1. A method for determining an optimum manufacturing process routing, the method comprising: electronically representing a plurality of manufacturing process routings for a component to be manufactured, the electronically representing comprising representing at least a component template for the component and a geometric cost driver template for at least one geometric cost driver of the component, the electronically representing being performed using at least one computer processor programmed to electronically represent the plurality of manufacturing process routings; and electronically determining an optimum process routing of the plurality of manufacturing process routings by applying a cost model to the component template and to the geometric cost driver template for the at least one geometric cost driver, the applying the cost model being based on component inputs including a geometric model of the component, and determining the optimum process routing that minimizes the cost for manufacturing the component, the electronically determining being performed using the at least one computer processor, the at least one computer processor being further programmed to electronically determine the optimum process routing.