Design & Manufacture Case Study
Production live in 4 weeks without tooling
Delivery model: Design & Manufacture (D&M)
Executive summary
Sector: Industrial / field-deployed systems
Requirement: 50 technical support units to ship alongside a primary product
Constraint: No tooling permitted due to compressed schedule
Timeline: Design complete in 2 weeks. Production live in 4 weeks
Outcome: Units delivered on schedule without tooling investment
Timeline
Week 0: Brief received
Week 2: Design validated through functional prototypes
Week 4: Production complete and units delivered
The challenge
The client required a batch of ruggedised technical support units to deploy in parallel with a primary product launch.
The schedule ruled out tooling, and any delay would have impacted field deployment and customer commitments.
The work could not be absorbed internally without disrupting core programmes.
The solution
We delivered the programme under our Design & Manufacture model.
Two functional prototypes were designed, built, and validated within the first two weeks.
Production was achieved using fabrication, additive manufacture, and off-the-shelf components to eliminate tooling lead time.
Custom wiring looms were designed and built in parallel, allowing assembly and quality assurance to proceed without delay.
Outcome
50 units delivered on schedule to support the main product launch
No tooling investment required, preserving flexibility and cash
Third successful product delivered for the same client
The programme achieved its delivery window without creating long-term manufacturing commitments or internal disruption.
Why This Worked
Single point of accountability
Control matched to responsibility
Defined entry and exit conditions
This was not outsourcing.
It was containment.