This paper examines the design of low-cost digital solutions for manufactur-ing. A set of criteria are established that take into account the limited design-er experience and limited time budget that accompany a low-cost project. Al-ternatives are assessed and a design approach is proposed that addresses these criteria using a set of identified features. Development of the proposed approach is not yet complete, however it already provides a simple, accessi-ble, and streamlined method for implementing low-cost digital solutions.