PRODUCT SOURCING
FEATURE
ENGINEERING-FIRST SOURCING How to avoid
added costs when auto-quotes fall short, by Rush LaSelle, CEO, Fathom Manufacturing
• 86% of total product cost is locked in by decisions made before design freeze (Design Science). • 3.8M U.S. manufacturing roles needed by 2033, with 1.9M unfilled without action (Deloitte).
• Over 50% of engineers in the U.S. are 50+ years old (ASME/NSF). • Industrial AM market: $10.7B in 2024, growing 13% CAGR through 2029 (AM Power).
• Even leading instant-quoting tools ultimately route complex jobs to manual engineering review.
Leveraging the deep engineering expertise of a trusted manufacturing partner early in the design process can help you reduce risk and avoid costly redesigns and delays. It can also add value to your projects in ways that auto- quoting systems cannot. Collaboration at this early stage helps both engineering teams to work through a myriad of complex, interrelated options to select the best combination that meets your cost, lead time and performance requirements. These decisions are often more complex and nuanced than auto-quoting systems can support. Why does this matter? Decisions made before
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freezing designs lock in up to 86% of a program’s cost. That makes ‘engineering-first sourcing’ not just preferable, but essential.
WHY ENGINEERING STILL MATTERS The promise of instant quoting platforms is appealing: You upload a CAD file, get a price and place an order. But the reality for design engineers is that it’s not always that simple. Tight tolerances, unique materials or assemblies with complex stack-ups often create manufacturing or production challenges that software alone is challenged to resolve. When these issues surface
late, after tooling is cut or prototypes fail, the cost in time and budget multiplies. Without a second set of eyes checking work, an overlooked tolerance or surface finish requirement can add weeks to schedules and tens of thousands of dollars in redesign costs.
n an era of instant quoting and AI-driven sourcing, engineers continue to play a critical role in successful product launches.
WHEN TO SKIP THE INSTANT QUOTE AND CALL AN ENGINEER Not every part needs deep review, but many do. A practical decision-making framework helps: • Spot the Risk: Is the part specified with ±0.02mm tolerances? Does it involve novel polymers or alloys, heat-treated surfaces or multi-part stack-ups? These are triggers for review. • Decide the Path: If it’s a simple bracket, instant quoting is fine. If it’s a regulated aerospace bracket, it isn’t. • Engage Early: Consult manufacturing engineers before the design freeze – the earlier the better. Incorporate DFM feedback when it costs pennies to change CAD, not thousands to retool or revise downstream processes.
• Close the Loop: Document changes and feed lessons back into CAD/PLM so the next generation of designs improves.
MICRO-CASE: AEROSPACE COMPONENT A Navy program needed to replace aging Jet Blast
Deflector panels that had caused quality and delivery issues for decades. Our manufacturing engineers engaged early on tolerances, fixturing, heat-affected-zone management and certification flow down well before quoting, then scaled production under tight quality assurance requirements. Through early collaboration, over 5,000 units
were successfully delivered and output increased approximately 200% when compared to prior manufacturing methods, all while meeting spec. This is a classic example of engineering- first sourcing, where decisions upstream prevented downstream rework and delays.
STANDARDS TO KNOW For additive manufacturing and advanced production, these ISO/ASTM standards should be considered if not well known before sourcing parts for critical functions: • ISO/ASTM 52920 - Guidance for quality assurance in additive processes.
• ISO/ASTM 52910 - Design for additive manufacturing considerations.
• ISO/ASTM 52900 - Qualification for metal additive parts in regulated applications.
A CHECKLIST FOR ENGINEERS Before you click ‘get quote’, ask: • Am I pushing tolerances beyond shop-floor norms? • Am I working in regulated industries (A&D, medical, automotive)?
• Have I validated surface finishes, GD&T and heat treatments? • Does this part introduce stack-ups across assemblies?
• Would an early DFM consult save me time downstream?
CLOSING THOUGHT As the engineering workforce ages and talent gaps widen, tribal knowledge and shop floor experience are evaporating. As a result, manufacturers must increasingly rely on the engineering expertise of trusted manufacturing partners to help them: • Accelerate new product innovation. • Make sense of an ever-expanding universe of additive technologies. • Sort through an ongoing array of design and manufacturing trade-offs. • Identify opportunities to reduce the cost of their parts without compromising performance. Engineering-first sourcing is about
protecting your program’s budget, timeline and reputation by consulting with people who have produced thousands of parts, using a variety of technologies and seen hundreds of applications. Get it right at the front end before
problems multiply at the back end. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Fathom Manufacturing
https://fathommfg.com
SEPTEMBER 2025 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 53
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