supply chain · general
Briefing a contract manufacturer: the questions that prevent rework
Most factory rework is caused by information that never arrived, not by poor workmanship. A manufacturing brief that answers twelve specific questions removes the majority of the causes before the first sheet is cut.
7 min read · updated 2026-10-24
Why rework happens
A factory is not guessing. It is working from the information it was given, and when that information is incomplete the gap is filled with an assumption. The assumption is reasonable, it is made in good faith, and it is wrong. By the time anyone notices, the material is cut.
So the brief is not a formality. It is the mechanism that prevents the cost of a mistake being paid twice.
The twelve questions to answer
Every one of these has a cheap answer and an expensive default. If the brief cannot answer them, the factory will.
- Which dimension is controlling — the overall size, or a detail that must fit?
- What tolerance applies to which feature, and how is it measured?
- Which material grade, and what evidence proves it?
- What finish, to what standard, and approved by whom?
- Where do the fixings attach, and what substrate is behind them?
- Is the item one piece or several, and where is the joint?
- What is the maximum weight and the maximum dimension of any single piece?
- How is it packed, and who supplies the packaging?
- What must be marked, labelled or serialised?
- Which documents must accompany the shipment?
- What is the inspection regime, and who witnesses it?
- What is the delivery date, and what happens to the programme if it slips?
The three that matter most
If the budget only allows three answers, use these.
| Question | What goes wrong without it |
|---|---|
| Which dimension is controlling | Everything is made to the wrong size and it still fits — barely |
| What tolerance applies where | Parts arrive that cannot be assembled without rework |
| Which finish, to what standard | The item is correct and rejected on appearance |
The sample that settles most arguments
A physical sample at real scale — not a photograph, not a 3D render — settles finish, colour, texture and perceived weight in a way no document can. For items with a high visual or tactile requirement, it is the cheapest way to prevent the most expensive disagreement.
Sources
- General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — traceability and information — consulted 2026-10-24