Medical technology · Case study
Redesigning a dental chair for better manufacturing economics.
A dental-equipment business redesigned a premium chair and developed sourcing in China to improve its cost structure.
Client context
The business context.
A dental-equipment business needed to improve the manufacturing economics of a premium chair. Product variants, component design and complex finishes contributed to a high cost base. The business needed to address these costs while retaining the product’s premium positioning.
Design and sourcing decisions were closely connected. Changing suppliers alone would leave cost embedded in the product, while redesign needed to take account of how components would be manufactured and assembled. The engagement brought these decisions together.
The work
How the engagement was delivered.
Redesign around the manufacturing cost drivers
Reviewed assemblies and available technical information to identify the main cost drivers. Reworked the chair’s design with attention to component complexity and assembly requirements, while retaining premium positioning as a design objective.
Connect the design to sourcing in China
Developed sourcing in China alongside the redesign, bringing product requirements and supplier choices together. The work treated sourcing as part of the product’s manufacturing model.
What changed
A redesigned chair with a better cost structure.
The engagement delivered a redesigned chair with a better cost structure, supported by sourcing in China. Product design and sourcing formed a combined response to the business’s manufacturing-cost challenge.
Our services
Related areas of support.
Your next decision
