Designing for Manufacturability – Part 1: Practical Considerations
It is our goal to have our readers walk away with a true understanding of how to ensure production efficiency and quality while taking care of potential problems in the design itself.
Designing for manufacturability (DFM) is the general engineering practice of designing products in such a way that they are easy to manufacture. Ultimately it comes down to designing the best product at the lowest cost. To do this successfully it is important for all involved to be aware of practical considerations.
First off, you need to understand the product’s real need.
- How is the product going to be used?
- What is the purpose of the product?
- What is the environment that the product is going to be used in?
Next, you must acknowledge the product’s constraints.
- Are there constraints around cost?
- Are there constraints around time?
- Are there regulations, either industry or federal?
- What is the capacity or capability of the manufacturing facility or the client?
Lastly, what are the specifications?
- What are the limitations of certain materials?
- What are the limitations of the production location?
- Is there any history related to the product design that needs to be considered?
While taking all of this into account, it is imperative that you limit over constraints. Over constraints are over specifications that include, but are not limited to:
- Having tolerances that are too tight.
- Requiring a material that isn’t necessary for the product.
Take some time to review this information then get ready for Part 2 of our Designing for Manufacturability series where we will dive into design considerations as they relate to a product’s needs.
Ready to learn more, right now? Download the full “Designing for Manufacturability – Can Your Design Really Be Produced” training here.
Read Other Blog Posts:
Related posts
A Guide to Rubber Seal Types for Industrial Applications: Standard and Custom Solutions
Panova offers a full line of seals and sealing washers engineered to ensure long-term reliability in a wide range of industrial applications. From push-button and toggle switch seals to circuit breaker boots, we produce virtually all common seal types. Our company is...
Combining the Strengths of Metal and Plastic with Insert Molding
Insert molding has become much more popular in plastic injection molding, being a unique way to combine the mechanical properties of plastic and metal for much stronger components. While it can be used with other types of inserts–such as ceramics or other rigid...
The Rubber Overmolding Process Explained: Bonding Rubber onto Substrates to Enhance Your Products
Rubber overmolding is a unique process that allows us to mold different rubber materials “over top” of a metal or plastic substrate. Essentially, that means your end products receive the advantages of both materials: high strength, structure, and rigidity from the...
Subscribe to our Blog!
Stay in the loop on the latest Panova news, trends in product development, case studies, and other stories on how we Simply Solve product design challenges. Sign up for new blog posts alerts today!