Investigation of Design for Manufacturing (DfM) Metrics and Methods

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

In this joint project between Arizona State University and University of California at Berkeley, a set of metrics and methods will be developed to evaluate and optimize design for manufacturing through all phases of product development. The first phase of the project will involve investigation of Design-for-Manufacturing (DfM) metrics and methods using several criteria, such as theoretical soundness and computational complexity. A novel DfM approach based on Benefit/Cost analysis will be developed to consider trade-offs between the quality of a design and its manufacturing cost, while taking into account market factors and a Company's strategic goals. Key performance or utility factors of each design alternative or competing product will be used for computing a Design Benefit Rating, and similarly relevant manufacturing factors will be used for computing a Manufacturability Rating. Then techniques of value engineering will be used to explore design changes to improve the overall value of the design and/or to choose between alternatives. In the final year of the project, a DfM Shell will be implemented to serve as a domain independent testbed to verify, refine, and compare DN methodologies. Domain-specific design and manufacturing agents will be linked to the testbed. The particular focus will be on three processes: CNC machining, injection molding, and fuse deposition. Six industrial partners will provide the part designs and process knowledge for several manufacturability case studies. The primary benefits from the project are: (1) tools for manufacturing companies to improve rapidly the quality of their products to meet changing market conditions; (2) sound theoretical foundations for manufacturability analysis; and (3) a framework to evaluate the reliability of current and future commercial software for DfM.