A prototype proves that a design works. Production proves that it works ten thousand times. The step between them is where most schedules slip.

Freeze what matters

Before the ramp, agree which dimensions are critical and stop changing them. Everything else can still move. A drawing that changes every week cannot be fixtured.

Build the fixture, not just the part

Prototype parts are often held in a vice. Series parts need a fixture that locates the part the same way every time and lets the operator load it in seconds. The fixture is usually the largest single saving.

Prove the process

• Run thirty parts and measure every one
• Check that the spread sits well inside the tolerance
• Fix the cause of anything that drifts before the volume arrives

Plan the supply

Material, coatings and bought-in parts all have lead times longer than machining. Order them against the forecast, not against the first purchase order.

The cheapest time to find a problem is on part thirty. The most expensive is on part three thousand.

What it looks like when it works

The first series batch arrives on the agreed day, with a report, and nobody on your side has to open the box to believe it.