Prototype to production: A guide to DFM for electronics products

By Dr Valarie Lynch, Founder and Chairman of ANDTr

Design for Manufacture (DFM) is the discipline of making design choices that let you produce reliably, cost-effectively and at volume. For embedded electronics, this includes product design, assemblies, testability, supply-chain choices and serviceability. Getting DFM right reduces re-spins, improves first-pass yield, lowers unit costs and shortens time to market. Companies that treat DFM as an afterthought almost always pay for it later.

This article strips the jargon and gives practical advice that every product team should use before committing to tooling or a production run.

DFM is the practice of considering how a product will be manufactured right from the design stage. It is a cross-functional process. Designers, mechanical engineers, PCB layout teams, test engineers, contract manufacturers (CMs), and component suppliers should all feed requirements into the design phase of building an electronics product. 

The goal? Minimise the total cost of manufacture and risk while meeting functional and quality requirements. 

DFM is not the same as PCB design. PCB design (stack-ups, trace widths, component placement rules) lives inside the DFM umbrella; it is essential, but DFM extends beyond board layout to the whole product and its manufacturing process.

DFM means getting manufacturing-ready. Doing so early reduces limits rework and improves first-pass yield. In turn, this increases the confidence of investors. The ultimate aim is simple: a design that can be built at scale, meet market goals, and perform dependably in the field. 

Embedded tech innovators have incredible vision, but turning that into a physical reality is the problem. “Prototyping is nothing like production”, yet many studies of hardware ventures show that the prototype to production transition is the critical choke point. It’s simple – if you want a product that scales, you need to design with manufacturing in mind.

With the stakes clear, let’s break down the core principles that make DFM practical and effective for early-stage electronics.

Proving the design and the process

Both the product and the process must prove they can deliver consistent quality. Processes are qualified through steps like Installation (IQ), Operational (OQ), and Process Qualification (PQ). DFM focuses on reaching PQ as smoothly as possible, by refining the design until a “golden unit” is achieved – one that’s reliable, repeatable, and cost-effective to produce.

Simplify the design for easy assembly

Fewer parts mean faster assembly, fewer suppliers, and fewer ways to fail. Combine functions where it makes sense, but don’t sacrifice serviceability or performance.

Parts should locate and orient themselves naturally. Use clear datum surfaces and avoid symmetrical designs that cause confusion. Add small features that make orientation obvious and prevent mistakes (a principle known as poka-yoke).

Select reliable, available parts

Good DFM starts with good part choices. Use components that are readily available, have multiple sources, and aren’t near end-of-life. Keep your Bill of Materials (BOM) clean and consistent — a healthy BOM reduces supply risk and makes scaling easier.

Build in testability

Design features that make inspection and testing quick and intuitive. Alignment marks, witness holes, mechanical stops, and test points help catch errors early and cheaply. Early testing saves cost and protects yield.

These principles guide DFM practice, and it’s up to startups to put these into action. To do so, it’s important to bring together information from customers, designers, suppliers, and manufacturers early in the process. By considering these inputs up front, startups can create designs that are cost-effective, reliable, and easy to assemble and test, reducing costly surprises later.

Below is a table outlining who needs to be consulted and what needs to be considered at each stage of the design. Use this as a checklist.

• Using single-source or obsolete parts. Parts go obsolete faster than you think. Always choose components with multiple qualified sources or documented alternates, and run lifecycle checks at each design freeze.
• Skipping early test and prototype feedback: Don’t wait until the PCB is built. Plan your test strategy early: flying probe for prototypes, ICT or custom fixtures for medium/high volume, and boundary-scan where it makes sense. Early proto-run feedback reduces field failures, warranty costs, and costly redesigns.
• Ignoring assembly and mechanical constraints: Keep components within height zones, away from pick-and-place bottlenecks, and account for wiring looms. Ensure mechanical and electrical strength at connectors, and design for maintainability and serviceability. Overlooking these slows production and increases errors.
• Neglecting board stack-up, materials, and layout details: Document board stack-up, materials, and annular ring sizes. These choices affect signal integrity, EMC, manufacturability, and long-term reliability.
• Overlooking cost implications of design choices: Every design decision, from part selection to assembly complexity, can affect production costs. Factor cost impact into early design reviews to avoid surprises later.
• Insufficient process validation for regulated products: All products require IQ/OQ/PQ validation, but if you’re building medtech or safety devices, this is even more important. Postponing this leads to expensive rework and regulatory headaches.

Treating PCB layout as the full DFM problem. PCB rules matter, but failing to consider assembly, enclosures, and testing means late redesigns. Involve mechanical, test and contract manufacturers (CMs) engineers early.

The Embedded Accelerator by ANDTr gives early-stage teams practical DFM support, designed specifically for the embedded you won’t find in a generic programme:

• Mentors with hands-on DFM experience: Our expert mentors are bookable for focused sessions on DFM reviews, helping to translate product specs into production specs. 
• Lab time and prototype runs: Access to ANDTr’s pro-grade electronics lab means startups can validate assembly and test flows before committing to larger CM orders.
• BOM & supply-chain coaching: The programme features workshops specifically on BOM so cohort members understand how to reduce single-source risks and optimise cost at scale.
• Introductions to qualified contract manufacturers: Giving you the contacts that matter, and help scoping IQ/OQ/PQ where required.

Design for Manufacture is an ongoing discipline that must run alongside product development. Start early and keep the supply chain and test strategy in view. ANDTr’s combination of technical and commercial support helps embedded electronics c companies do just that, keeping product road maps on track.

Apply today: https://andtr.com/apply

Dr Valarie Lynch is the founder and chairman of ANDtr. She is also a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Director, and an Industrial Collaborator at the Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge. Valarie has deep expertise in technology management, manufacturing and market launch. Her dedication to R&D in the electronics industry was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Electronics Weekly.

• DFM is designing a product with manufacturing at its core. It spans product, assembly, test, suppliers and logistics so electronics startups can hatch a plan to scale. 
• DFM is a mindset. Designing with manufacturing in mind from day one reduces rework, controls costs, and shortens time to market. Early engagement with suppliers, CMs, and test engineers will transform prototypes into reliable products.
• External expertise compresses risk. Programs like The Embedded Accelerator by ANDtr provide the practical support startups need to implement DFM successfully.