Creativity vs Reality: Where Should the Line Be?
There’s no point designing something beautiful if it can’t be turned into reality.
One of the most uncomfortable moments in product development is being handed a chosen concept and immediately knowing it’s going to be incredibly difficult or expensive to manufacture.
Expectations have been set.
Stakeholders are excited.
Momentum is building.
And then you have to say:
“This is going to be more complicated than it needs to be.”
That’s why early Design for Manufacture (DFM) thinking is so critical.
Not as a constraint.
Not as a creativity killer.
But as part of the concept stage itself.
But Shouldn’t Design Be Free First?
Some industrial design purists would argue that you shouldn’t let manufacturing limit your thinking.
The philosophy is:
Design the dream product.
Solve the problem completely.
Push the boundaries.
Then work backwards to make it real.
And we actually agree with that to a point.
Blue-sky thinking is important. It’s how innovation happens.
But in the real world, most projects operate within:
- Lean startup budgets
- Fixed timelines
- Commercial cost targets
- Investor expectations
Very few businesses have the luxury of unlimited iteration and reinvention.
So the real skill isn’t ignoring manufacturing.
It’s knowing how to strike the balance between ambition and reality.
That’s where early DFM becomes powerful.
What Early DFM Really Means
Design for Manufacture means designing a product in a way that makes it:
- Easier to produce
- More cost-efficient
- More reliable
- Faster to scale
But the key word here is early.
When manufacturing constraints are considered during concept development, you avoid painful redesigns later. You design within realistic process boundaries from day one whether that’s injection moulding, machining, casting, or assembly.
At Design by Datum, even at the sketch and CAD stage, we’re already asking:
- What process makes most sense for this part?
- Can this tool cleanly and economically?
- How will this assemble?
- What will this cost at volume?
We don’t let DFM kill creativity.
We use it to shape creativity into something commercially viable.
The Real Cost of Ignoring Early DFM
When manufacturing is considered too late, development becomes more complicated than it needs to be.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
The Over-Engineered Injection Moulded Part
A product enclosure looks fantastic in CAD. Complex geometry. Deep undercuts. Clean uninterrupted surfaces.
But manufacturing it requires multiple side cores in the injection mould tool.
That means:
- Higher tooling cost
- More complex tools
- Witness marks from split lines
- Reduced tool life
- Higher per-part cost
Often, small design adjustments early on could simplify the tool dramatically, often allowing a clean two-part mould tool.
The difference?
Lower risk. Lower cost. Cleaner production.
But only if you catch it early.
Assembly That Wasn’t Considered Soon Enough
Assembly shouldn’t be a late-stage consideration.
We think about it during concept development.
Can parts physically exist in 3D space without interference?
Can they be assembled efficiently?
Are we introducing unnecessary fasteners or complex cable routing?
A design that looks simple digitally can become expensive and error-prone on a production line.
Reducing part count.
Designing for intuitive assembly.
Eliminating unnecessary complexity.
These decisions are easy early and painful later.
Tolerances That Don’t Reflect Reality
Tolerance stack-up across different processes is another common issue.
For example:
- A machined aluminium part interfacing with an injection moulded plastic part
- Different manufacturing capabilities
- Different material behaviours
If this isn’t considered early, you risk:
- Poor fit
- Unexpected variation
- Rework or scrap
Early DFM thinking means designing systems, not just individual parts.
The Balance We Aim For
We’re not here to say:
“Don’t dream.”
We’re here to say:
“Dream intelligently.”
We believe the best products sit at the intersection of:
- Creative ambition
- Technical problem-solving
- Commercial realism
At Design by Datum, we operate across the full spectrum of product development from early concept through to the first parts coming off the production line.
That perspective allows us to design boldly but inside the boundaries of reality.
Because when budgets are lean and timelines are tight, that balance isn’t optional.
It’s essential.
Final Thoughts: Creativity Within Reality
Early DFM doesn’t restrict innovation.
It protects it.
It prevents false expectations.
It reduces costly redesign.
It keeps development moving forward instead of backwards.
Design the right product.
Design it creatively.
But design it with the end in mind.
That’s how you save time, money and a lot of unnecessary headaches.
