Design Review Process and Checklists

Understanding the Critical Role of Design Reviews in Product Development

In the competitive landscape of modern manufacturing and engineering, the design review process stands as one of the most crucial checkpoints between concept and successful product launch. For companies operating in Atlantic Canada's diverse industrial sectors—from marine equipment manufacturing to renewable energy systems—implementing a robust design review framework can mean the difference between market success and costly product failures.

A well-structured design review process serves multiple essential functions: it validates that design decisions align with project requirements, identifies potential issues before they become expensive problems, ensures regulatory compliance, and facilitates knowledge transfer across engineering teams. Studies indicate that catching design errors during the review phase costs approximately 10 to 100 times less than discovering them during production or after product release.

At its core, design review is a systematic examination of a proposed or existing design by a team of qualified reviewers. This process evaluates the design's ability to meet specified requirements, identifies problems, and proposes solutions. For Nova Scotia manufacturers serving both domestic and international markets, maintaining rigorous design review standards ensures products meet the diverse regulatory requirements of multiple jurisdictions.

The Four Phases of Comprehensive Design Review

A complete design review programme typically encompasses four distinct phases, each serving a specific purpose in the product development lifecycle. Understanding when and how to implement each phase is essential for engineering managers and project leaders.

Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

The Preliminary Design Review occurs early in the development process, typically when the design concept has been established but before detailed engineering begins. This review focuses on:

• Verification that customer requirements have been accurately captured and translated into technical specifications

• Assessment of the proposed design approach and its feasibility

• Identification of potential technical risks and mitigation strategies

• Review of preliminary calculations, analyses, and trade studies

• Evaluation of the project schedule and resource allocation

For Atlantic Canadian companies working on complex projects such as offshore equipment or specialized industrial machinery, the PDR phase often includes early engagement with regulatory bodies like Transport Canada or classification societies to ensure the design direction will satisfy certification requirements.

Critical Design Review (CDR)

The Critical Design Review represents a major project milestone, occurring when detailed design is substantially complete. At this stage, the design should be mature enough to proceed to fabrication or manufacturing. The CDR examines:

• Complete engineering drawings and specifications

• Detailed stress analyses, thermal calculations, and other technical studies

• Material selections and their justifications

• Manufacturing and assembly procedures

• Test plans and acceptance criteria

• Compliance with all applicable codes and standards

Pre-Production Review (PPR)

Before committing to full-scale production, the Pre-Production Review assesses readiness for manufacturing. This phase is particularly important for Maritime manufacturers who may be scaling up from prototype quantities to production volumes. Key considerations include:

• Verification that all design changes from prototyping have been incorporated

• Assessment of manufacturing process capability

• Supply chain readiness and material availability

• Quality control procedures and inspection plans

• Tooling and fixture requirements

Post-Production Review (Post-PR)

Often overlooked, the Post-Production Review captures lessons learned and validates that the manufactured product meets design intent. This review should occur after initial production runs and examine field performance data, customer feedback, and manufacturing efficiency metrics.

Essential Design Review Checklists for Engineering Teams

Effective design review checklists serve as systematic tools to ensure comprehensive evaluation. Below are detailed checklists organised by engineering discipline, developed based on industry best practices and Canadian regulatory requirements.

Mechanical Design Checklist

Mechanical components form the backbone of most engineered products. A thorough mechanical design review should verify:

• Stress and Structural Analysis: Finite element analysis (FEA) results with appropriate safety factors (typically 2.0 to 4.0 depending on application and loading conditions)

• Material Specifications: Complete material callouts including grade, condition, and applicable standards (CSA, ASTM, or ISO)

• Dimensional Tolerancing: Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) applied per ASME Y14.5 or ISO 1101

• Fatigue Considerations: Cyclic loading analysis for components subject to repeated stress, with endurance limits verified

• Corrosion Protection: Appropriate coatings, materials, or cathodic protection for Maritime environment applications

• Thermal Expansion: Accommodation for temperature variations typical in Nova Scotia's climate (-30°C to +35°C range)

• Assembly and Serviceability: Accessibility for maintenance, standard tool requirements, and logical assembly sequences

Electrical and Controls Checklist

Electrical systems require careful review to ensure safety and functionality:

• Code Compliance: Adherence to Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) and applicable CSA standards

• Circuit Protection: Proper fusing and breaker sizing with coordination studies for complex systems

• Electromagnetic Compatibility: EMC considerations including shielding, grounding, and filtering

• Control System Architecture: Logic diagrams, PLC programming reviews, and failure mode analysis

• Wiring and Terminations: Wire sizing calculations, terminal block layouts, and labelling schemes

• Environmental Ratings: IP/NEMA ratings appropriate for installation environment

• Safety Systems: Emergency stop circuits, interlocks, and guard monitoring per CSA Z432

Documentation and Drawing Checklist

Complete and accurate documentation is essential for manufacturing, certification, and ongoing support:

• Drawing Standards: Compliance with company standards and applicable industry conventions

• Bill of Materials: Complete BOMs with part numbers, descriptions, quantities, and sources

• Revision Control: Proper revision marking and change documentation

• Reference Documents: All specifications, standards, and procedures properly cited

• Approval Signatures: Required approvals obtained from design, checking, and approval authorities

Implementing an Effective Design Review Programme

Establishing a successful design review programme requires careful attention to both process and people. The following recommendations are based on proven practices from engineering organisations across Canada's industrial sectors.

Review Team Composition

The effectiveness of any design review depends heavily on assembling the right team. A typical review panel should include:

• Design Engineer: The individual(s) responsible for the design being reviewed

• Independent Technical Reviewer: An engineer not directly involved in the design who can provide objective assessment

• Manufacturing Representative: Input on producibility and manufacturing constraints

• Quality Assurance Representative: Verification of inspection requirements and quality standards

• Project Manager: Oversight of schedule and budget implications

• Customer or End-User Representative: When possible, direct input from those who will use the product

For smaller organisations common in Atlantic Canada's manufacturing sector, individuals may fill multiple roles, but maintaining independence between design and review functions remains essential.

Review Meeting Protocol

Structured meetings maximise the value of design reviews. Best practices include:

• Distributing review packages a minimum of 5 business days before the review meeting

• Limiting meeting duration to 2-3 hours to maintain focus and energy

• Using a formal agenda with time allocations for each topic

• Documenting all action items with responsible parties and due dates

• Assigning a dedicated note-taker separate from the meeting facilitator

Action Item Tracking and Closure

Design reviews generate action items that must be tracked to closure. An effective tracking system should capture:

• Unique identifier for each action item

• Clear description of the required action

• Responsible individual and target completion date

• Priority or severity classification

• Status updates and closure evidence

Modern product lifecycle management (PLM) software can automate much of this tracking, but even simple spreadsheet-based systems can be effective when consistently maintained.

Industry-Specific Considerations for Atlantic Canadian Manufacturers

Companies operating in Nova Scotia and the broader Maritime region face unique challenges that should be reflected in their design review processes.

Marine and Offshore Applications

For equipment destined for marine service, design reviews must address:

• Classification society requirements (Lloyd's, DNV, Bureau Veritas, or ABS)

• Transport Canada Marine Safety regulations

• Harsh environment considerations including salt spray exposure, wave loading, and extreme temperatures

• Accessibility for maintenance in confined shipboard spaces

• Weight and centre of gravity implications for vessel stability

Renewable Energy Sector

Nova Scotia's growing renewable energy industry, particularly tidal energy development in the Bay of Fundy, presents specific design review requirements:

• Extreme tidal current loading conditions (currents exceeding 5 metres per second)

• Biofouling considerations and marine growth management

• Grid interconnection requirements per Nova Scotia Power standards

• Environmental impact considerations and regulatory approvals

Food Processing Equipment

Atlantic Canada's significant food processing industry requires attention to:

• Sanitary design principles per 3-A Sanitary Standards or EHEDG guidelines

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) requirements

• Clean-in-place (CIP) compatibility

• Material compatibility with food products and cleaning chemicals

Digital Tools and Technologies for Modern Design Reviews

Contemporary engineering organisations are increasingly leveraging digital technologies to enhance their design review processes. These tools offer particular benefits for distributed teams and companies working with clients across multiple time zones.

3D Model-Based Review

Moving beyond traditional 2D drawing reviews, model-based definition (MBD) enables reviewers to interact directly with 3D CAD models. Benefits include:

• Improved spatial understanding of complex assemblies

• Automated interference and clearance checking

• Direct annotation on 3D geometry

• Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) visualisation capabilities

Collaborative Review Platforms

Cloud-based collaboration tools enable real-time review participation from multiple locations. This capability is particularly valuable for Atlantic Canadian companies working with suppliers or customers in Central Canada, the United States, or overseas markets. Features to consider include:

• Mark-up and annotation tools for drawings and models

• Version control and change tracking

• Integration with existing PLM and document management systems

• Audit trail capabilities for regulatory compliance

Measuring Design Review Effectiveness

To ensure continuous improvement, organisations should track metrics that indicate the effectiveness of their design review programme. Key performance indicators include:

• Issue Discovery Rate: Number of significant issues identified per review, tracked over time to assess review thoroughness

• Escape Rate: Issues that should have been caught in review but were discovered later in production or field service

• Review Cycle Time: Duration from review initiation to closure of all action items

• Cost of Quality: Comparison of review costs against costs of issues that escaped review

• Customer Satisfaction: Feedback from internal and external customers on design quality

Industry benchmarks suggest that mature design review programmes should identify more than 85 percent of design issues before production release, with escape rates below 5 percent for critical issues.

Partner with Sangster Engineering Ltd. for Your Design Review Needs

Implementing an effective design review process requires both technical expertise and practical experience. Sangster Engineering Ltd., based in Amherst, Nova Scotia, offers comprehensive engineering services to help Atlantic Canadian manufacturers establish and improve their design review programmes.

Our team provides independent design review services, development of customised review checklists tailored to your industry and products, training for your engineering staff on review best practices, and ongoing support for complex product development projects. With deep roots in the Maritime region and experience serving clients across diverse industrial sectors, we understand the unique challenges facing local manufacturers.

Contact Sangster Engineering Ltd. today to discuss how we can help strengthen your product development process through improved design review practices. Whether you need a one-time review of a critical project or assistance establishing a comprehensive review programme, our experienced engineers are ready to support your success.

Partner with Sangster Engineering

At Sangster Engineering Ltd. in Amherst, Nova Scotia, we bring decades of engineering experience to every project. Serving clients across Atlantic Canada and beyond.

Contact us today to discuss your engineering needs.