Engineer keeps tweaking specs after I draft everything. How to cope?

I'm at a small design shop. The engineer I work with always changes tolerance numbers once my CAD drawing is done. It means redoing hours of work. I asked for fixed specs before starting, but it still happens. Any advice on stopping this cycle?

3 comments

3 Comments

viola_clark9h ago

That "spec freeze" idea from amy is spot on. It's about setting a clear line, which we need in a lot of places. Like when my friend kept changing our weekend plans last minute, I had to say "final answer by Thursday or I'm making other plans." It worked. @jennifercooper, I get that some back-and-forth is normal, but constant rework isn't a process, it's a drain. The engineer needs to do their homework first, not use your drafted work as their scratch pad. A signed agreement makes the cost of their changes clear to everyone.

jennifercooper15d ago

Maybe the tweaks are just part of the normal back-and-forth process?

allen.amy15d ago

I read a blog post from a mechanical designer who faced the same issue! They started using a 'spec freeze' meeting before CAD work begins. Everyone agrees on tolerances and signs off, so changes after that require a formal change order. It cut down rework by like 80% in their shop!