9 Tips for Reducing Machining Costs Through Design Optimization

How can you minimize manufacturing difficulties to produce high-quality parts that are both simple and innovative?

How can you avoid material waste or frequent tool changes that cause delays?

Whether you’re an engineer, designer, or developer, you’ve likely asked yourself these questions at some point.

You know that complex designs can quickly drive up costs and extend production timelines.

Having managed numerous quoting files at APF Villeneuve, I understand these challenges and the issues you face regularly.

As you probably already know, reducing the cost of machined parts isn't just about price negotiations or optimizing deadlines.

In fact, many of these costs are directly linked to how the parts are designed.

A well-thought-out design can simplify machining, minimize resource use, and ensure better profitability.

That’s why today I’m offering you 9 practical strategies to simplify your part designs, avoid costly pitfalls, and ultimately reduce your production costs.

1. Simplify Machining Details to Minimize Tool Count

Reducing the complexity of parts helps reduce the number of tools required for their manufacture. By simplifying shapes and limiting complex transitions, you reduce tool changes, setup time, and necessary adjustments. Fewer tools also mean lower costs related to programming and tooling, while speeding up production.

2. Avoid Over-specifying: Choose Realistic Tolerances

Excessively tight tolerances or overly high surface requirements are often unnecessary for the part’s intended function. Choose tolerances appropriate for the actual use, avoid overly complex geometries, and opt for materials that are easy to work with. By limiting unnecessary specifications, you'll reduce both material costs and machining times.

3. Choose a Design and Materials That Support Automation

Automation is key to reducing labor costs and increasing the consistency of the parts produced. Favor designs that lend themselves well to automated operations, both for machining and processes like deburring. For example, simple geometries and common materials not only facilitate production but also allow for quicker adjustments.

4. Minimize Hard-to-Deburr Areas

Narrow corners or deep cavities require manual or more complex deburring operations, which increases lead times and costs. By minimizing areas where deburring is difficult, you simplify final operations, resulting in time and effort savings.

5. Avoid Designs with Deep Cavities

Deep cavities often require the use of long, specialized tools, which are more expensive and prone to vibration, reducing precision and increasing the risk of breakage. By opting for less deep geometries, you extend tool life and minimize the risk of defects in the part.

6. Optimize Milling Pockets

In milling, pockets with larger radii allow for the use of larger diameter tools, which increases tool life and machining stability. This approach also simplifies chip management and improves productivity, while reducing tooling costs.

7. Optimize Diameter-to-Length Ratio in Turning

In turning, maintaining an optimal diameter-to-length ratio (4:1) avoids deformation and vibration during machining. By designing parts within this ratio, you can avoid using special tools or making costly adjustments, while maintaining good surface quality and tight tolerances.

8. Reduce Use of Long Tools

Long tools, which are needed for operations on complex or deep parts, increase the risk of vibration and breakage. Again, choosing simpler designs reduces the need for specialized tools, lowers the risk of defects, and improves overall machining efficiency.

9. Avoid Drilling Very Small or Deep Holes

Very small or deep holes pose challenges for chip removal, causing machining interruptions, tool damage, and increased costs. Favor less deep or wider holes to facilitate chip evacuation and optimize process efficiency.

Historically, complex designs have led to higher costs and machining delays. By applying these strategies, you can simplify production and reduce costs. Implementing these tips in future projects will ensure both quality and profitability.

This will allow you to transform potential challenges into opportunities for efficiency gains and cost reduction.

Indeed, by simplifying your designs, not only do you make machinists’ work easier, but you also improve the profitability of your projects while maintaining your quality standards.

At APF Villeneuve, we’re ready to assist you in this optimization process.

With our machining expertise and advanced technologies, we’re equipped to provide customized solutions to make your projects more profitable and productive.

Contact us today to discuss your projects and find out how we can help you reduce costs while boosting the efficiency of your operations.