|
|
Developing a producible product is critical to achieving low costs and
high quality. Design for manufacturability (DFM) must be addressed early
in the product development cycle during the concept phase to be truly
successful and must continue to be addressed until production begins.
DRM Associates, a leading consulting organization
specializing in product
development, can help with the following nine-step approach:
- Initiation of a DFM program begins with management understanding
and commit-ment. This may require DFM a management briefing which we provide.
These objectives must be communicated to the rest of the organization.
Again, our DFM training can provide an understanding of the concepts and
essential elements of a DFM approach. We can help in establishing metrics
and determining baseline performance.
- A team-based organization needs to be established to support
development. We can help define roles and responsibilities to support DFM
and provide team-building training as required.
We can work with the team to facilitate their use of DFM practices.
- DFM guidelines must be established based on types of products,
parts and materials; types of processes, process capabilities, process
cycle times and costs, and tooling costs. We can help organize the needed
data gathering, guide this analysis, structure the organization of guidelines,
assist with their development, and orchestrate their deployment. Top-level
guidelines are described in our DFM/A Guidelines listing.
More detailed guidelines need to be developed
considering the nature of the product and the company's and suppliers'
process capabilities. An example of sheetmetal guidelines is
shown.
- DFM software tools are useful to evaluate concept and design
alternatives and support decision-making. We can help in selecting these
tools, adapting them to your cost structure and process capabilities, and
defining a process for their use. We can also provide a low-cost design for
assembly (DFA) assessment methodoloy and software with our
Product Development Toolkit.
- DFM training can be provided to develop an understanding of
DFM principles, practices, tools and methodology. Our DFM
Workshop is described in further detail.
- Design for manufacturability guidance can be provided to a
product team as it works to develop its concept and design.
We can facilitate the application of DFM; provide specific
DFM feedback; and facilitate consideration of design, material and process
alternatives. We can help apply Pareto analysis to determine where there
is the highest payoff from improving manufacturability.
- Supplier involvement in a DFM program is critical since typically
50-70% of product costs are materials. We can work with the materials organization
to help structure a supplier involvement program based on DFM, provide
DFM training to suppliers, and work with key suppliers to establish a DFM
program.
- Cost data needs to be developed since cost is a common denominator
to measure producibility results across an overall product and across disparate
processes. We can help select, implement, and develop product cost models;
provide training; organize cost studies; and help validate cost projections.
- Monitoring of DFM results is key to a successful program. We can help establish DFM
metrics, develop design review guidelines, formalize an overall
development process oriented to DFM, and insure appropriate management
focus on a DFM program.
For further information, please contact:
Kenneth Crow
DRM Associates
2613 Via Olivera
Palos Verdes , CA 90274-2809, USA
Telephone: (310) 377-5569
Fax: (310) 377-1315
Email: kcrow@aol.com
|