Free DFM Review
Free with every new-part quote. Send a 3D model and we'll show you what drives the cost of your part, and what to change to bring it down.
Most of the cost of a molded or machined part is locked in by the design before it ever reaches a shop. Missing draft, thick sections, undercuts that need slides, features no standard tool can reach: each one adds tooling cost, cycle time or scrap for the life of the part.
Our DFM review catches those problems while they're still free to fix. We analyze your 3D model, and the people who run our presses and mills review the results. You get a written report with each issue ranked by risk, pictures showing where it is on the part, and a specific recommendation for each one.
How it works
- 01
Send a STEP file with your quote request, plus material, annual volume and any critical tolerances. Need an NDA first? Use ours or send yours.
- 02
We analyze the geometry: draft, wall thickness, undercuts, hole sizes, setups and tool access, mapped across the whole part.
- 03
You get the report with findings, color-mapped images and recommended changes, along with your quote.
- 04
You decide. Every recommendation is subject to your engineering approval. We can quote the part as drawn, as revised, or both.
| Molded parts | Machined parts |
|---|---|
| Draft on every face | Number of setups and fixturing |
| Wall thickness and thick sections | Tool reach, deep pockets and small inside radii |
| Sink and void risk | Thin walls and chatter risk |
| Undercuts, slides and lifters | Standard drill and tap sizes |
| Tool concept and cavitation | Tolerances and finishes that drive cost |
| Cycle time drivers | Material and stock size |
Sensor housing base, PC/ABS, 100,000 per year
This is the kind of part we see every week. As drawn, it had solid bosses, no draft, and a USB port and snap windows cut straight through the side walls. Molding it would take a 2-cavity tool with slides on three sides and a 97-second cycle.
The review recommended a handful of changes: a uniform, drafted wall; cored-out bosses; and the side features opened to the rim so they pull straight out of the mold.
The result is a 1-cavity straight-pull tool with no slides, a 32-second cycle and a part 38% lighter. That's about $65,000 a year less in resin and press time at 100,000 parts, before counting the simpler, cheaper tool.
Example part designed to show common issues. It is not a customer part, and the figures are estimates from our analysis.
| As drawn | After DFM | |
|---|---|---|
| Bosses | Solid | Cored, uniform wall |
| Draft | None | Drafted throughout |
| Side features | Through the walls | Opened to the rim |
| Tool | 2-cavity, slides on 3 sides | 1-cavity, straight pull |
| Cycle time | 97 s | 32 s |
| Part weight | Baseline | 38% lighter |
| Resin + press time | Baseline | ≈ $65,000/yr less |
Send us your STEP file
Get a quote and a free DFM review on your next new part.