Concurrent engineering is a common approach that pairs developing the product design and its supporting manufacturing processes through the development process. There are several reasons why this is a good idea.

Design engineers may require the creation of new manufacturing processes to achieve specific material properties, component performance, or mechanical, electrical, or software tolerances. And if they fully understand the manufacturing capabilities and full range of impacts and risks to process yield, quality, and reliability performance, they can make informed decisions concerning their design requirements. Making good decisions during design creates value. You can estimate the value by the magnitude of the span of outcomes for the decision.

By the same token, manufacturing engineers learn earlier and firsthand what’s critical to the product’s performance. They develop intimate knowledge of the design and understand those critical nuances not included on drawings or specifications that affect a product’s functional and reliability performance.

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