Computers really are an incredible invention. Almost all areas of modern life have been improved with the help of these handy devices. You can do just about anything with a computer, from accounting and personal banking to communication, shopping and even watching TV. The modern business will also enjoy an endless list of benefits through its reliance on computers. This can be seen in numerous ways, and one of the most impressive is the role computers can play in cutting manufacturing costs. For example, factories can reduce manufacturing costs through the automation of certain tasks. Manufacturers in many different industries can also reduce their expenditure by a system called design optimization. Design optimization is best or most easily illustrated by using the laser cutting industry as an example. Let’s consider a somewhat busy laser cutting business that specializes in making components and parts from steel, stainless steel, and alloys like aluminum and copper. Imagine that they have decided to cut manufacturing costs by using specialized software which will organize their design and manufacturing processes in such a way that it will save lots of money. For example, a wide range of software packages are available including MRP (manufacturing resource planning), CAM (computer aided manufacturing) and ERP (enterprise resource planning). These will manage forthcoming jobs, assess them for the materials needed, make sure the materials are on site, and get to work using the laser cutter to cut the majority of the components in a single event. This might see a single piece of stainless steel moved through the laser cutter and used to cut four or five different components simultaneously, and the computer will review and arrange all of the pieces in accordance with the design optimization program. Using this frugal system will help reduce the costs of manufacturing since it enables you to manage several jobs at the same time and in one single cutting procedure. Remember that all good CAM programs would allow the laser cutter to be trained to operate in particular ways during the manufacturing process, and consequently identification numbers can be etched on each component to help you identify which projects they belonged to. A lot of machines are also capable of handling “nested” cuts. This involves stacking multiple sheets of the same metal into the machine, and then allowing the laser to follow pre-established cutting lines identified in one plan. The programs used to reduce costs of manufacturing will actually identify these opportunities automatically and alert staff to the needs of the specific job. An alternative way in which design optimization is used to reduce manufacturing costs is to rely on the appropriate computer programs to guarantee that all products are being produced with as few component parts as is possible. This is actually something that is very controllable and which can allow manufacturers to guarantee their production costs are kept to a bare minimum while the quality of their products remains high. This is something especially beneficial in a field like laser cutting as a good program will assess designs and illustrate the best cutting methods and manufacturing process for any specific job. Marc Anderes is a co-founder of Maloya Laser that is dedicated to Laser Cutting and Metal Manufacturing with advanced laser systems, servicing aerospace, scientific, transportation, medical and machinery needs.