Design For Manufacturing: Principles, Benefits & Uses
When parts are designed for different applications, designers and manufacturers look for something easy. A method that fastens production and makes it simple and cost-effective. Design For Manufacturing (DFM) plays a vital role here.
If you are interested in knowing about what is DFM, its objectives, and principles, the guide below is for you. So let's read.
What is Design for Manufacturing or DFM?
Design for manufacturing is also referred to as DFM. It is a concept of engineering that involves all the activities that help to turn the concept of a product into an operational component. It is composed of conducting financial and engineering analysis and requires understanding the process of converting the prototype into a final product.
When a product development starts with doubtful ideas, it turns out to be unachievable. DFM analysis helps to develop a product by looking at the process from different angles. It adds credibility by considering the complexity of the design, its cost, and material presence.
Key Objectives of DFM
Design for manufacturability has some key objectives, and these are as follows:
Cost
Every project has the first consideration, which is the financial aspect of that project. The main purpose of design for manufacturing is to minimize the cost of the design as much as possible. It includes all the costs, which include manufacturing, labor, energy, and material costs. DFM helps to analyze the financial feasibility of the process of product development, ensuring good returns on investment.
Quality
Another consideration in design for manufacturing is maximizing quality. This is done within the given budget and targets. High-quality products appeal to more customers and create a good brand reputation.
Sustainability
DFM focuses on minimizing waste. It is a very crucial element to optimize the process of manufacturing such that the waste is reduced. Reduction in waste also helps to reduce the cost and ensures a safe environment.
DFM Principles
DFM is governed by some principles, and 5 of these are discussed below. So, let's read.
Manufacturing Process
The manufacturing process involves different methods like injection molding, 3D printing, EDM, etc. These processes are optimized by looking at the designs so that the right processes are chosen.
Every product has a different suitability for the manufacturing process. You can consider an example of electronic enclosures that can be manufactured using methods like 3D printing as well as injection molding. The DFM expert will have to weigh the pros and cons of the two processes and choose the one that is most suitable.
Apart from this, every manufacturing process has different methods and parameters like feed rate, speed, and cutting depth required. To achieve the best results, everything needs to be analyzed.
Product Design
Optimizing design is also a major principle of DFM. The idea in the development phase needs to be converted into the actual product. Before the design goes into production, the features must be assessed beforehand.
At the time of DFM analysis, the engineers consider all the issues and the solutions to these issues. Some design changes may be required so that the best solution can be figured out.
Product Material
Material is another area that requires attention in design for manufacturing. There are multiple forms of materials available to choose but making the optimal selection is crucial. A single component can be made using multiple materials.
The one that is suitable for the function requirement is important, and durability matters as well. The designers have to consider all these aspects and then select the right material.
Service Environment
The environment in which the component will be used plays a vital role in DFM. There are various considerations that need attention, like temperature, chemical exposure, mechanical loads, and magnetic interference. The design should be capable of withstanding the environment to which it will be exposed, and hence DFM ensures to assess it.
Compliance and Testing
Some products need to comply with certain standards; these standards could be government, industrial, or internal standards. The engineers have to consider this when designing the part and ensure that the design meets regulatory requirements.
Benefits of DFM in Prototyping and Production
DFM offers multiple benefits in production and prototyping, and some of these benefits are as follows:
Cost Reduction
DFM helps reduce the cost of production as it reduces the number of parts and uses standardized materials. It even reduces the need for manual intervention at the time of assembling and manufacturing.
Shorter Time to Market
DFM improves overall production efficiency by reducing the number of processes and automating everything. It helps to reduce the lead time, and the products are floated into the market very quickly.
Improved Product Quality
DFM ensures that the critical quality established at the time of designing is achieved by the product. It ensures that the surface finish, tolerance, and durability of the component are the same as it was expected.
Streamlined Product Development Process
DFM considers the process development on a larger scale. It ensures that the part design is perfectly created, the quality is top-notch, and the relevant production processes are used. Hence, considering DFM for designing products offers a stringent strategy for product development before the start of the process.
Smoother Manufacturing Process
As every aspect of the production process is analyzed beforehand in terms of its compatibility with the material and the shape of the design, the process becomes smooth. The entire plan is in place, and the products are manufactured according to expectations.
Easier to Scale Up Production
DFM offers scalability. It plans the design, materials, and production process; hence, when required, the production volume can be increased easily in no time.
How Do You Get the Most Out of DFM?
Making the most of DFM is a crucial aspect of implementing it. It may be challenging, but it also ensures that your production attains maximum benefit. Some of the ways you can make the most out of DFM are as follows:
- DFM requires collaboration between manufacturers, product developers, and designers. Teamwork onsite and online helps develop collaborative designs and requires the use of innovative tools.
- CAD software and simulation are also used widely in DFM, which helps engineers to check if the design they have created can withstand the conditions it will be used in. It even helps in changing the design based on the different requirements for manufacturing.
How Does Design for Manufacturing Aim to Achieve Its Objectives?
Design for manufacturing aims to achieve its objectives using various methods, which are as follows:
Minimize the Number of Parts
To reduce cost and simplify the process, the parts manufactured can also be reduced. DFM analysis helps to focus on identifying the components that are redundant by conducting a careful analysis.
Use Standardized Parts
Design for manufacturability considers using standardized parts. These components consist of o-rings, bolts, nuts, gaskets, and lead screws which can easily be sourced off the shelf. It helps to reduce the workload and costs spent on these components.
Modular Design
Modular designs are commonly considered by DFM experts as this helps divide the design into different modules. The flexibility of the modular designs helps to change the design of single modules when needed without impacting the rest.
Such an approach makes it easier to upgrade the design during the development phase and improve the overlay functionality of the components.
Ease of Assembly
The ease of assembly is a major consideration in DFM. It is a crucial concern to manufacture a component that can be assembled as quickly and as easily as possible. DFM experts consider that the effort of assembling should be as minimal as possible to save time and money.
Finish and Tolerances
DFM gives surface finish and tolerance a priority. The components with tight tolerances and accurate surface finishing are of high quality. The perfect tolerance and surface finishes are considered while designing them and hence are achieved.
Uses of DFM for Different Manufacturing Processes
DFM is observed in many manufacturing processes, among which the common ones are discussed below:
CNC Machining
CNC machining is a very common technique adopted by DFM analysis. There are various ways to achieve the design for these manufacturing goals, which are given below:
- When the internal features are designed, the designers make a mistake by making them sharp. Rather, they should be rounded so that the cutting tool geometry can be accommodated.
- Walls of components, if they are too thin, cannot handle the cutting load, leading to breakage. Hence, DFM experts always suggest thicker walls.
- The depth of the pocket is analyzed in DFM. When the pocket is very deep, the tool vibrates, leading to an impact on the surface finish. Hence, DFM considers altering the geometry of these deep pockets.
- Designs commonly change during DFM; it is expensive to achieve tolerances, and the ones that are not very critical are given up to save money and time.
3D Printing
3D printing requires the attention of the DFM experts before the component goes into production. Some of these aspects in 3D printing are as follows:
- Some features in a design that overhang are too weak, and due to gravity, they have a tendency to fall down while being printed. DFM's solution to this issue is to use scaffolds under such features, which can be removed later on.
- The issue of wall thickness also prevails in 3D printing. When walls are very thick, they can break or are not printed, and hence, the designers would suggest considering thicker walls.
Injection Molding
Injection molding in the context of DFM is discussed below:
- The injection molded components have undercut features, and these cannot be produced as they can disrupt the motion of the tool. Hence, the professionals point out this issue and offer alternative solutions.
- The injection of mold is a crucial part of the injection molding process. It should be done very smoothly so that the part is not damaged. To ensure this, engineers consider adding a small draft of the time of DFM analysis in the design so that the ejection is easy.
Vacuum Casting
Vacuum casting consists of pouring liquid urethane into the molds. DFM ensures that the production of vacuum-casted components is carried out without any defects. Vacuum casting is suggested to be used in components that are simple and single pieces, as the silicone molds lack durability.
DFM vs DFA
Understanding the difference between DFM and DFA is very important, and some of these are discussed below.
- DFA is concerned mostly with the components in a mechanical assembly, whereas DFM is more focused on a single component.
- DFM considers material selection and design optimization, whereas DFA focuses more on streamlining the assembly process.
Get DFM for Your Project At DEK
We at DEK ensure that we provide our clients with the best DFM services. We understand how crucial a single feature of a component can be for your applications. So, our DFM experts can help you make relevant decisions by considering your design and material selection.
Conclusion
The comprehensive guide above must have provided you with detailed information about DFM and how it impacts the manufacturing process. Understanding everything about DFM will help you make relevant decisions regarding your component manufacturing for the next projects.
