Manufacturing Reliability Starts with Design

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Co-Engineering

Co-Engineering for Sheet Metal Enclosures

Manufacturing reliability starts at the development stage. Co-engineering brings together design support and manufacturing expertise early in the project. We support your development process to ensure that enclosures, cladding components, and assemblies can be produced cost-effectively and reliably in series. Material, sheet thickness, bend radii, joining points, sealing, surface finish, and assembly sequence are considered early on. As part of co-engineering, we evaluate these factors with regard to function, manufacturing, and series production. This builds manufacturing reliability into the product from the development stage onward.

From Design to Series Production

An enclosure not only needs to be designed. It also needs to be manufactured consistently, coated, assembled, tested, and packaged. That is why Zambelli brings manufacturing expertise into the development process from the outset.

We review CAD data, drawings, and initial concepts to assess their feasibility for sheet metal fabrication. The goal is not to redesign a component for the sake of it. What matters is identifying adjustments that can make a meaningful difference to manufacturing, assembly, and cost. In many industries, this approach is known as Design for Manufacturing: designing components with subsequent manufacturing and assembly in mind.

Why Zambelli

Zambelli combines technical design support with extensive in-house manufacturing capabilities. In-house production provides direct communication and controlled processes. Cutting, forming, welding, powder coating, gasket foaming, and assembly are integrated within our own process chain.

Designs from a Manufacturing Perspective

We do not evaluate designs in isolation, but in the context of manufacturing, assembly, and series production. With more than 50 years of experience in industrial metalworking, in-house tooling development, and multiple European production facilities, Zambelli supports customers from the initial design through to the assembled product.

Design Feasibility

We assess whether contours, bends, radii, cutouts, and mounting points can be manufactured cost-effectively using sheet metal fabrication processes. We also consider tool accessibility, bending sequences, and potential deformation. The goal is a design that can be manufactured reliably and consistently.

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Material and Sheet Thickness

Material and sheet thickness affect stability, weight, formability, and cost. We assess which specifications best fit the component’s function and which design features can provide effective reinforcement. These may include beads, bends, tabs, or targeted stiffening features.

Joining, Sealing, and Assembly

Screwing, welding, clinching, riveting, bonding, and foaming each have different effects on component function and the manufacturing process. That is why we consider early on how components will be joined, sealed, and assembled. This ensures that the design is evaluated not only as an individual part, but also in terms of manufacturing, assembly, and series production.

Part Count and Assembly Design

Every additional part adds effort to manufacturing, storage, and assembly. We assess whether functions can be combined, joining points reduced, or assemblies simplified. Simplification does not automatically reduce costs, but it does make the required effort and process steps more transparent.

Surface Finish and Coating

Powder coating and surface treatment place specific requirements on edges, geometry, part suspension, and accessibility. We take these factors into account during the design review. This helps reduce rework and ensures that requirements for visible surfaces, contact points, and functional areas are considered early in the process.

Typical Project Phases

1. Review the Concept

You provide sketches, CAD data, drawings, or an existing component. We review the requirements relevant to function, manufacturing, and assembly.

2. Evaluate the Design

We assess geometry, material, sheet thickness, bending sequence, joining points, surface finish, and tolerances. We identify potential issues and evaluate them from a technical perspective.

3. Define Adjustments

Together, we determine which changes make sense. The focus is on technical feasibility, assembly effort, series production processes, and cost structure.

4. Prepare for Prototyping and Series Production

The design is prepared for prototype manufacturing and series production. Manufacturing processes, inspection criteria, packaging, and assembly requirements are taken into account.

5. Support the Production Launch

Initial manufacturing steps, prototype parts, and assembly processes are evaluated together. Insights from production feed directly into further optimization.

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What Types of Components Benefit from Co-Engineering?

Co-engineering is well suited for all types of enclosures, cladding components, and assemblies intended for series production. It is particularly valuable when multiple requirements need to be addressed at the same time, including stability, sealing, surface finish, assembly, weight, cost, and consistent, repeatable production.

Typical Applications

Co-engineering supports projects where enclosures and assemblies need to be designed for functionality, efficient assembly, and series production. Typical applications include heat pump enclosures, heating technology components, energy storage systems, EV charging stations, machine enclosures, technical equipment, and industrial assemblies.

Co-Engineering for Series-Produced Components

Especially at medium and high production volumes, component design has a direct impact on manufacturing effort. Small changes to bending sequences, joining methods, or part count can directly affect production processes, assembly times, and material use.

The earlier manufacturing requirements are considered, the less adjustment is typically required later in the project.

Your Benefits

Identify Technical Risks Early

Critical issues are identified before they can delay prototyping or series production.

Design for Series Production

Geometry, bending sequences, material, and joining points are optimized for sheet metal fabrication.

Reduced Assembly Effort

Assemblies are designed so that joining, sealing, and assembly work together efficiently.

Greater Cost Transparency

Key cost drivers become visible, including part count, material use, process steps, tolerances, and rework.

Reliable Production Launch

The design takes into account not only the individual component, but also the subsequent manufacturing process.

Evaluate Early Instead of Correcting Later

Many requirements for enclosures and assemblies can be addressed more easily and cost-effectively during development than later in series production. Co-engineering helps align designs with manufacturing, assembly, and series production requirements at an early stage.

Manufacturing Reliability Starts with Design : Co-Engineering