We have all heard the phrase, “Where the rubber meets the road.” It has been used for years to define the moment of truth for something. It is the place where theory is placed into practice.
In the Machining world, we call this the place “where the carbide meets the metal”. It is the moment after the planning and programming when the machinist must press start and let the machine do its thing. If there is going to be a crash, this is the most likely point for that to happen. All that is left is for the machinist to trust their preparation and let the metal fly.
The design process is full of these moments. There are hundreds of decisions that will make the difference between success and failure. Perhaps the most crucial point in the design process is the one that comes at the very beginning. This all-important moment of truth happens when an inventor decides to move forward with their idea and create a prototype. This decision is almost always filled with doubt. For many inventors, the doubt comes from gaps in knowledge of manufacturing processes. These gaps can make the initial steps of innovation difficult.
For a product to be successful, it must be designed with built-in manufacturability. There are many factors that make a product more or less manufacturable: The type of raw material, the form of the material, dimensional tolerances, and any finishing processes are a just a few.
All of these factors play a role. Not only in the cost of the product, but if that product can be successfully made. For example, using a hardened material can mean a part is difficult to machine. If a part needs to be heat treated for hardness, the wrong material can make this impossible. There are many variables where a poor design plan can create problems in the manufacturing process. Finding these problems late in the game can mean the death of the project. The most cost effective place to evaluate these issues is at the front end of the design.
At Custom Technologies, our team is ready to assist you through all phases of the design process. Let our specialists help you determine the most economical and impactful design for your product. We can be your “manufacturing guru”. This will allow you the time to do what you do best, innovate.