Design for manufacturability: quantitative measures for design evaluation

Abstract

In a design for manufacturing (DFM) approach, the designer has to consider the interactions between the various parameters in the design and the ease with which it can be manufactured, very early in the design process. This research is aimed at providing designers with a methodology for early, quantitative evaluation of manufacturability. A hierarchical, domain independent model of manufacturability is first presented. Manufacturability is decomposed into six main areas namely, Compatibility, Design Flaws, Availability, Complexity, Standardization and Efficiency. The evaluation process begins with an examination of these issues as they relate to the design being evaluated. Next, the idea of manufacturability indices is introduced and examples of generalized manufacturability indices are provided. A generalized evaluation methodology which merges the hierarchical model with the idea of manufacturability indices is then explored. Several features for truss manufacturing are developed to illustrate the application of the methodology to a specific domain. Two examples are given to demonstrate how this theory can help designers create cost efficient designs. The ability to integrate expert knowledge into the evaluation makes the methodology particularly attractive to novice designers. Furthermore, its generalized nature ensures that the methodology is applicable to a wide range of manufacturing processes.