This can be achieved by simplifying the menu, streamlining ingredient sourcing, improving kitchen workflow, training staff, using technology, and reducing waste. For example, by streamlining the menu and kitchen processes, a restaurant can serve more customers, reduce costs, and maintain food quality, leading to better overall success.

Agile product development enhances cost-effective product design and manufacturability by emphasizing iterative prototyping, customer feedback, prioritization, and cross-functional collaboration. It encourages the creation of smaller, manageable work increments, test-driven development, and continuous process improvement, reducing manufacturing challenges and costs. Agile's adaptability and risk mitigation further contribute to the development of products that align with market needs and are optimized for efficient, cost-effective manufacturing.

Communication with the people who will physically fabricate or assemble the part is key; weather that is with internal technicians or outside vendors. The people that have hands on the fabrication machines know their capabilities inside and out. Engineers that are not familiar with this can design parts that are difficult to make. This should be done during steps 3, 4, and 5. Design guidance on the capabilities of the fabrication machinery will allow engineers to design with the proper tooling, relief radii, and knowledge of the limitations of machinery. Speaking with assemblers during the design process engineers can anticipate problems that are not necessarily seen on a computer such as part interference with tools used during assembly.

Each product that we are going to design is a solution to the problem, before solving any problem first understand the problem and results expected. Using engineering mind come with the alternative solutions and choose the best among them as per the requirement. Sometimes the most cost effective alternative might not suit our conditions. We have to provide the solution what customer is expecting.