Most observers would agree on at least one thing about today’s global business environment: it’s hot out there, and manufacturers have their fair share of challenges to confront. What will help your organisation keep pace and even thrive in this heady atmosphere of competition and change? As margins tighten and market pressures rise, the fundamental touchstones of product development endure. To stay competitive, leading manufacturers are taking a strategic approach to product design and are focusing more closely than ever before on product quality, cost, manufacturability, and time to market. They are investing resources early in the product lifecycle to identify design problems and eliminate costs before they occur. You can, too.

• Understand how the cost effects of design decisions ripple across the product lifecycle

• Enrich your concurrent engineering practices by inviting feedback from suppliers

• Recognise the potential for innovation waiting in your own product designs

Over Twenty-four Years of DFMA Experience

The International Forum on DFMA is the foremost conference worldwide on early design analysis methodologies and implementation. It is the one conference to attend if you wish to gain an understanding of the impact Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA®) has on product development. Listening first-hand to papers presented by expert practitioners from around the world, you will see close up the successful DFMA strategies employed by many different companies across many different industries. You’ll gain insight into the product development approaches followed by some of today’s most successful manufacturers.

Conference papers will discuss specific product development programs and examine cost reductions and efficiency gains at some of the world’s leading manufacturing companies. Whether your job responsibility is mechanical design, purchasing, CAD modelling, prototyping and tooling, or motivating teams, you will learn valuable strategies for overcoming barriers to technology implementation and solving multidisciplinary design challenges. Among the rich array of topics offered are papers on early cost estimating in product design, next-generation robotics, the hidden costs of offshore manufacture and assembly, lean manufacturing, design for disposal and recycling, and best practices for product lifecycle management.

Who should attend?

The DFMA Forum is a valuable resource for everyone involved in the design-to-manufacturing process.

• Managers and decision makers in product development, design, and manufacturing

• Design engineers

• Marketing staff

• Purchasing personnel

• Manufacturing engineers

Conference Objectives

The goal of the International Forum on DFMA is to provide expert opinion on DFMA and other early design technologies. Manufacturing leaders and research leaders will be on hand to answer your questions on such topics as

• Cost management and reduction

• Improving quality; Six Sigma

• Lean manufacturing

• Product lifecycle management

• Outsourcing

• Shrinking time to market

• Product design strategies

• Productivity management

• Strategic planning

• Concurrent engineering

• Design for disposal and recycling

This conference will present you with many examples of how industry leaders use DFMA fundamentals to reach their product development goals. Examine the results they report, and judge for yourself how DFMA methodology might serve as a catalyst to innovation in your own organisation.

Special Events

Networking Reception - 15 June 2009
A great opportunity to network with like-minded attendees to learn more about DFMA, cost management, outsourcing and lean manufacturing in a casual, social setting.

Free DFMA Software Demonstration - 16 June 2009
Join us for an hour-long demonstration of DFMA, where you'll hear inside tips on getting the most from Design for Assembly and DFM Concurrent Costing software. Meet the team at Boothroyd Dewhurst, and ask how this technology fits your product development needs.

Venue
The International Forum on DFMA, 15-16 June 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island, USA.

Lodging
Overnight accommodations are the responsibility of the individual. A limited block of rooms will be held by the Crowne Plaza Hotel at a reduced rate. Rooms booked after the deadline will not receive the discounted rate. Please let hotel personnel know that you are attending the Boothroyd Dewhurst DFMA Forum. Call +1 401-732-6000 to ensure you receive the discounted rate. You can book your rooms online using the following link to the hotel website, www.crowneplazari.com.

If you are interested in presenting a paper or attending the 2010 Forum, please click http://www.dfma.com/forum/callforpapers.htm