[PVCMike]

I'm a mechanical stuff guy, and the best way I've found to save time is to think simple. Every year I see lots of teams invest a ton of time (we've been guilty too) into ideas or mechanics that were too complicated to sort out in the short build season. Every idea I come up with I try to think "how can I make this more simple?" This includes making it mechanically simple (less mechanisms/moving parts,) build simple using easy to work with parts (COTS vs. custom, or builder friendly stock like versatube, 80/20 etc.) making it easy to assemble/service/upgrade and more. The time you spend thinking about and simplifying your designs will be returned many times over in the long run.

Often times the more mechanically simple a concept is, the easier it is to CAD (saves time) the easier it is to build (saves time) and the easier it is to program (saves time.)

I also encourage our team to find a good balance between COTS and Custom parts. We have limited machining resources (all manual machines, except one DRO mill, still requires manual entry) so deciding when to make vs. buy is an important decision, and can often save a lot of time.

Think smart, plan ahead, and keep it simple! You'll save a TON of time, and probably end up with a more reliable and competitive machine.