One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.