What is Design for Manufacture?
- Designers design specifically for the optimum use of existing manufacturing capability.
- There are four categories of design for manufacture:
- Design for materials
- Design for process
- Design for assembly
- Design for disassembly
- The design of a production system requires a complete understanding of a product, its function, and the quality of finish.
- Each system can be unique and specific to the product it is creating, often requiring the designers to adapt their design to be manufactured using certain methods.
Design for Materials
- Designing in relation to materials during processing.
- Thinking and designing with the material in mind.
- Optimum use of the material, taking advantage of its strengths.
Design for Process
- Designing to enable the product to be manufactured using a specific manufacturing process.
- For example, deciding between different manufacturing techniques such as blow molding, injection molding or 3D-printing.
- The capabilities of the techniques and the materials need to be considered.
Design for Assembly
- Designing that takes into account the assembly of a product at various levels.
- For example, simplifying the assembly by reducing components and steps.
- Ensuring that parts are easy to access and manipulate for assembly-line workers.
- Some levels of design for assembly include:
- Component to component
- Component into sub-assemblies
- Sub-assemblies into complete products.
Design for Disassembly
- Designing a product so that when it becomes obsolete it can be easily and economically taken apart, the components reused or repaired, and the materials recycled.
- Design for disassembly is useful when a take-back legislation is applied.