Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is optimizing a component, part, or product’s design to make its creation easier and less expensive. It’s an evolving philosophy under the Design for Excellence (DFX) philosophy, similar to Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Supply Chain (DFSC), and Design for Quality (DFQ).
The methods associated with DFX are modern ways of handling production and design processes. Each technique is becoming more popular in product design based on its many benefits. Designers typically choose one or more methods that meet the product’s objective and create a product that people notice.
Some people confuse Design for Manufacturing with Design for Assembly, but the two are different. If both are being used, they are used as a single method, Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA). However, this article will focus mainly on DFM, including what it is, how to apply it, what principles it brings to the table, and more.
What Is Design for Manufacturing?
The DFM product design philosophy focuses on optimizing manufacturing processes and materials to create a lower cost when making the item. The guidelines are used to ensure the product is easier to make. In addition, the final product will take less time to produce than the original design did.
It can create new ideas when all manufacturing and design aspects are analyzed using standard principles. New thinking leads to better techniques that make the product well-designed to meet the needs of the manufacturer, designer, and customer.
Many years ago, this idea would have seemed (and perhaps been) impossible. However, with a wide array of manufacturing processes and tools to use, it is now a reality. The fast manufacturing processes and digital simulation tools available today can run illuminating simulations and build physical examples for products.
These tools allow people to do significant DFM modeling and real-world testing for a small amount of the initial cost. Many manufacturers are incorporating DFM into their products to use impressive benefits.
The main idea behind DFM is to tear the design apart to make it as strong as possible. Designers will consult drawings and speak with users who utilize similar products. Then, they ask about methods to create a more reliable, competitive, and better product. This cyclical process is critical for the success of a design.
The Applications for Design for Manufacturing
Before we dig into all the principles and benefits of DFM, we want to talk about why it is so important to use it for competitive markets today. The principles associated with DRM can create a more efficient manufacturing and design environment. The following things can be done using DFM:
- Bring supplier bids down by changing the design using the principles of DFM
- Create realistic cost models that hit all of the product objectives
- Determine what design features are unneeded but costly and remove them
- Drive down manufacturability issues so companies can build products quicker and for less money
- Build a more efficient design that engineers can change in later steps without an extreme cost
The Five Principles of Design for Manufacturing
There are five different principles to be aware of with DFM. The designer should focus on all of them to create good DFM products. Optimization in all areas will ensure the entire product is the best version of itself. The areas include:
- Process
- Design
- Material
- Environment
- Compliance
Each of these principles is crucial to the DFM process. Read on to learn more about how each is done to get information to make a product the best.
PROCESS
This principle focuses on the manufacturing process. Choosing the ideal method is extremely important if you want a product to be successful. There are several things to consider, including surface finish, product material, cost, volume, and post-processing tolerances. They should always ensure the best manufacturing process to create the product.
For example, using injection molding for small items might not be the best choice due to overhead and investments. On the other hand, this can be an excellent choice for many products. Choosing between injection molding, thermoforming, and additive manufacturing is a must. The best option will create inexpensive manufacturing using fewer components.
Engineers must finalize the manufacturing process as quickly as possible since the other principles rely on it. There might be several manufacturing processes that product developers could use in product design.
All choices need to be thoroughly analyzed before making a selection. While manufacturing cost matters, the viability of the design is often the most critical element. For instance, one process might have a lower production cost, but the overall costs might be much higher.
The tolerances for the product are another factor in the final cost of the product. A very tight tolerance, which may be unnecessary, will often increase costs concerning the machining time or the need for a secondary process. In addition, the company might need to make changes to the manufacturing process to meet the required specifications.
The loosest tolerances that still work should be set to meet the product’s functional requirements. This drops a product’s defects and tooling costs while making it easier to build.
DESIGN
Another critical factor that has enormous implications on whether a product is feasible is product design. An efficient method can drop lead times and costs to a considerable degree, sometimes even through minor alterations. But, on the other hand, it can also do the opposite in many cases.
The latter result often occurs when a designer doesn’t fully grasp manufacturing. This is why designers should use DFM tools to see the effects of design choices on production.
For example, imagine you have a product made of plastic with various wall thicknesses. It might seem as if you should cut the cost of raw materials when possible, assuming that decision doesn’t hurt the product’s strength. However, there are many challenges to creating a product made of plastic with different thicknesses.
In this case, selecting one thickness is likely the better option. While an engineer would know this, don’t assume that all designers will.
MATERIAL
Raw materials, as well as their form and grade, should be chosen by the right people at the right time. What the product is expected to do will be part of the material selection.
Before making the ideal choice, many things must be considered, such as machinability, opacity, flammability, surface finish, electrical/thermal resistance, and strength. When materials are more complex, this makes machinability lower. Choosing the material is only one part of the process. The form and grade can also greatly influence how much it takes to create the product.
Form refers to the size and shape of the material before it is machined. For example, metals come in sheets, strips, bar stocks, and plates. Several forms might be options, but their properties and rates will differ. For example, an aluminum plate might be twice as expensive as bar stock aluminum on a weight basis. Evaluate the material forms and how they affect everything else.
ENVIRONMENT
The service environment should be evaluated as part of the DFM process to ensure low production costs while making a functional product. For instance, a product used underwater will need different specifications than one that works somewhere with dirt and dust.
DFM chooses a production environment similar to where the final product will be used. For instance, engineers should consider the effect and concentration of environmental items like abrasives, rain, salt, snow, and wind during this process.
One part of the process is determining which expectations are realistic and which are not as a means to cut costs. For example, marine-grade materials aren’t needed if the product is used in dry locations throughout its life.
For instance, manufacturers use 5083 aluminum for products in marine environments. This aluminum is known for its high level of corrosion resistance. However, if corrosion chances are low, using this product means spending more for no benefit. Therefore, DFM focuses on normal conditions to eliminate the presence of any unneeded costs during manufacturing.
COMPLIANCE
It is always a good idea to test the product for compliance as you go through the DFM process before producing something in large amounts. Keep these things in mind, so you don’t run into problems as you move forward. Even if you create a product with a low cost to produce, it won’t matter if you don’t pass the certifications required for it.
Standards for certifications can vary. Some are company standards, others are third-party standards, and still, more may be industry standards. These are all in place to ensure the quality of a product. Sometimes a regulatory body is going to set stands. Making sure you match these standards means you need to be able to test for each of them.
Before mass production begins, the DFM process recommends testing for compliance with the product design. If you wait, this could ramp up the costs or require you to move back to design if the problem is large enough. Non-destructive testing is recommended since the piece will still be whole after completed testing.
The Top Benefits of Design for Manufacturing
Companies that invest in DFM often realize that good design thinking could have prevented previous manufacturing and design mistakes using the new process. Some of the benefits associated with DFM include:
- Easier production scaling
- A streamlined process for manufacturing
- Smoother process for product development
- Better quality products
- Faster time to market
- Increased profits through cost reduction
EASIER PRODUCTION SCALING
When companies use DFM effectively, the process ensures that the manufacturing setup can quickly scale up to increase production levels when it is time to do so. In addition, using the guidelines will ensure assemblers can quickly source the parts. It also looks at whether the production line can offer an uninterrupted manufacturing and assembly process even when making large numbers of products.
STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING
The primary goal of Design for Manufacturing is to make the manufacturing process quicker and simpler. Since the manufacturing process is planned out, the company has a clear list of deliverables, which leads to a streamlined production system. For example, rather than having the person making the product calculate coordinates for the CNC machine, the coordinates for various features will be available in great detail through drawings.
SMOOTHER PROCESS FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The overall picture is part of the design for the Manufacturing process. This defines the ease of allocation, component materials, manufacturing processes, final condition, design, and other things leading to a very well-managed process of production where all these things are taken into account. Using DFM to design products gives you a blueprint for the development of products before anyone even steps into the design room.
BETTER QUALITY OF PRODUCTS
Using DFM is a process to ensure all products meet the property quality standards throughout the design portion. It considers if the serviceability, durability, features, conformance, aesthetics, reliability, tolerances, surface finish, performance, and perceived quality of the item meet all required specifications.
FASTER TIME TO MARKET
Since engineers consider a large amount of manufacturing and design elements early on, there are likely to be fewer issues that come up when it’s time to go through manufacturing. This means that the process takes less time, letting you go to market sooner than expected.
INCREASED PROFITS THROUGH COST REDUCTION
One of the reasons people love Design for Manufacturing is based on how it can cut production costs. When you have a more inexpensive operation, this can raise profit by an increase in the ROI. In addition, by creating low-cost products, companies can pass on the cost savings to the customers to make them more interested in a brand’s offerings.
How to Introduce Design for Manufacturing
Now that you know the many benefits of Design for Manufacturing, such as creating a great product while cutting costs, you might wonder how to introduce it in your own company. It can be a challenge sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you must go through that situation. Below we’ll go into an easy method to implement DFM in any manufacturing location.
INTEGRATE EARLY
When engineers implement DFM early, changes can be made at less cost and much faster. Product companies should use it in the very beginning stages of design. This stage is when you will work through any redesigns. If you end up waiting, those changes can result in spending a lot of money. And if different tooling turns out to be needed, prices only go up. Evaluations on manufacturing need to be as early in the process as possible to save time and money.
SEEK OUT USES FOR TECHNIQUES ASSOCIATED WITH DFM
Once you enjoy DFM’s benefits, you should evaluate the current manufacturing and design options. This will likely open up all sorts of potential for improvement. When designers collaborate with manufacturers, they can determine what will cause waste during manufacturing and recommend sustainable and efficient alternatives.
Specialists can also connect with suppliers to find any changes that need to be made regarding design decisions that affect the manufacturing setup during the first stages of the project. With OEMs outsourcing much of their work to locations worldwide, reaching out with DFM questions is essential to ensure the system makes money.
EXPAND THE DFM SCOPE
When manufacturing is slowly made more efficient as time goes on, you can look at other things that affect how manufacturable a product is through expanding the scope of DFM. Many factors can be optimized using DFM, such as overhead, labor cost, scrap reduction, tooling costs, and product weight and dimensions. This creates a company that is more efficient overall.
Final Thoughts
Many people want to start manufacturing products rather than waiting for efficient design. It makes sense to those who may feel the design stage is time-consuming or unnecessary. However, knowing what goes into DFM and what it can offer you often equals more time, lower costs, and fewer compliance issues. It’s a modern process that can utterly change manufacturing in various fields.
Implementing the five principles of DFM is a great way to create a smoother manufacturing process. It ensures you get a product that works well, looks good, and doesn’t cost more than it should. Design is an integral part of the manufacturing process and can enormously affect the rest of the process and what workers do.
