Manufacturability Starts with Communication

Bruce Morey’s article provides a solid survey of the importance and breadth of DFM/DFA and the importance of simulation and shared information systems throughout the universe of manufacturing engineering.

For our industry, there is also a cautionary tale. Thirty years since DFM concepts were introduced, acceptance of the process remains, at best, uneven. As Morey wryly observes: “there is room for education.” – Matthew Wallace, CEO & President

Manufacturability Starts with Communication, and DFMA Can Help

Controlling cost and complexity starts in design. Capturing and applying experience in a disciplined manner is vital, for both design engineers and their manufacturing counterparts

As a beginning engineer, six months into my first job, I completed a rough design concept of what I thought was a novel way to build a bearing for a submarine propulsion shaft. It would be lightweight, strong, and use a minimal amount of material. There was just one last step my supervisor insisted on before he would let me start detailed design. “Go see what the plant makes of this,” he said. The answer deflated my young ego. Not only had the plant manufacturing engineer seen the concept before, he pointed out—one more time—the many reasons you could never, ever build such a thing.

That was my introduction to the need for Design for Manufacturing.

Read more at Advanced Manufacturing