What's The Role of Product Design

Product design is the core of the entire industry chain, creating the most added value, while product manufacturing, at the bottom of the chain, generates the least added value.

This is because product design, being central and crucial to product development, determines the cost, quality, and development cycle of the product. These three factors are essential for measuring the success of product development. High product quality, low production costs, and a short development cycle are key to succeeding in a highly competitive market.

1.  Product Design Determines Its Cost

Four main factors influence product cost: design, material, labor, and management.

1.Product design costs represent only 5% of the total development cost.

2.However, product design determines 75% of the product cost.

3.Design significantly impacts the costs of material, labor, and management.

4.Without optimizing product design, efforts in material, labor, and management have minimal effect on reducing costs. 

2.  Product Design Determines Its Quality

1.  Quality has no limits

With low density and high strength, aluminum is the most common material in automation equipment. Different grades have distinct properties: 5052 is mainly used for sheet metal, 6061 is widely used for CNC machining, 6063 is typically used for aluminum sections, and 7075 is aviation-grade aluminum for high-strength applications. Anodizing is the most common surface treatment for aluminum alloys.

2.  Determinants of product quality

In a competitive market, product quality is crucial. So, where does it come from?

Does quality come from manufacturing?

No. Products are manufactured based on designs and processes. If a design is flawed, high-quality products cannot be produced, regardless of the precision of the machines or the skills of the engineers.

Does quality come from inspection?

No. Inspection identifies defective products according to standards after manufacturing. While improving inspection standards can enhance quality, it also increases the defect rate and raises costs. This approach does not address the root cause of quality issues.

Does quality come from design?

Yes. Product design dictates the product's inherent quality. The "80/20 Rule" (Pareto Principle) illustrates this well. Statistics show that around 80% of quality issues stem from design, while 20% are due to manufacturing and assembly. Therefore, a perfect design can prevent 80% of quality issues, whereas perfect manufacturing can only address 20% of them.

3.  Product Design Determines Its Development Cycle

Product design determines its development cycle. A well-designed product can be manufactured and assembled smoothly, while a poor design often makes manufacturing or assembly unfeasible, leading to an extended development cycle. In mass production, many parts are made using molds (such as injection molds). If the design is flawed, the part may not be manufacturable or may fail to meet quality standards. Consequently, both the design and the mold must be revised. Mold modifications typically require a significant amount of time, increasing the overall product development period.