Design IV - DFMA & Manufacturing Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

What if it was easier for you to be involved at the early stages of a product’s design?

What if you could conveniently provide feedback to your design engineers?

What if you could predict the manufacturing costs even before detailed design began?

Boothroyd Dewhurst's DFMA software tools make it all possible.

You can use DFMA to:

Estimate the labour content of a design, including sub-assemblies and individual components
Analyse manufacturing cell or assembly line layout
Provide feedback to design engineering that they can relate to (cost, time, complexity), in a black-and-white way that keeps discussions constructive and helps you make measurable progress toward the goal of a realistic, manufacturable design

Here’s an example. You may know a part designed as a sheet metal stamping could be more cost-effectively manufactured using a different method. You want to efficiently communicate the alternatives back to the design team.

DFMA allows you to show, in both graphical and tabular form, the different costs associated with different manufacturing processes and materials. The ensuing discussions can focus on data, rather than on opinion and hunches. You’ll be able to clearly communicate that a specific process will be the lowest-cost method.

DFMA can help you understand and quantify the impact of alternative designs on manufacturing, from the earliest stages of a product’s development.

Cost Management	Executive Management	Design
You have a target cost in mind for a new or existing product. What are the main contributors to the cost of the product? DFMA tools can answer that question for you. They can also help you work more effectively with your design and manufacturing engineers, and outside suppliers. more >	"What will it cost to produce this? How can we reduce the cost without sacrificing quality?" Our tools make it possible for you to obtain answers to these questions that are based on real-life, accurate data. Data that can be used to support productive, objective discussions, improve products while reducing costs, and hold suppliers to reliable "should cost" estimates. more >	You can improve the manufacturability of your design using DFMA software through product simplification. You can explore alternatives in processes and materials, and immediately see the cost impact of your decisions. You can provide factual data to manufacturing and your managers, so you can all make valid business decisions about your product design. more >

You’ve received the drawings for a part.

But once again, the part is late — and the design team had planned on getting the part to market months ago. Now you are expected to start manufacturing it, ASAP.
But one look at the drawing and you know that the company will end up paying twice as much for the part as they want to pay. You also have a pretty good idea what the alternatives are.
But you have three problems: First, it will take too much time to get reliable price quotes from vendors; second, you need an efficient way to communicate your concerns and suggestions to engineering; and third, you’ll need their help redesigning the part before you can get meaningful quotes.
DFMA lets you price alternatives, without depending on vendor quotes or detailed designs. You’ll be tapping into the world’s most comprehensive database of processes, materials, and machinery. You’ll be able to produce documents that guide productive discussions.
And most importantly, you will be able to put all of your expertise to work in a way that helps the company manufacture the best product at the lowest price.

Real data. Better decisions. That’s the power of DFMA.

For more details on DFMA, click here.