Like most other industries, manufacturers are limited in the scope of what they can produce by the laws of physics.
A recurring theme among our clients is a lack of manufacturing experience or understanding of manufacturing engineering. Clients bring us designs that look great on paper, but are physically impossible to produce on current machinery.
They are also understandably upset when we tell them "We can't make that."
(Yet.)
Manufacturing Design Problems
Engineers put heart and soul into their designs. We employ manufacturing engineers in-house, and we see the time and care that goes into making every detail perfect. It's frustrating for everyone when there's a manufacturing issue in a design.
Some of the most common issues arise when the design calls for
-a hole in an impossible place
-strange bend radii
-impossible bend angles
We've worked with clients who require strange angles for whatever product they're selling - the bends are aesthetically unappealing and impact the natural qualities of the metals.
Forcing the machines to carry out these awkward tasks should only be done when absolutely necessary - the best thing to do is try to adjust the design itself to reduce the strain on the machine and materials.
If the problem is in the design, we address the design. Our engineers have a lot of experience in tweaking designs to make them manufacturable.
Other Problems
Sometimes the issue isn't on the manufacturing side.
Sometimes the design isn't cost-effective, but we know how to tweak it to save the client money. For example, using thin-rolled embossed steel instead of aluminum when the client was facing financial difficulties.
Sometimes the manufacturing process can be more efficient with a design overhaul.
No matter what the issue is, there's usually a way to make the design match what we can do. But, you have to bring us the design before we can help you.
If you need help with a design issue relating to manufacturing or anything else, we're happy to see what we can do.
