Extrumed (a Vesta Inc company) capabilities include thermoplastic materials.

As device makers look for ways to control medical tubing costs without sacrificing quality, the model for success remain simple: extrude value with your supplier, not from them, and you will be able to e“lumen”ate costs and maximize results. Where should you start? Right here, with the following steps.

Kink-resistant tubing design from Vesta.

• Define priorities

  While it's true that breakthrough innovations often happen when unexpected possibilities are explored, without a strategy this can become a waste of dollars and effort. Controlling costs while encouraging discovery is realistic when you relax certain requirements during the development stage while focusing only on critical design features. This might include overlooking visual defects while considering ID/OD tolerances, knowing that production tooling will resolve some issues that may exist in less expensive prototype tooling. Another example could be accepting length tolerance modifications to capitalize on inline operations, rather than requiring costly secondary operations that ultimately do not contribute to form, fit, or function. It's best to focus on the largest allowable tolerances early, so other cost savings options are not eliminated during process design.

  Leverage experience of contract manufacturers. A design advantage could be missed by failing to include the supplier in the design review process. A best-practice suggestion is to ask the supplier how it would solve the problem, rather than simply presenting the supplier with a prescribed method. By inviting your supply partner to provide input, you will increase the possibility for a solution you never considered for a problem you thought was impossible. Or, you may come to realize that what was developed in software and prototyped in a manual method cannot be maintained with validated manufacturing processes at production levels. Additionally, you may benefit by standardizing a custom method for your requirements, without compromising the final design of your product, while reducing costs.

• Strive for accurate forecasts

  As a supplier, we see many cost drivers because of weaknesses in forecasting. This can happen when demand is overestimated--leading to costly investments in tooling or processes; or when demand is underestimated--causing capacity constraints, resource shortfalls or process bottlenecks due to constant pressures to expedite orders or exceed efficient production quantities. It is true that forecasting can often feel like a black box, so be sure to ask your supplier what it considers the most efficient production quantity and frequency, and make an effort to align your supply chain model.

  A good supplier should help you realize when order quantities and production quantities can be aligned. For example, a purchase order quantity for 5,000 pieces could require nine hours of work for a supplier who runs 8-hour shifts. By adjusting your PO quantity to reflect an 8-hour shift, or by working with your supplier to help it improve its output to achieve your quantity within a normal shift, waste can be avoided, and results will improve. Your tubing program also may require longer- than-usual setups relative to the production requirements. With this understanding, efforts can be made to increase production quantities and reduce discrete startups, and should generate cost savings for both parties.

• Beware of redundant costs

  Work with your tubing supplier to eliminate redundant costs associated with quality control. For example, you might have an opportunity to eliminate an incoming inspection step for a criterion that has received 100% automated inspection by your partner by simply requesting that it provides you with its inspection results.