Do Design For Manufacturing (DFM) practices really influence product design?

Put simply, DFM is a methodology to ensure that a product is easy to manufacture at an economic cost, and that it is built consistently at high quality.

In order to enhance quality, cost efficiency & lead time, and still provide a high degree of confidence prior to design release, the use of DFM is imperative to our delivery success

The project team here at ADIS Tachov has extensive experience with complex tool design and mold fabrication, but it is the DFM approach more than anything else that ensures, without exception, that every aspect of a design is thoroughly evaluated and optimized in the early phases of the design process.

By standardizing parts and reducing waste, there is a benefit for both the manufacturer and the customer. A perfect example could be standardizing hole sizes in a product to reduce excessive tool costs, using commercial-of-the-shelf parts (COTS), or using lighter materials in non-structural parts.

“Good enough, isn't good enough"

Case in point, one of the biggest success stories stemming from implementing DFM comes from Cadillac. The adage of “Good enough, isn't good enough" saw them introduce the Munro & Associates DFM approach, and by doing so they saved the Camaro / Firebird (F Car) program from what had previously been dubbed "dying a natural death".

There are two major aspects of DFM: reducing cost and improving quality. Essentially, if you consider how your product will be manufactured before you put pen to paper, when it comes to tooling and mass production your product will be easier and less expensive to build. In terms of quality, designing for manufacturing from the beginning stages allows for more control over the finished product and less need to make changes part-way through production - thus reducing the risk of errors.

The F Car was over cost, weight, budget, and too labor intensive to build. The car had been all but canned by the executive staff. This would have been another tragic write-off for GM, but after three months of intensive DFM efforts which focused on Tools, Training and Time, the platform was pulled from death row.

The Design For Manufacturing methodology does require close collaboration between engineers, suppliers, procurement teams and potentially even end users, but the benefits that can be gained directly and positively impact everyone involved!

Want to understand more about how ADIS put DFM into its every day practice? Arrange a visit to our site, or get in touch and see for yourself.