In our manufacturing work, we’ve learned that success is not defined only by dimensions or inspection reports.
Success comes from aligning our machining processes with the customer’s Design Intent — and respecting the Design Logic behind every datum decision.
Over time, across many industries and partners, we realized one consistent truth:
Even if every measurement is within tolerance, a part can still fail assembly if the fixturing does not follow the Design Logic used by the customer’s engineering team.
This understanding fundamentally changed how we design our fixtures and plan our machining strategy.
How We Approach Design Intent
For us, Design Intent means understanding the functional purpose of every critical feature — not just reading the drawing, but understanding the role of that feature in the final assembly.
We ask ourselves:
- Why did the customer choose this datum hierarchy?
- Which surfaces or holes actually constrain the part in real assembly?
- What functional relationship does the GD&T scheme intend to protect?
This approach ensures that we aren’t just machining parts —
we are machining parts that behave correctly when assembled.
How We Interpret the Customer’s Design Logic
Design Logic is the engineering reasoning behind the GD&T choices — the “why” behind the datum structure.
When we see datums used in a certain sequence (e.g., B–C–A), we analyze:
- Is this the primary locating scheme used in assembly?
- Does the customer intend B and C to control position and rotation?
- Is A intended as a secondary supporting surface?
By mirroring this logic in our fixture design, we ensure machining results match the functional design of the product.
How We Build Fixturing Aligned With Design Logic
Our fixturing strategy follows several core principles:
- Identify the functional datum structure
We review all GD&T frames and look for the most frequently referenced datums.
This almost always reveals the true functional locating scheme.
- Simulate the assembly
We mentally recreate how the part is positioned and constrained in the real product.
This helps us understand which surfaces matter the most.
- Confirm our understanding with the customer
Not by asking vague questions like “Which datum is correct?”
Instead, we ask:
“To ensure our fixturing is aligned with your design logic, may we confirm that B and C function as the primary locating datums in your assembly?”
Customers appreciate this level of professionalism and engineering discipline.
- Build fixtures that respect the same datum hierarchy
We match our clamping and positioning to the same logic used in the design.
This makes machining, inspection, and final assembly consistent with the intended design behavior.
The Result for Our Customers
By aligning our manufacturing methods with customer Design Intent and Design Logic, we consistently deliver:
- Parts that fit correctly the first time
- Reduced assembly variation
- Stronger correlation between machining, inspection, and functional performance
- More reliable communication with the design team
For us, understanding Design Intent isn’t an extra step —
it’s a core part of professional manufacturing.
When design logic and fixturing logic move in the same direction, everything else follows.