To ensure that quality products arrive on time, you need an expedited
feedback loop from engineering and design to prototyping and the
manufacturing floor.
That’s where design for manufacturability comes in. It’s a design method
that takes manufacturing aspects into consideration early in the process,
creating an environment in which several disciplines work together to make
sure the design leads to cost-effective manufacturing.
This method brings with it a number of benefits, according to Steve Watts,
writing on the Department of Defense’s Defense Technical Information
Center:
Reduced development cost and parts count
Shorter development time
The transition to production runs more smoothly
Simplified assembly
Lower manufacturing costs
Fewer opportunity for mistakes, which helps improve quality
Beyond these advantages, design for manufacturability promotes teamwork
and improves communication within your design staff.
Watts also lists 11 principles of design for manufacturability:
Minimize the number of parts
Minimize the number of fasteners
Standardize
Keep away from difficult components
Use multifunctional parts
Use modular subassemblies
Use self-locating features
Avoid reorientation when possible
Provide accessibility
Minimize operations and process steps
When do you implement design for manufacturability? Watts suggests the
following:
Consider conducting workshops or team meetings during the concept phase.
Your focus should be on wholesale design changes, while taking care not to
fine tune the design, as it could become obsolete. Think of this as a
chance to consider the manufacturing impacts of one technology over
another.
The most effective time is during development, before the preliminary
design review. This stage coincides with the time where trade study is
most active, Watts said. There is still enough time during this stage to
incorporate substantial cost-saving changes.
It’s also possible to conduct workshops during the development phase after
the preliminary design review but before the critical design review. The
design is more fixed at this point, but there are still opportunities for
cost savings. There is no time to incorporate major changes, so focus on
fine tuning the aspects of the design that completed the preliminary
design review.
Finally, Watts points to a few factors that will make the design for
manufacturability process a success:
It must have a multi-functional team, with representatives from systems
engineering, design, manufacturing, quality and floor personnel.
Use an independent facilitator, someone with no stake in the design and
who can keep the workflow on track.
Conduct multiple workshops and break the system down into manageable
parts.
Prep work should include an overall description of hardware, preliminary
manufacturing assembly flows, and the inclusion of a cost baseline to
carry out trade studies.
Brainstorm without borders. Don’t be resistant to ideas, don’t get bogged
down on details, and don’t allow rank to slow down the free flow of ideas.
At Mars International, we know the value of collaboration when it comes to
turning designs into new products. We make sure our design team is in
communication with our customers’ design team, that our engineers work
with our clients’ engineers.
Contact us today to learn more about how our contract manufacturing firm
can design and produce quality products that meet your schedule.