Our work / Scratch Square
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Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, Scratch Square
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Project at a glance
- Client
- De'Vora — pet products company
- Category
- Pet product development
- Starting point
- An early Scratch Square design needing production readiness
- What we delivered
- Design for manufacturing, mold and assembly design, prototype iterations
- Key constraints
- Complex single-piece rubber enclosure, durable abrasive surface, inexpensive production
- Outcome
- Product prepared for manufacturing and now sold at retail
The client
The challenge
Our solution
The result
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Design for manufacturing and assembly at a glance
| Scope | Part consolidation, tooling review, assembly sequence, cost modeling |
|---|---|
| Levers | Fewer parts, simpler tools, snap fits, fewer secondary operations |
| Deliverables | Revised CAD, DFM report, assembly instructions, cost comparison |
| Typical timeline | 3-8 weeks |
Unit cost is set by decisions, not negotiation
Most teams try to lower cost by re-quoting suppliers. The larger savings are structural: a part that needs a side action, a fastener that adds an assembly station, a finish that requires a second operation. DFMA finds those before tooling locks them in.
What we changed on Scratch Square
We consolidated components, removed geometry that forced tooling complexity, and replaced fasteners with molded features so assembly dropped to a short, repeatable sequence. Wall sections were normalized for consistent molding cycles, and the revised design was documented with a before-and-after cost comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Can you run DFMA on an existing product?
Yes. Redesigning a product already in production is common and often pays back within one order.
How much cost can DFMA remove?
Savings of 15-40% on unit cost are typical when a product has never been reviewed for manufacturability.
Do you work with our existing manufacturer?
Yes. We review their feedback, quote impact and tooling constraints directly with them.
Capabilities used on this project
Prototype design and engineering
Design for the prototype itself: CAD, tolerance stacks, material choices and assembly detail before anything is built.
Low-volume manufacturing
Bridge tooling, short-run production and supplier management for first commercial batches.
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