22/10/2026
A part can look perfect on screen and still be difficult, slow or expensive to mould.
Design for manufacture is the habit of asking how it will be made while the design can still change.
Five things that catch people out most often:
1. Uneven wall thickness. Thick sections cool more slowly than thin ones, which leads to sink marks, warping and longer cycle times. Consistent walls, with ribs for stiffness rather than solid mass, mould more reliably.
2. No draft. Vertical faces drag against the tool as the part is ejected. A small taper on those faces lets parts release cleanly and protects the surface finish.
3. Undercuts nobody planned for. Any feature that stops the part from coming straight out of the tool needs a side action or a lifter. That adds cost and complexity, and sometimes a small design change removes the need entirely.
4. Sharp internal corners. They concentrate stress and restrict how the material flows. A modest radius usually improves both strength and fill.
5. Tolerances tighter than the job needs. Every tight tolerance costs money to hold. Reserve them for the features that genuinely mate with something else.
None of these is difficult to fix at concept stage.
All of them are expensive to fix once the tool exists.
Let us help you get this right before that cost happens!
Reach out to us š in the comments to see how we can help!
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+44(0)1455 234401
