The elephant in the room
While Design for Manufacture is a sound principle, great design inherently carries a rebellious streak. Third-party manufacturers often hesitate to invest effort or share know-how without contractual commitment. The traditional tendering process further complicates matters, as manufacturers are brought into the picture later in the development process.
This transition from design to production can, unsurprisingly, revert a previously matured design back to a state of debate. Budgets face challenges, timescales shift, and relationships undergo stress.