How can we cut cost without sacrificing part quality or performance? Some manufacturers will choose the lesser of the two evils and produce their parts with a discount supplier at the expense of part quality and production longevity. Others will choose a supplier who simply produces the part design as-is without regard to efficiency or repeatability, which can lead to costly secondary manufacturing and longer lead times. Fortunately, these aren’t your only options. You can adopt a practice dedicated to identifying hidden costs that can be eliminated to make manufacturing more efficient—without compromising performance. Balancing design with cost-effective production In order to avoid the cost and quality paradox, companies have to relentlessly pursue innovation all the way through their production supply chain—from the drawing board to the delivery of the complete part. Companies that have not successfully balanced design with cost-effective production get caught in an innovative “two-