Design For Efficient Manufacture

One of the best ways to “kick off” an improvement/cost reduction design project is to hold a two-day Design for Efficient Manufacture (DFEM) workshop. Team members and other interested personnel and stakeholders representing company functions such as marketing, purchasing, quality, and manufacturing are invited to attend. Day one of the workshop is devoted to a review of Design for Manufacture principles and practices. The review begins with an in-depth discussion of the underlying “Design for Everything” principles upon which Design for Manufacture is based and concludes with a discussion of Design for Manufacture and Assembly guidelines. Throughout the day, participants perform “hands on” projects that help them apply and internalize the material and ideas discussed. This concentrated review gives all participants a “common language” and provides the basis for a disciplined team approach. Day two begins with the “Design for Assembly” method. This systematic design method is a proven approach for stimulating creativity and innovative design solutions. After learning the method, the class divides into teams and uses the DFA method to analyze the existing version of the product or device that is to be redesigned. Insights gained from the workshop become the starting point for the redesign project.

This expert has used this approach on numerous occasions and it has always proven immensely successful. The effectiveness of the approach is illustrated by Table 1 below, which shows the average part count reduction that has been achieved by kicking projects off with a DFEM workshop. Fewer parts mean less of everything involved in the design, manufacture, and support of a product, so money is saved across the board when part count is reduced. It has been estimated that the average annual total cost (direct and indirect) for a part number, whether a small washer or large casting, is on the order of $5,000. Imagine the cost savings that a 42% part count reduction produces over time. And part count reduction is only one of many benefits of Design for Manufacture. There is no question that Design for Manufacture is the way to achieve the next plateau of cost savings and kicking a product redesign project off with a DFEM workshop is a great way to help ensure that Design for Manufacture will be a focus of the project.

Table 1. Average Part Count Reduction

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