A System-Wide Approach to Engineering Success

Why Integration Matters

Design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing can’t exist in silos. To move forward effectively, these disciplines need to align and work as a single system. A system-wide approach ensures that engineering tasks are viewed from every angle, producing stronger, more reliable results.

I bring experience across all of these areas. That broad perspective lets me evaluate product development or troubleshoot existing issues holistically rather than piece by piece.

Every Project Begins with a Need

Engineering work always starts with a need:

• Developing a new product

• Redesigning an existing one

• Transitioning a concept into production

• Addressing failures in the field

The process often unfolds step by step:

1. Marketing identifies a market need.

2. Marketing and engineering define a path forward.

3. A rough design takes shape.

4. Trade studies refine options.

5. Analyses—classical methods and FEA—guide design choices.

6. Prototypes are built and tested.

7. Production scales from short runs to full manufacturing.

Along the way, changes might include material substitutions or shifts in manufacturing methods—for example, moving from machined to molded parts.

Keep It Simple

Simplicity should remain the guiding principle. Each discipline must contribute without overshadowing the others. External factors may add complexity, but the final design should reflect balance, impartiality, and rigor.

When design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing function as one cohesive unit, the result is more than just a product—it’s a system-wide solution that stands up to real-world challenges.

Lessons for Teams

• Work as one unit — eliminate silos between design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing.

• Balance expertise — no single discipline should dominate decision-making.

• Start with the need — keep the original problem in focus, even as complexity grows.

• Favor simplicity — the best solutions are often the most straightforward.

• Review with rigor — impartial design reviews ensure quality and objectivity.

Norman T. Neher, P.E.
Analytical Engineering Services
Elko New Market, MN

www.aesmn.org