I’ve tried search on this topic in relation to small businesses but have come up lacking. Perhaps the Forum will give good thought and input.
In large businesses, manufacturing processes are increasingly being modified using data to optimize and find efficiencies to save the company money, use less materials, use less time, make products with high degrees of reproducibility, and ultimately make your customers happier while making the business more money.
In small businesses, or as a single one person welder/fabricator, you don’t always have these data nor do you necessarily have the expertise to analyze and evaluate these data.
But how can we design more intelligently? Reducing carbon foot prints, reducing material costs, saving time, etc., should be forefront in our thoughts every day.
If you take the time to make a jig, is it worth it, because you know you are going to make multiples of that item? Can you cut the pieces you need from less material? Did you come up with a new tool that you should think about reproduceability of components? When do you outsource or try to buy pieces in bulk? Can the pieces you are making for one project also be used for other projects (e.g., gussets)?
I hope this discussion thread/idea will catch on and you all have some great ideas you can bring forward.