Here at Reata, we’re fortunate to have a team of contract manufacturing professionals who take immense pride in what they do. And while having such fantastic people on board is the opposite of an issue, a few team members have had to work through a familiar challenge: over-perfection.
Wait—over-perfection? That doesn’t sound like a problem, does it?
Don’t get us wrong, precision is absolutely critical in our industry—but there’s a fine line between striving for excellence and getting lost in perfectionism. For individuals who take pride in what they do, it can be tempting to fall into the trap of focusing excessively on minute details, over-correcting things that were never issues to begin with, all in the pursuit of “perfect.”
That’s why, at our Colorado machine shop, we hammer home the idea of producing parts that are “approximately correct” so they don’t devolve into “perfectly wrong.”
“Good Enough” Isn’t a Compromise—It’s a Strategy
In contract manufacturing, as well as other industries, perfection is nearly impossible to achieve.
Think about software development, for instance—companies don’t wait for a flawless product before release. If Apple didn’t release software updates until they were completely bug-free, we’d probably still be using the iOS version we used 10 years ago. Instead, companies like Apple release their updates when they’re sufficient, then continuously improve through future updates.
Similarly, imagine an artist putting the finishing touches on his work. He could always find something to tweak in his painting—adding another tree in his landscape or adjusting a shadow in the corner—but without a stopping point, the work would never be complete. Imagine if Michelangelo was so hyper-focused on the minute details that he never finished his iconic David statue. If he had never declared the sculpture “good enough” and put down the chisel, he may never have gotten around to painting the Sistine Chapel or creating the other masterpieces that have inspired artists and historians for centuries.
Achieving an “approximately correct” result means making informed decisions that prioritize efficiency without compromising quality—which often means finding a balance between precision and practicality. The “perfect” part doesn’t exist, and waiting to achieve it can lead to missed deadlines and lost opportunities.
The Hidden Cost of Over-Engineering
Sometimes, manufacturers and engineers spend too much time refining a single feature, attempting to reach an unattainable level of perfection. This can delay production and result in unnecessary and costly bottlenecks. The reality is, most customers don’t want to pay for “perfect”—they want to pay for parts that meet their required tolerances.
In fact, tolerances exist in the first place because absolute perfection is unachievable. Rather than chasing perfection beyond required tolerances, precision machine shops work within defined tolerances to balance quality and efficiency.
The Paralyzing Effect of “Perfection”: An Example from Reata
Even our highly experienced team has fallen into this trap of over-perfection. In one instance, a few members of our quality team were so focused on completing an inspection report flawlessly that they overlooked a missing part feature! Fortunately, someone walking by who wasn’t quite as in the weeds managed to catch this before it moved past the quality stage.
This scenario is a prime example of how getting too deep into details can blind even the most skilled professionals to glaring errors. To borrow the famous idiom, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” Hyper-focusing on the details and failing to look at the full picture can result in a range of challenges, from production delays to rework.
Reata Achieves Efficiency—Never Perfection!—Through Open Communication
Understanding our customers’ intent is just as important as technical execution. In contract manufacturing, it’s critical that we emphasize clear communication to ensure that what the customer actually needs is delivered—not just what looks perfect on paper.
A customer’s idea of “perfect” might be equivalent to an engineer’s idea of “not quite good enough.” Rather than wasting time on the endless hamster wheel that is the pursuit of perfection, this engineer should take a step back, consider the bigger picture and the customer’s intent, and remember that perfection is in the eye of the beholder.
The Bottom Line: Continuous Improvement, Not Perfection
Continuous improvement is “continuous” for a reason. Precision machining companies don’t simply make a bunch of changes, take a step back, and walk away. They make minor changes consistently, all while knowing there is no end point in sight.
In contract manufacturing, success isn’t about perfection—it’s about making high-quality components efficiently, cost-effectively, and within the specified tolerances. By focusing on “approximately correct” rather than striving for absolute perfection, Reata ensures faster production, fewer bottlenecks, and better results for customers.
Interested in discussing your next project? Don’t hesitate to connect with our team to leverage our range of services, from Design for Manufacturing to advanced aerospace machining.