DFM Review Service: What It Costs and What It Catches Before Tooling

A design that looks right on screen can still be impossible, or very expensive, to make. A design for manufacturing (DFM) review checks your CAD against the process that will produce it, before you pay for tooling. It is one of the cheapest steps in hardware development and one of the most valuable.

What a DFM review checks

For injection molding

• Draft angles so parts release from the mold
• Wall thickness that is even enough to avoid sink marks and warping
• Undercuts that need side actions and raise the mold cost
• Ribs and bosses sized for strength without sink
• Gate and parting line placement and their effect on cosmetic surfaces

For CNC machining

• Internal corner radii a cutter can reach
• Deep pockets and thin walls
• Tolerances tighter than the function needs

For sheet metal

• Bend radii, hole-to-edge distances and relief cuts

For 3D printing

• Overhangs, supports, minimum features and clearances for moving parts

What it costs

A DFM review is priced on the size of the design and the process. Our reviews start at $240 for a single part. For multi-part products, DFM notes are included in our CAD packages:

• Single part, designed for its process: $590, with DFM notes and a drawing sheet
• Product up to 12 parts: $2,490, with fasteners, inserts and snap fits worked out
• Production engineering: from $6,500 for up to 40 parts, including molding, CNC or sheet-metal DFM and a tolerance review on critical fits

See CAD design services and engineering pricing.

Why it is worth paying for

A change to a steel mold after it is cut costs far more than a change in CAD. A review that catches one missing draft angle or one undercut before tooling usually pays for itself many times over. It also makes supplier quotes more accurate, because the supplier is quoting a part that can actually be made.

What you receive

• A marked-up report of issues by severity
• Suggested fixes, with the cost or risk of each
• Optional: the corrected CAD, if you want us to make the changes

When to do it

• Before requesting tooling quotes
• After a major design change
• When a supplier's quote comes back far higher than expected
• When a prototype printed well but you are moving to molding

Read injection molding design services cost and product design services for hardware startups for the wider process.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a DFM review cost?

Ours start at $240 for a single part. DFM notes are included in our CAD design packages.

Do I need a DFM review if my supplier offers one?

A supplier's review is useful but focused on their process and their tooling. An independent review looks at the product as a whole, including cosmetics, assembly and cost.

Which files do you need?

STEP or native CAD, the intended process and material, quantities and any cosmetic requirements.

How long does it take?

A single-part review usually takes 2 to 4 working days. Assemblies are scoped individually.