Founders know their manufacturers
AVA Labs introduces founders directly to the Chinese manufacturers producing their parts. Supplier relationships and contact information are shared openly.
Manufacturing & suppliers
Keep drawings and CAD current, review supplier suggestions, and coordinate technical instructions through one contact while maintaining direct access to your manufacturer.
The quick take
Manufacturing instructions often pass through several people before reaching the machine operator. A casual request to change a hole, bracket, or finish can create confusion if the approved documentation doesn’t reflect it.
01
Start with engineering drawings and CAD files. Screenshots, arrows, and annotations can clarify specific features, dimensions, and requirements.
02
Manufacturers have practical experience and may suggest changes that make parts easier or less expensive to produce. Review those proposals before manufacturing.
03
Every accepted change needs to be reflected in the approved engineering documentation before the part is made.
AVA Labs introduces founders directly to the Chinese manufacturers producing their parts. Supplier relationships and contact information are shared openly.
During development, design changes and manufacturing instructions go through the designated AVA Labs contact. Especially at the beginning, we recommend that founders observe these conversations while AVA Labs directs the technical instructions.
American expressions, humor, sarcasm, and indirect language can become confusing when translated.
The AVA Labs approach
Keep the founder fully informed while maintaining one clear source of technical instructions. Even seemingly minor revisions shouldn’t be introduced independently.
A common trap founders fall into is treating a manufacturer like an artisan who can make casual adjustments as they go.
A founder might message the manufacturer directly, requesting a small change to a hole, bracket, or surface finish, thinking it’s no big deal.
Unfortunately, this can create serious confusion.
Manufacturing instructions often pass through several people before reaching the person actually operating the machine.
Every change needs to be accurately reflected in the approved engineering documentation. Otherwise, there’s a real risk of receiving incorrectly manufactured parts.
At AVA Labs, we always introduce founders directly to the Chinese manufacturers producing their parts. We never gatekeep manufacturer relationships or withhold supplier contact information.
However, especially in the beginning, we recommend allowing AVA Labs to serve as the single point of contact for technical instructions while the founder observes the conversations.
Our communication starts with engineering drawings and CAD files.
We reference these documents constantly, using screenshots, arrows, and annotations to clarify specific features, dimensions, and manufacturing requirements.
Manufacturers will often suggest small design changes that make parts easier or less expensive to produce.
We encourage this. These manufacturers have valuable practical experience, and their recommendations can improve the design.
However, proposed changes still need to be reviewed and documented before manufacturing.
Another important consideration is language.
We communicate using short, direct, and literal English.
American expressions, humor, sarcasm, and indirect language can easily become confusing when translated.
At AVA Labs, founders have direct access to their manufacturers, but during development, design changes and manufacturing instructions need to go through our designated contact.
Even seemingly minor revisions shouldn’t be introduced independently.
The goal is complete transparency with the founder while maintaining one clear source of technical instructions, so everyone is working from exactly the same approved design.