Design Philosophy

At Corvid Mechanical, we pride ourselves on our ability to think outside the box and find innovative solutions for our clients. Our team of experts excels at every step of the process, from concept to manufacturing, ensuring that each project is met with the highest level of creativity and expertise. We believe in designing the simplest, most elegant solution to any problem. This solution must consider form, function, efficiency, fit, durability, usability, budget, and the often-overlooked manufacturability. When these factors are carefully balanced and harmonized, we establish a solid foundation for clear communication with our clients, allowing us to create solutions that truly meet their needs.

Design for Form

We design to ensure that the solution we are providing fits into the the clients notion of what the product aught to be.  The size, the style, the heft make sure to work within the realm of what the client expects.

Design for Function

We layout all of the different project requirements and weight them in order of importance.  This ensure that we are communicating clearly with the client as to what we are working toward, and give us a bulls eye to aim form.

Design for Efficiency

We believe in trying to find the simplest cleanest solutions. Putting many concepts on the table, and dialing in the design. Iteration after iteration.

Design for Fit

3D printing from FDM, to SLS, to MJF processes offer us a wide variately to to test fit and function. Allowing us and a customer to more closely actually an idea before investing in tooling.  These steps help us to dial in any clips or mating surfaces. 

Design for Durability

What is the acceptable lifecycle of the product.  What environments will it be exposssed to. What is acceptable wear and tear, and what needs to be bombproof

Design for Manufacturing

We believe that designing a part to be manufactured is as critical as all other constraints on a product. If a product is going to be produced at scale we believe in doing the engineering up front to make sure that the parts can be manufactured and assembled in a simple, cost effective and efficient way. Sometimes parts need to be complex, but generally if these concerns are treated as a forethought rather than an afterthought, many thousands can be saved in tooling and assembly.

Design for Injection Molding

We believe in truly understanding the molding process of any part designed. If we make this feature a pass through rather than ledge we can remove a slide in the tool design, saving potential 20-50% of a tool cost. (We have high quality affordable Tool Makers and Injection Molders available if you need. foreign and domestic).

Understanding the capabilities of material available, toughness, malleability, hardness, shrinkage, fiber orientation and surface finish are considered in the forefront of our design process. As all manufacturing process, we have quality material suppliers available to assist.

Design for Sheet Metal

We believe in understanding the tolerances of different processes. Sheet metal can be an affordable and powerful material but the tolerances of cut edges versus bent edges needs to be managed thoughtfully and allowed for in the design and assembly, but with the correct fore thought beautiful and capeable designs can be had.

Design for CNC

CNC machining allows us to bring insanely complex parts to life quickly and with high tolerance. Although machine time is very expensive with upfront thoughts about how design for less cutting tools needed, using larger cutters, using through holes, Considering order of operations, great jig design, and designing for less setups can greatly cut down on machine time and still land you with beautiful part that solves all geometric issues, and still fits within the budget.

Design for Assembly

Designing for assembly. Order of operations, rivets vs threads, precision vs intricate, how will the jig operate and fit in these are the questions to be asking early in a design and not as an afterthought. Especially in the US, man hours become a driving factor of cost which is to say that an assembly that takes 22.5 minutes is much cheaper than an assembly that takes 27.5 minutes.