How can you leverage DFM to enhance your customer value proposition and competitive advantage?

Maintaining the standardization of components is important. Using standard equipment makes maintenance more affordable because these components are often produced at economies of scale, reducing their individual costs. Standard parts also prevent confusion and errors, as people are familiar with their use and application.

Standardizing parts across a large complex product has a cost advantage implication. By going from many low volume unique parts to fewer high volume common parts, there’s an opportunity to reduce the cost per part (volume discounts), therefore reducing the overall product cost.

I agree in simplifying and standardize the design because it will boost productivity and minimize lost time because of adjustments, quality issues, hard to reach features that needs special process and availability of tools and materials. A concept design should be simple and easy to fabricate using standard toolings and materials readily available on the shop floor along with the fixtures that will hold the raw material until the final or finishing process.

DFM thru the FMEA lens or brief FEMA added layer needed in order to benefit to the maximum, this enhances both product and Tooling quality for the long run.

Designers are usually biased towards familiar materials and processes. Opportunities for manufacturing improvements are lost due to limited knowledge and understanding. Engaging partners early on in the design process can have huge benefits later on.

Collaborating with a manufacturing partner from concept through approval is the best way to maximize DFM. - Try to use materials and components that are in stock rather than special order. - Design with manufacturing constraints in mind to make things easier and more efficient. - Consider cost trade offs while still in concept phase. - What previous experiences does the manufacturer have that can help guide on what to do or not do? - How can the product be designed so packing can be easier and more efficient? - What box size maximizes container loading to save on shipping? This can inform dimensions from concept forward. So many details to consider which can only be adequately addressed with a great relationship with a manufacturer!

The value of DFM is higher the earlier it is incorporated into the Product Development Process. Providing DFM feedback after PCB or mechanical tooling is released defeats or greatly diminishes the benefits of DFM. This requires a Development team that is mindful of the value and need to execute a proper DFM review. It may add some time up front, but will eliminate the need for ECNs and unplanned board releases later in the program.

This aligns with the principles of holistic design, where engineers are designing their products with downstream considerations in mind. This helps from a cost standpoint as well as streamlining the transition to production, allowing for faster and more efficient design cycles.

A key enabler in validation is to drive SW/HW/Test systems to be capable of testing 100% of the functionality of the product as early as possible in the PDP process. By doing so, the team is able to identify issues early enough in the process to define and implement corrective actions without negatively impacting the schedule. It also provides confidence in locking down final PCB design and releasing production tooling.

DFM's end goal is to reduce manufacturing issues, errors, and time. DFM is all about optimizing the design of a part to make it easier and more cost-effective to manufacture. It takes into account the material, process, and geometry of the part being designed, and applies principles and best practices tailored to the specific manufacturing process being used. For example, if you're optimizing a part for machining, you'll need different DFM principles than if you're optimizing it for injection molding, casting, forging, sheet metal bending, or any other manufacturing process. That's why it's important to have a good understanding of the manufacturing process you're using and to tailor your DFM approach accordingly.

Quite simply, “part design with manufacturing in mind” will determine the success or failure of the project. Leveraging every aspect of DFM is key. First thing should be aligning the teams.

I think you’re missing innovation. DFM doesn’t always need to be the most cost effective option. Investing with the manufacturer to have them collaborate on a new product, component or process to enhance the end product is innovation and can be a cost value advantage for you and your end user.