How to Avoid Over-Engineering Your Parts
We love making engineers look good.
And right now, supporting engineers is a big deal because more and more precision machine shops are opting to no-quote “problem parts” they deem too challenging or expensive to make. In many cases, these “problem parts” have been over-engineered and require some strategic modifications to simplify manufacturing.
Not all shops want to take the time to have these discussions with customers. But here at Sweeney Metal Fabricators, we love the chance to help our clientele improve their part designs!
Real Solutions to Over-Engineering Challenges
Unnecessarily tight tolerances, impossible angles, and overzealous finishing callouts are just a few examples of over-engineering we encounter regularly. These design red flags are the number one driver of:
Excessive costs
Long lead times
No-quotes
But we can help!
If your quote request has been turned down by other shops…
If you’ve received quotes that far exceed your budget…
If you’ve been told your part is impossible to make…
…talk directly to our team. We’ll offer the straightforward suggestions you need to modify your design for fast and cost-effective manufacturing that yields top-quality results.
It's a win-win for everyone!
Clear Signs of Over-Engineered Parts
You’re the engineer—not us. But we know what is and isn’t reasonable or possible to manufacture. Instead of dismissively no-quoting your project, we prefer to discuss why a part isn’t a good candidate for custom metal fabrication or precision machining.
Here are a few of the most common areas where we see customers over-engineering their parts and driving their costs through the roof.
Material selection
Don’t choose exotic materials for basic parts.
We understand that you want top-quality parts, but that doesn’t always mean you need the best and most expensive material available. For example, if your parts will go into an aerospace assembly, it makes sense to use a high-performance material. But if you’re designing basic components for a low-risk product, there’s no reason to pay the high price of procuring, cutting, bending, precision machining, welding, and finishing expensive and challenging materials like titanium or Inconel.
Finishing
Don’t expect cosmetic results from commercial processes.
If you want your part’s paint job to match the paint quality on your brand-new Ford, head to an automotive shop.
In most cases, though, aesthetically “perfect” surfaces simply aren’t necessary. Commercial-use part finishing is meant to improve the part’s performance, extend its lifespan, and mitigate unsafe burrs or edges. If we receive an RFQ for a bracket with a highly cosmetic, automotive paint callout, we’ll point out that you might be expecting too much from a commercial process.
Don’t request unnecessary finishes.
We’ve received RFQs with callouts for five separate finishing processes on a single part. Why? “We need the part to be rust-proof,” we were told. We explained to the engineer that we could rust-proof their part without this extreme stack-up of finishing services—and help them save time and money. (Of course, they were thrilled!)
If you need your part to withstand specific environments but aren’t quite sure what to do, let us know. We’ll be glad to outline your options and share the associated costs.
Hardware and welding
Don’t design for hardware or welding when other solutions will do.
There are numerous advanced fastening techniques that often perform better than either hardware or welding. And you’ll save serious time and money by going in this direction. Once we understand your goals, we can discuss options for mechanical fastening, adhesive bonding, and automated assembly—all options that can reduce or eliminate the need for hardware or welding.
Tolerances
Don’t over-tolerance your part.
Unless your application genuinely requires precision tolerances, over-tolerancing your part is an unnecessary waste of time and money. Tight tolerances for their own sake can also inhibit proper assembly and negatively impact your application’s performance.
When standard tolerances will do, stick with them. And if you aren’t sure, we’re here to help!
Smart Design for Custom Metal Fabrication and Precision Machining
Our experienced team is fully versed in what’s feasible in manufacturing and which processes result in the best parts. So when we identify an over-engineered part design, we want to talk to you—not just no-quote your project and hope you “go away.”
Not all shops care to take that journey with their customers, but here at Sweeney, we’ve built communication into our process. We address every concern and question with clarity, honesty, and a commitment to helping you make the best decisions for your project.
Ready to send your part files our way? Request a quote via our secure online portal!
