Design for Manufacturing, or DFM, is a process that allows for the design and creation of easy-to-manufacture products and it is critical to produce high-quality products at low cost.
It is an essential part of the entire product design process as it ensures cost-effective and efficient production of products with international quality standards.
When designing a product, it is important to consider the size and shape of the product, the materials to be used in production, how it will be made, the associated labor costs and other costs.
Why is DFM so important?
Ensure products work as intended
The main goal of DFM is to ensure that a fully functional product can be produced correctly. If manufacturing issues are not considered during the design phase, the product may not work in the intended environment or even be non-functional after assembly.
For example, where there are multiple parts or components involved, these pieces need to be seamlessly assembled into a complete product. There should be no gaps or overlaps between parts, which could cause problems in the future.
Make products cost-effective
DFM ensures that products can be manufactured effectively and efficiently, and also makes the best use of available materials to create a product that is both cost-effective and sustainable.
A DFM compliant product means that it will be easier for the manufacturer to produce it at a reasonable cost, and means that the product can be offered at an affordable price.
The more affordable the product, the higher the demand for the product and the better the returns.
Gain product sustainability
It is important that DFM can ensure the products are all made with sustainable materials. In the long run, it will reduce waste and save money by cutting production costs. If fewer materials are used than necessary, there will be less waste, which can save resources and money.
Make the manufacturing process simpler and clearer
DFM means that if the design changes, it can be accomplished quickly with low cost.
Improve product quality
DFM avoids problems with quality, it saves time and money by reducing errors in the manufacturing process and will increase efficiency even further.
Optimize the speed of manufacturing
DFM can speed up the entire manufacturing process because it makes the part fit into its manufacturing equipment. For example, by using parts that are suitable for machine operation, cutting tools can do their job more efficiently and produce a finished product in less time.
Make the manufacturing process easy and automated
The DFM process can make parts easy to manufacture, which reduces the number of machines used in the production process and eliminates the need for various unnecessary setups. In addition, it does not require human supervision and can increase the level of automation in the product.
What are the principles of DFM?
The basic principles that should be considered are the following:
1. Reduce the number of parts and simplify the shape of the part. Keep it simple,stupid. (KISS principle)
2. Modular design concept, preferably forming standardized modules.
3. Choose materials that are easy to process, avoid over-designing and cutting processes, which are the best ways to save costs.
4. Try to use standard parts and available raw materials on the market.
5. When designing the product, the assembly process, procedures and techniques must be considered. If there is any doubt, communicate with the production department in time.
6. Try to reduce or minimize the precision requirements. Adopt loose tolerance requirements as much as possible under the premise of meeting the function, and do tolerance analysis for key components.
7. Follow the design check list strictly, individuals will make mistakes but documents never will.
What are the tips of DFM?
Combining parts
Minimize your part numbers by combining parts into a single component as much as possible. Fewer parts reduce costs and increase efficiency, make assembly less difficult, allow for easier inspection and testing as well as minimize upfront costs.
Determine part orientation
Place them vertically to take advantage of gravity, and design each part to be symmetrical so there is no need to use sensors or other tools to determine part orientation during assembly.
Create multi-functional parts
Designers should try to design multifunctional parts that can serve multiple purposes at the same time. If the company has multiple products or product lines, it will be more cost effective to design parts that can be used for multiple products.
Consider design features
It can help avoid assembly errors and damage to the part or equipment.
Use modular components
Modular components can be used in order to create a more complex design, this allows for only modifying the functionality of individual parts without having to redo the entire product.
Use standard components whenever possible
Save money, time, resources and trouble by using standardized components. Standardized components are easier to obtain, cheaper and faster to fit into a design.
Choose the necessary finishes only
The addition of a finish may make a part more durable, but it can also increase the cost of the part. To control or reduce costs, determine which dimensions of the part are critical and allow more margin on unimportant dimensions.
Adapt to fixtures and machine tools
The part should be adaptable to fixtures and machine tools for holding and use on automated assembly lines. Without these features, machine tools and assembly stations will have a difficult to accurately position the part.
DFM in CNC machining
CNC machining is one of the complex machining methods. DFM helps a lot in simplifying the machining process and ensures that all parts are machined correctly.
1. When selecting materials for CNC parts, consider the strength and hardness of the material and its compatibility with the machining process.
2. Make sure the machine can reach the part, if not, it will lead to lower productivity and higher manufacturing costs.
3. all CNC drills are round, so it’s best to avoid sharp interior angles. If a hole is required to be machined in metal, use a drill or end mill.
4. Try to keep the wall thickness of the product above 0.02″.
5. Tight tolerances are essential for some parts, but unnecessary tolerances can increase costs.
6. when a deep opening is an integral part of the product, it is best to reduce its depth or increase its width.
7. Design the function of the part rather than its appearance to reduce costs and minimize CNC machining setup time. Consider simplifying or eliminating any features that are not critical to the function of the part.
8. When designing components, CYCO recommends a clearance of 0.1 inch (2.54 mm) between parts to ensure proper fit.
What is the difference between design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA)?
DFM and DFA are two terms that are often confused, but they are very different things.
DFM enables products to be manufactured in a cost-effective way, while DFA enables products to be easily assembled by either the manufacturing companies or the consumers.
The focus of DFM is to reduce production costs by minimizing waste or rework while maximizing efficiency and production.
The goal of DFM is to ensure that each product is put together correctly, and to minimize the time spent on quality control while keeping costs low.
The focus of DFA is to ensure fast assembly so that products are assembled quickly without errors or confusion. It reduces labor costs by making components easier to assemble to save time or materials.
The goal of DFA is to make assembly easy enough that someone who is not a professional can assemble a product without causing damage or without knowing how to do.
CYCO – a trustworthy DFM service provider
DFM has become an essential part of the CNC machining manufacturing industry.
CYCO is a service provider specializing in CNC machining with over twenty years of CNC machining experience and skilled CNC operators.
To ensure that every project is produced in the best and most cost-effective manner, CYCO will conduct a DFM review of each project.
If you need efficient and quality CNC machining manufacturing services, choose CYCO and we will provide you with the best quality service.
Now, contact us for an instant quote and work with us for a worry-free experience.
