Value or Cost Down Engineering doesn’t exactly sound like the sexiest part of product development. It’s not as shiny as designing an award-winning gadget or as thrilling as holding the first prototype. But if you’re planning to scale your product from “Hey, I’ve made ten of these!” to “We just shipped container number 50 to our distributor,” then cost down engineering becomes your new best friend. When launching a new product, most companies start small: pilot series, limited batches or a test market run. At this stage, cost per unit isn’t the top priority, it’s all about proving the concept, ironing out technical kinks and maybe showing off a bit at a trade show. But once the product works and the orders start rolling in, it’s time to talk about how to make it for less, without sacrificing function, quality and looks
Sometimes the biggest cost savings are hiding in plain sight, like in the materials you’re using. That aerospace-grade aluminum might feel premium, but does your product really need to survive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere? By reconsidering material specs in value engineering we can often make big gains without affecting the user experience. From swapping metal for engineered plastics to selecting materials with faster cycle times or lower waste in production, the right material choice can significantly reduce costs and improve manufacturability. Of course, material changes often require new strength or safety validations, but if done right, it’s a great step in scaling up.
One of the quickest wins in cost down engineering is choosing the right production technique for the stage you’re in. That beautifully CNC-milled housing? Amazing for prototyping and small runs. But if you’re aiming for thousands, injection molding will make your accountant weep tears of joy. Yes, tooling costs money upfront, but spread over a few thousand units, it starts to pay for itself in no time. And it’s not just about switching processes it’s about matching the right material and production method to your product’s long-term. For example, moving from 3D printed brackets to die-cast metal parts can save cost and boost durability. That’s what we call a win-win. Keep in mind that switching to a different production method for any component of your product almost always requires significant redesign, engineering effort, and proper validation.
If there's one word that makes startups a little nervous, it’s tooling. Because yes, investing in molds or dies does come with a price tag. But here's the twist: not investing in tooling can cost you much more in the long run. Especially when that fancy five-part assembly could have been turned into a single injection-molded piece with snap fits, alignment ribs and a soul-soothing click when it assembles just right. Even better? Once volumes grow, tooling doesn’t just get you better pricing per unit, it also opens the door to multiple-cavity molds, meaning your manufacturer can pop out five, ten or even twenty parts in a single cycle. It’s the manufacturing equivalent of cloning your best employee. Efficient, a bit scary but very profitable.
Cost down engineering isn’t just about what the parts are, but how they go together. At its core, DfA is about reducing the number of parts, simplifying how they’re connected and minimizing the time, tools and hands needed to assemble them. Can two components be combined into one? Can we swap screws for snap-fits? Can we avoid that one part that needs a third hand, a flashlight and a lot of swearing to install? These are the kind of questions we love to ask. At ManGo we also look at orientation, designing parts so they can't be assembled the wrong way, even on a Monday morning before coffee. Self-locating features, symmetry and integrated fasteners (poka-yoke) can make the difference between a smooth assembly line and a production team sending passive-aggressive emails. And simplifying assembly doesn’t just reduce labor costs. It also improves consistency, lowers the risk of human error and makes automated assembly more viable in future scaling stages.
Here’s a “fun” reality: the production partner who was perfect for making 100 units a month may start to struggle when you need 10.000 units. Higher volumes demand different capabilities, production planning and sometimes a different supplier altogether. Value engineering often means going back to sourcing: finding partners who can scale with you, produce consistent quality and offer better pricing at volume. Sometimes, it also means spreading production across multiple suppliers or even different countries (hello, logistics puzzle!). But the goal is always the same: smarter manufacturing at a better margin.
Cost down engineering doesn't mean cutting corners or cheaping out. It means finding smarter, leaner and often cooler ways to make your product. Think fewer parts, smarter shapes, more automation and yes, sometimes a quiet farewell to those charming but inefficient design quirks from V1.0. We believe true cost down engineering is value up. You get a better product, a smoother production line and a business case that makes investors, sales teams, customers and your operations manager equally happy. Which is, let’s face it, a rare feat.
At ManGo Product Design, on a daily basis we assist clients to go from costly prototypes or small series to lean, scalable products. If you’re staring at a BOM that reads more like a luxury car invoice or you’re preparing for that next big production leap, let’s talk. We're here to help you identify the best-fit materials and production techniques for your next step, optimizing your product design without compromise, and boosting your margins along the way. In many cases, ManGo has successfully reduced production costs by 10 to 20%. But in one extreme case, we achieved a jaw-dropping cost reduction of 2,500%, yes, really.
Also want to reduce BOM costs? Drop us a line - your future self (and your CFO) will thank you. Contact us by phone, our online form or send an e-mail to: info@mangoproductdesign.com
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