THE TIER-1 ENGINEER PRESENTS

The Tier-1 Playbook series is a collection of concise, no-fluff design guides for manufactured parts, drawn from over a decade of experience owning high-volume factory and accessory programs at a U.S. Tier-1 automotive supplier for major OEMs like Toyota, Ford, General Motors, Subaru, and Land Rover.Each volume follows the same proven format: practical rules, tables, and ratios with clear "why" explanations — no academic theory, no endless standards, just the KISS practices that delivered first-shot approval and eliminated expensive rework under relentless production pressure.The series covers key manufacturing processes, starting with:

  • Plastic Part Design for Injection Molding (2026 Edition – available now)

  • Metal Part Design for High-Pressure Die Casting

  • Part Design for Stamping

  • Part Design for Cold and Hot Extruding

  • Part Design for CNC Machining

All of these design guides use the same battle-tested approach.
If a rule survived automotive's unforgiving environment, it will serve reliably in medical devices, consumer products, industrial equipment, or any other application.The goal is simple:
Give designers, engineers, founders, and teams the guidelines to ship flawless parts without learning the hard
(and excessively expensive) way.

ABOUT

The Tier-1 Engineer is a former senior design engineer with over a decade of experience at a U.S. Tier-1 automotive supplier, owning high-volume factory and accessory programs for Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Subaru, and Land Rover. These programs spanned plastic injection molding, die casting, stamping, extruded components, CNC machining, fasteners, etc. — from Class-A exteriors to structural assemblies — under the relentless demands of automotive manufacturing, where precision is non-negotiable and errors are costly, to the tune of $15K per minute if your part shuts down the assembly lines.That experience forged a simple philosophy: favor robust, straightforward designs that meet requirements reliably and affordably. Complexity earns no reward — if a KISS approach works, that is the correct choice.The Tier-1 Playbook series distills those hard-won lessons into concise, practical guides. Each volume is 60 pages of tables, ratios, and rules with clear explanations — no academic theory, just what delivers first-shot success.The motivation is straightforward: help designers, engineers, founders, and teams avoid the expensive mistakes I saw (and fixed) too many times. These rules were tested in one of the toughest manufacturing environments, and survived — they will serve reliably in any application.

For 10+ years I was a senior design engineer at a U.S. Tier-1 automotive supplier, owning high-volume OEM and accessory programs for Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Subaru, and Land Rover, and more. These programs included Class-A painted exteriors, structural components, multi-material overmolds, and complex assemblies spanning multiple tools and materials. Automotive is uniquely unforgiving: perfection is non-negotiable, schedules never allow enough time, and cost targets squeeze every penny, while a single defective part can stop an assembly line at $15k per minute.This guide is the distilled result of that experience — 59 pages of practical rules, tables, and ratios with simple explanations of why they work. No academic theory, no endless standards — just the design practices that consistently delivered first-shot approval and eliminated expensive rework.The rules in this guide were forged and tested in the crucible of high-volume manufacturing — a brutal proving ground — and became the gold standard for headache-free plastic part design. They will serve you well across every industry and application.

Who this is for:

  • Anyone who designs, reviews, or approves injection-molded plastic parts — regardless of industry or experience level.

  • Entry-level designers and recent graduates: Get clear "what to do and why" explanations, tables, and rules to avoid common mistakes and build confidence fast.

  • Experienced engineers: Use the printable reference tables for quick checks on walls, ribs, draft, tolerances, and features during design reviews.

  • Startup founders and product developers: Avoid $50k–$200k mold rework on your first (or only) tooling run.

  • Freelancers and consultants: Deliver Tier-1 quality to clients and justify your rates with proven rules.

  • Procurement and program managers: Understand DFM to push back on risky designs and keep programs on schedule/budget.

  • Teams in any industry: Automotive, medical devices, consumer electronics, industrial equipment — the rules were tested in high-volume environments, so they work reliably everywhere.

What you'll get:

  • The 14 resins that dominate production

  • Nominal wall, rib, boss, and gusset ratios that eliminate sink and warp

  • Draft tables by texture depth

  • Gate selection and vestige rules for cosmetic surfaces

  • Commercial block tolerances per ISO 20457/DIN 16901

  • Common design features with dimensions that pass first-shot sampling

  • Steel-safe philosophy that prevents most post-tooling nightmares

  • Printable reference tables for daily use

  • Peace of mind when you send off the final tooling kick-off package

  • And much more...

Battle-tested plastic part design rules from 10+ years designing for high-volume programs at a U.S. Tier-1 automotive supplier (Toyota, GM, Ford & more). 59 pages of practical tables and ratios for walls, ribs, snaps, tolerances, and more — the KISS approach that eliminates rework and delivers first-shot approval. No theory overload — just what works in real parts, and why.
PDF Format. Lifetime updates. Instant download.

Take the guesswork
out of designing

$199

PART DESIGN FOR DIE-CASTINGCOMING SOON - END OF DECEMBER 2025

© Tier1Engineer. All rights reserved.