What is Design for Manufacturing?

DFM definition

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is an engineering approach that simplifies product designs to make them easier and more cost-effective to manufacture. It focuses on reducing production costs and improving efficiency by analyzing and streamlining manufacturing operations, selecting the right materials and optimizing designs for ease of manufacturing.

DFM not only helps save money, but also speeds up production.

DFM vs DFA

The key difference between DFM and DFA lies in their focus areas: Design for Manufacturing aims at simplifying the production of individual parts, whereas Design for Assembly (DFA) aims to reduce the complexities involved in the assembly of these parts. Combining these methodologies, Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) seeks to optimize both the manufacturing and assembly processes to achieve the best cost and labor efficiency.

DFM principles in physical product development

DFM includes various principles and guidelines to optimize product design, which can differ depending on the industry, product type and specific manufacturing processes involved.

Early design review

The most important strategy when it comes to DFM is starting it early in the product development process. Implementing an early design review helps identify potential manufacturability issues that could become costly if discovered later. This proactive approach ensures that each component performs to industry standards, conserving resources and expediting time to market.

However, just because you should start thinking about Design for Manufacturing early, doesn't mean that you should engage manufacturers straight away. It is beneficial to know the principles yourself and include relevant people a bit further down the line to make sure that they don't start limiting your innovation too much.

Material selection

Material selection significantly impacts the manufacturing process. We already know that choosing the right materials can enhance product performance but it can also impact your costs and manufacturing methods. Engineers must consider the material's machinability, strength, cost and availability during the design phase to ensure optimal manufacturability.

Iterative design and prototyping

Using iterative prototyping allows for continuous refinement of the design based on real-world manufacturing feedback. This process helps in optimizing the design for production, ensuring that the final product meets quality standards while keeping costs low.

Minimize part count 

Reducing the number of parts in a product design is an effective way to cut manufacturing costs. Plus, it can also simplify the assembly and therefore reduce labor costs. 

For example, our engineers saved one of our clients 30% in product costs just by reducing the number of different fixing types and redesigning a couple of parts. Yes, certain parts were now a bit more expensive to produce but others were cheaper and outweighed the extra cost. The unit price of the fixings came down as we ordered more of the same kind and the administrative costs associated reduced as well. That’s also why looking at the big picture is so important.

Prioritize standardized parts

Utilizing standardized parts can significantly accelerate production times. This approach reduces the need for custom parts which are often more costly and time-consuming to produce. Moreover, adopting designs that use common parts across multiple products can save time and resources during manufacturing.

Create modular assemblies

Modular assemblies allow for flexibility and easier modifications without compromising overall functionality. Standardized modules can be easily replaced or upgraded, which is particularly cost-effective in industries like automotive manufacturing, where basic models can be enhanced with modular upgrades.

Cross-functional team collaboration

Collaboration is highly beneficial in DFM. Effective Design for Manufacturability strategies require collaboration across various departments (design, engineering, manufacturing etc).

The goal is to conduct regular design reviews to identify potential manufacturing challenges, assess costs, evaluate quality and recommend design improvements. It’s important to keep iterating until the desired outcomes are achieved.

Balance between look and practicality

Finding a balance between aesthetics and practical manufacturing considerations is also vital. While the look of the product is important, it should not compromise the manufacturability of the product too much. Product designers and engineers should aim to use standard measurements and avoid intricate geometries that are difficult or impossible to manufacture as much as possible.

Key benefits of Design for Manufacturing

Implementing DFM into your product design process can offer numerous advantages. Key benefits of DFM include:

Cost reduction

Thinking about DFM early in the design process helps identify potential production issues that can be costly and difficult to adjust if discovered later in the product development cycle. By addressing these issues early on, you can avoid expensive redesigns.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) can also reduce the unit cost of your product, enhancing your profit margin or allowing you to sell your product at a lower price. Additionally, by standardizing the manufacturing process, you can eliminate or reduce the need to invest in specialized machinery for production or assembly.

Faster time to market

The second key advantage of Design for Manufacturability is the acceleration of the product development cycle. By integrating DFM principles early in the design phase, you can significantly reduce the time required for redesigns and adjustments and shorten production lead times. These, in turn, enable a faster transition from concept to production and launch, helping to ensure timely product releases that can outpace competitors and capture market share.

Optimized packaging and transportation

Design for manufacturing can also help with the packaging and transportation of your product down the line. For example, standardized components can allow for more efficient packing and stacking. What's more, products that can be disassembled into smaller parts or that can be collapsed or folded can also make packaging more efficient and can reduce shipping costs by maximizing container space.

Common design mistakes impacting DFM

Several common design mistakes can impact the manufacturability of your new product:

Overcomplicated designs

Overcomplicated designs often lead to parts that are difficult to manufacture or assemble, resulting in higher production costs and extended lead times. As we discussed further up, successful DFM is all about simplifying your design by minimizing component numbers, utilizing standard parts and ensuring parts are easily accessible for assembly.

Poor material selection

Another frequent mistake is poor material selection. This misstep can compromise not only the durability but also the manufacturability of the final product. Early collaboration with material experts and process engineers would be beneficial to ensure that material choices are both functional and manufacturable, and won't increase manufacturing costs or complicate the process unnecessarily.

Setting too tight tolerances

Tolerances also present a significant challenge in DFM. Setting too tight tolerances without considering manufacturing limitations can escalate costs and complicate production. Implementing realistic tolerances through statistical tolerance analysis and close collaboration with manufacturers can mitigate this issue.

Missing the bigger picture

This one doesn't impact DFM as much but is still a critical element to think about. Designers often overlook the assembly process by focusing solely on individual parts. This oversight can lead to products that are expensive or difficult to assemble. Adopting a Design for Assembly (DFA) approach in addition to DFM can help avoid this issue.

Useful technological tools for DFM

3D CAD models

3D CAD models are essential when it comes to Design for Manufacturability. As an example, the DFM plug-in assists design engineers by identifying potential manufacturability issues through geometry feature analysis during the design process. This helps avoid spending hours or days on engineering changes to address problems identified by production engineers, preventing delays in the overall production lead time.

In addition, DFMPro enhances this capability by integrating with popular CAD platforms like Creo Parametric, SOLIDWORKS, NX, and CATIA V5, allowing designers to conduct manufacturing checks within their regular workflow.

Simulation software

Simulation tools are great for predicting and resolving manufacturability issues before production. Autodesk Fusion, for example, provides robust simulation capabilities that allow engineers to optimize designs and predict performance impacts early in the design process. This not only reduces manufacturing costs but also minimizes environmental impact.

Cost estimation tools

Accurate cost estimation is important for maintaining budgets in product manufacturing. As an example, Costimator helps simplify this process by offering industry-validated cost models and integrating seamlessly with major ERP systems. These can help with cost management across different product development stages.

On the other hand, aPriori has a cost estimation tool that starts by importing a 3D CAD file and delivers comprehensive manufacturing cost estimates in seconds, allowing for rapid cost analysis and adjustments during the design phase.

You can also build your own estimation tools or spreadsheets if you prefer to do so. Our engineers, for example, use an estimation tool that we have built and perfected over time.

Design for Manufacturing examples

• Furniture industry: Flat-pack furniture, like those designed by companies such as IKEA, is a perfect example of Design for Manufacturing (DFM). IKEA addresses cost reduction right at the design stage by implementing modular product designs and parallel manufacturing processes, which significantly shortens production cycles. Additionally, the use of generic components and standardized materials helps lower procurement costs and reduce production complexity.
  

• Automotive industry: In the automotive industry, Design for Manufacturing (DFM) focuses on creating basic car models with a modular assembly approach, allowing for easy upgrades and customization. For example, manufacturers can produce a standard vehicle chassis while offering customers the option to add advanced features like infotainment systems or electric powertrains, streamlining production and reducing costs.
  

• Renewable energy: In wind turbine manufacturing, companies design turbine blades with modular sections that can be easily assembled on-site. This simplifies transportation and logistics, reduces production complexity and allows for easier maintenance, leading to significant cost and time savings in large-scale installations.

• Food and beverage industry: In the food and beverage industry, manufacturers use standardized bottle shapes and sizes for different product lines. This allows for the same production equipment to be used across multiple products, reducing the need for frequent machine retooling and lowering production costs, while also ensuring more efficient packaging and shipping.
  

Conclusion

As manufacturing grows more complex, DFM's importance increases, encouraging early consideration of manufacturability to avoid costly redesigns and ensure smooth production transitions. It's never too late to benefit from a well-implemented DFM strategy. Whether optimizing current processes or developing new products, aim for designs that are easy to manufacture without sacrificing quality or functionality.