That’s where design for manufacturing (DFM) or design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) come in. These disciplines recognize that an intricate design won’t get you far if it turns out to be extremely expensive or even impossible to manufacture. Exploring answers to the questions, “What is design for manufacturing?” and “How do you learn to do it?” are important if you’re considering a career in industrial design.
What Exactly Design for Manufacturing?
Industrial designers create specifications for things as diverse as medical devices and airplane parts. The role combines creativity with engineering skill and a sophisticated knowledge of computer-assisted design software.
But turning designs into tangible products involves manufacturing skills that include knowledge of manufacturing machinery and the properties of materials used in making a wide array of products.
If a designer doesn’t consider the capabilities and limitations of the machines required to form a product or of the proposed materials to be used, it can create substantial inefficiencies in manufacturing. Such roadblocks include redesigns, material waste, delays, and the creation of fragile parts or parts that are incompatible with other components to be used in a device. Design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) are processes that seek to pre-empt such difficulties.
Guiding Principles of DFM
The first guiding principle of DFM is communication. Involving the manufacturing engineering team with the design team early in the process helps identify potential obstacles that may arise when trying to produce the desired part.
Such obstacles may include proposing materials that are unable to endure the pressure, temperature, or stresses required to form the material into the desired shape. Additionally, teams may encounter designs that are so complex they would require time-consuming multiple-machine setups. Communication helps avoid these kinds of mistakes in DFM.
Equally important is standardization. The use of standardized components and materials wherever possible reduces manufacturing time, conserves materials, and reduces costs.
Along with standardization, simplicity is another principle that informs DFM. Reducing unnecessary complexity in a design enables a faster, more efficient manufacturing process and can improve consistency in manufacturing if there are hundreds or thousands of identical parts required to fulfill an order. Simplicity helps reduce the time necessary to set up machinery to produce the parts, which can speed up the manufacturing process.
How Do You Learn DFM?
Many colleges and universities offer Bachelor’s degrees in manufacturing and design engineering. Look for a program that includes courses in DFM or incorporates the principles of DFM throughout the coursework. It’s also possible to learn DFM on the job through online courses or training programs set up by contract manufacturers, metal fabricators, and engineering firms.
Answering these questions about what design for manufacturing is and how to learn it in collaboration with your college and university advisors can help you chart a path toward a career in design or manufacturing.
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