The Importance of Design for Manufacturing and Key Dynamics Involved

When a groundbreaking new product or service hits the market, the person who created the blueprint usually receives accolades. While it’s good practice to give credit where credit is due, there is another line of creation regarding the game plan of a product release.

When an architect designs a home, he doesn’t directly pass the blueprints to potential homeowners. The framers and woodworkers quarterback the project after the blueprint phase, and then the beautiful, finished product is ready for the market. Whether or not the engineers are responsible for the home’s reliability, efficiency, and longevity, the eyes are never on them.

In the same respect, the crucial process of design for manufacturing (DFM) often dictates the efficiency of design production and other fundamental dynamics. During the prototyping phase of a new product, the availability of design for manufacturing services can play a vital role in the early manufacturing stages.

What Does DFM Accomplish Specifically?

Let’s stick with the home design theme from above. Just like a home’s blueprints are flat, rough drafts of an eventual living, breathing, three-dimensional beauty, the initial designs of a product are held in the same regard. A plan comes to life during manufacturing once the logistics of the project are ironed out.

The only difference is that instead of being responsible for one final product, DFM researchers would be accountable for the eventual production of thousands of houses in the end. DFM helps a company solve how to manufacture a mass production design most efficiently.

The DFM shows a company what the manufactured prototype will look like and how it is built. The process also examines the most efficient means of production beyond the prototype stage. Possible methods include 3D printing, injection molding, or several other forms of cost-and-labor efficient manufacturing methods.

WORKING TOGETHER

In reality, the designer and the engineering team coordinate with each other, bouncing ideas back and forth based on the company’s available resources as a whole. The designer may have envisioned certain parts to be produced using specific methods of metal fabrication. It’s up to the DFM team to give the go-ahead or say, “That’s not a bad idea, but there’s another method that’s more cost-effective and will save us about three extra months’ worth of work.”

To put it simply, the design for the manufacturing process ultimately determines how certain realistic types of mass production potentially operate based on timelines and budget. A DFM company will examine other factors to decide how feasible it would be to send specific products for further manufacturing. If there is a flaw in the product that needs revision, it would subsequently be sent back to the designer and they would quite literally go back to the drawing board.

Ensuring Efficiency and Quality

It’s not just the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the manufacturing process that DFM ensures, but the quality also factors. It wouldn’t be an accurate summary to make the process sound like a means solely to make production the most affordable. There still has to be a certain level of quality that is maintained.

The ultimate goal is to make sure the production process runs like a well-oiled machine by the time the mass-production stage is reached. For this to be achieved, a few things need to happen.

• The total number of parts and components used to assemble the final product has to be lowered to the smallest amount possible without compromising the integrity of the design.
• Lower the number of fasteners used on the final design. Extra fasteners mean extra parts, and this equates to longer production times during the manufacturing stage.
• Ensure the lightest weight of steel or metal possible is being used. Although an original design could have called for heavier material, engineers may select lighter weights to smoothen the CNC machining process.

TWO WAYS OF IMPROVEMENT

Whenever a prototype in design needs corrections, there are only two ways of changing the product to improve it. Engineers can add components to the product to enhance the manufacturing process or remove parts to enhance the mass production process. The cost of additional time and labor rises when changes get made to a product.

When testing shows that possible additions may be needed, the use of the CNC 5-axis machine can be a factor. Rather than adding extra parts that add time and money to the project, questions get raised to quell the need for additions.

“Can something be drilled out to eliminate the need for extra parts?”

“Is there a certain bend that can be made to connect certain components as opposed to adding fasteners?”

These are the types of things that DFM can accomplish for a production design.

The design for the manufacturing process can be especially vital when it comes to injection molding on designs. Let’s examine why DFM can be so crucial during this particular production method.

What is Injection Molding?

Injection molding has become one of the most commonly used means of production in the manufacturing industry. When plastic products and components get produced, injection molding offers a level of unrivaled convenience and efficiency.

Injection molding takes advantage of polymer materials to manufacture products that are in development. The polymer materials can be melted down and injected into a mold using a heating process. Engineers can essentially complete a design with a speed that traditional methods could never attain.

Because of these highlights, there are many advantages to using injection molding for the manufacturing process.

OVERALL ENHANCED PERFORMANCE

Plastic injectors in use today have the capability of working with two molds simultaneously. This greatly enhances the performance of the manufacturing stage.

ELIMINATES THE FINISHING STEP OF MANUFACTURING

Most parts fashioned from plastic and other materials have a finishing process as the final phase in production. The molds stamp the melted polymer materials with a precision that leads to an ideal final product. Although inspections still get conducted, nearly every part produced is free from imperfections.

DURABILITY

Once the molded products harden, the final product is complex and incredibly strong. This means that products formed with this method often have a long life, leading to lower instances of damage or replacement.

VIRTUALLY NO LABOR COST

Plastic injection machines work in a completely automatic setting. There’s no need for the guidance or supervision of an employee.

Examining all of these elements, one would assume there isn’t a need for DFM during the mold injection process. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Benefits of DFM for Injection Molding

Although the actual production phase of this process doesn’t require the help of a human hand, the initial design phase benefits greatly.

The DFM process evaluates the risk involved during the mold injection process by assessing the benefits. Before manufacturing begins, the production team will have a solid outlook on whether or not a plastic product is a good candidate for injection molding.

This decision is reached by an inspection team analyzing the prototype or blueprint of a designer’s proposed product. There is a clear outline a designer must follow, with specific qualifications that need to be met before moving forward beyond the prototype stage.

Standards a Potential Product Must Meet

Below, the standards that a design must meet before production are outlined, along with potential challenges designers face in their attempt to meet these standards. A few possible solutions are examined for the challenges listed.

ADDING DRAFT

“Adding draft” is one of the most common terms in the injection molding industry. Adding draft is the term used for the two-degree angle applied to a product design considered for injection molding. Adding this specific angle to the design accomplishes several things.

• Reduces potential damage that can be caused by friction whenever the mold gets pulled apart.
• The mold gets removed easier, allowing for minor wear and tear and handling of the part.
• This reduces scratches to the surface of the design as it cools.
• Because of the ease of release, there is no need for any extra ejection process to release the part.

There is also the factor of whether or not the angle will be negative, positive, or zero draft. A zero draft angle means the top portion of the mold will be completely perpendicular to the bottom. This would create the same effect as squaring something whenever cuts are made.

A positive draft would mean the angle is increasing as it goes downward. Imagine the shape of an upside-down Styrofoam cup.

On the other hand, a negative draft would mean the angle increases towards the upward position. A product with a negative draft may need to be separated into two pieces to be released from the mold.

NO UNDERCUTTING

An undercut is any design that wouldn’t be visible when examining the design from the top to the lower portion. Imagine the design of a regular arch-shaped bridge in the shape of a rainbow. From the side view of this design, the viewer would not immediately see the bottom portion of the design. This would be considered an undercut.

The problem with this particular design is that it’s harder to separate it from the mold. Items that commonly have this type of design are golf clubs. However, there is a remedy for this situation.

SIDE ACTIONS

The solution to the problem of undercutting is quite simple. Instead of having two pieces that come together to form one solid product, there is a flat surface that lowers as the mold is cast. When the mold is released, the side piece quickly rises, allowing the once separate halves to come together as one and form the final product.

ULTRASONIC WELDING

There is another potential remedy when it comes to dealing with undercutting. This involves the add-on services of ultrasonic welding.

Instead of relying on a side action mechanism, parts are just made separately. Multiple parts can be formed, all separate from one another and set aside. Once each piece is finished, they can be welded using an ultrasonic method that acts almost like a welding technique to form them all as one.

This method is highly optimized, and there are no visible imperfections at all. When the final product is produced, the naked eye could never tell the difference in the separate pieces.

THE NEED FOR ROUND EDGES

Round edges allow for much easier extraction from the mold. Angles and sharp edges lead to a higher risk of damage due to a smaller and less uniform surface area.

A product with sharp or angled edges can be produced as long as the extra work is done on the final product. Additional machining must be done to remedy any imperfections.

PRESENT PARTING LINES

Parting lines must be visible once the mold has been cast and the pieces are separated. Parting lines are symmetrical scores cast into both sides of the molded part. These lines show a clear halfway middle-point between the two pieces.

MATCHING WALL THICKNESS WITHOUT EXCESSIVE DEPTH

Issues with the wall thickness or uniformity can lead to marks from sinking during the injection process. Repairs that take place post-injection are the only way to correct this problem.

Modern Forms of Injection Molding

With the rise in popularity and increasing use of injection molding, coupled with the speed of today’s technology advancements, there have been breakthrough methods in the field of injection molding.

Rapid tooling is a form of 3D printing that allows for ultra-fast speeds of product production. In the past, producing certain products could take weeks. The development of rapid tooling allows for these same projects to be completed in a matter of days.

This expedited process also allows for sensitive materials to be used that were nearly impossible to add to a project in the past.

Because this method is still relatively new, larger, more full-scale productions may not benefit from this service. However, it is ideal for the quick production of prototypes and smaller manufacturing orders.

The most significant advantage to this type of injection molding is the ability to make project changes on-site instead of sending a product back to design for weeks at a time. This groundbreaking technology also allows for highly complex designs to be molded. The practice of a “straight-pull” is no longer needed due to the rapid printing method used.

While standard mold injection procedures can efficiently distribute tens of thousands of products, the 3D printing version is only equipped to handle a few hundred. Surprisingly, this new technology is incredibly affordable, considering the advanced methods that are employed.

Finding a company that offers these modern services can be somewhat challenging. The equipment needed to offer 3D printing as a service is extremely pricey. Since it’s not as accommodating to larger jobs, some engineers feel like it’s not worth the investment to make it available.

Certain companies that specialize in prototyping and injection molding would argue the value of a 3D printing service. The need for an expedited service that can make on-the-spot changes could prove to be a factor that separates a good company from a great one.

The company below might be included in the shortlist of great companies. If you feel like your product would pass the specifications needed for injection molding, and you’ve been thinking about making your design public, pay attention to the next few paragraphs.

A Leader In The Prototype Industry

3D printing is only one of the services offered by Jaycon Systems. Over the years, Jaycon has worked with some of the biggest names in the corporate world, becoming a leader in the prototype and mold injection industry over the years.

Jaycon Systems offers its services to anyone from a billion-dollar tech giant to a small, local startup looking to get their feet planted in the industry. A full range of services is offered to all sized clients, with the guarantee of monitoring the project to ensure efficiency and an unmatched level of satisfaction. These are just a few examples of the incredible work that Jaycon has produced for clients.

Here are some of the other dynamics that Jaycon Systems can offer your project regarding the use of injection molding.

ENGINEERING CAPABILITIES

The shot capacity available during the manufacturing process is anywhere from a small fraction to 105 ounces. Anywhere from one to 16 cavities can be filled through injection molding or other pouring processes. Mold sizes starting at the miniature, moving up to large car parts are available for forming. The weight capacity of the molds Jaycon can manufacture is 14 tons.

Up to 1,000 tons of clamping force can be used for different jobs, and metals as thin as .3 millimeters can still be worked with.

AVAILABLE MATERIALS

An impressive range of capabilities can only be matched by an extensive selection of materials available for production. These are just some of the materials that Jaycon Systems has readily available at their two state-of-the-art locations.

• Thermoplastics and elastomers
• Precision transparent products
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
• Polyethylene
• Polycarbonate
• Polypropylene
• High-impact polystyrene
• All available in multiple colors and textures

There are also several add-ons available to these materials. These materials can be treated and made fire-resistant or antibacterial. Anti-UV treatment is also available, and an optional chrome finish to give the final product a shiny metal finish.

SECONDARY OPTIONS

Aside from everything listed above, Jaycon also makes these services available for their production clients.

• Building box-beds
• Electroplating
• Metal stamping
• Internal and external threads
• Hydro-dipping
• Hot stamping
• Molded-in symbols
• Molded-in colors
• Pad printing
• Screen printing
• Laser etching
• Overmolding
• Insert molding
• And ultrasonic welding

Jaycon Systems is equipped to quickly and efficiently handle your prototype production down to the complete oversight of the mass production and scaling stage.

Talented engineers from a diverse background of scientific and technological careers know what it takes to keep up with the rapidly evolving trends of the manufacturing industry. Jaycon has an ongoing working relationship with Florida Tech and the Space Coast. This ensures the ability to stay updated on industry trends and the latest advances to enhance your next project.

The employees at Jaycon Systems look forward to working on projects that bring them new challenges. Areas of expertise include Bluetooth technology, circuit board fabrication, and RFID technology.

Jaycon has worked with clients like Ford, Intel, Tesla, Universal, and NASA. An extension of your team with excellent references and an impeccable portfolio can be a massive game-changer for your next manufacturing project or prototype development.

Of course, Jaycon also brings a wealth of experience, ingenuity, and technological capabilities to the table. Regardless of whether you are the CEO of a tech firm, a mid-sized manufacturing company, or a small production startup looking to break into the industry, Jaycon Systems has something to offer you. Whenever you’re ready to take your product and company to the next level, contact Jaycon Systems regarding any product and make them a go-to for manufacturing and prototype development.

Originally published at https://jayconsystems.com on November 1, 2021.