IND-543: Design to Manufacture

This course focuses on developing the critical thinking skills required to design products for real-world manufacturing. Students will learn how to translate conceptual ideas into production-ready solutions by understanding materials, processes, cost implications, scalability, and manufacturing constraints. Emphasis is placed on designing with intention-making informed decisions about how a product will be produced from the earliest stages of development. Students will explore how manufacturing methods influence form, structure, assembly, durability, sustainability, and user experience. A central objective of the course is to help students define and articulate a clear product language that is consistent with manufacturing logic. Rather than treating production as a final step, students will learn to integrate manufacturing strategy into the core of the design process. Key learning areas include: . Critical thinking in Design for Manufacturing (DFM) . Evaluating materials and selecting appropriate manufacturing processes . Understanding tooling, tolerances, assembly systems, and cost drivers . Defining coherent product language aligned with brand and production realities . Aligning aesthetics, function, and feasibility . Developing fabrication-ready documentation and communication Through iterative prototyping, process evaluation, and strategic decision-making, students will gain the confidence to design products that are not only innovative and desirable, but also manufacturable, scalable, and economically viable.