Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is the process of designing components for ease of manufacturing high-quality products at a lower cost. This is done by lowering complexity, optimizing performance, and redefining the product.

Why is DFM Important?

DFM is an important part of any product development cycle. It should be applied early in the process to maximize for the most cost and time savings. A good DFM involves all stakeholders to make sure every need is taken into account and planned for. These stakeholders include manufacturers, engineers, suppliers, designers.

By working with Bead early on in the design phases, the easier and better the DFM process will be. The best time to optimize a product is while it is still in the design phase, prior to incurring any manufacturing costs.

The 5 Principles of DFM

1. PROCESS

Using the right manufacturing process is important. The process should use lower-capitalized methods for cost-effective production. It should be optimized to fit each component. Processes should also take tolerances and materials needed into account.

Swaging is a process that makes DFM quicker and more cost effective.

2. DESIGN

The more complex the design, the higher the risk.

A simple design is usually the best way to go in terms of cost, manufacturing, use, and maintenance. However, all designs should stick to good manufacturing principles. The design must address details such as thicknesses, greater specifications for tolerance, texture, and consistency.

3. MATERIALS

Choosing the right materials in the early stages can save you time and money. Your choice of materials has an impact on cost and quality.  A good chat with your manufacturing partner can go a long way. Some properties to think about when choosing materials are mechanical properties, flammability, conductance, and thermal properties.

For more information on choosing materials, check out our Comprehensive Plating Guide.

4. ENVIRONMENT

Each part of your product must be designed for the environment it will be used in. You must take every operating condition into account. Certain industries, such as heavy equipment, industrial, and military and defense are more likely to encounter harsh environments with their products. All parts of the product must be able to perform in these conditions. 

5. TESTING

Finally, testing must be thorough. All products and components must comply with industry standards in each stage. These standards can be industry, internal, or company standards. Standards must be considered in all stages of DFM.

Lowering Manufacturing Costs with DFM

Over the last decade, supply chains across industries have grown more complex. There is more pressure to lower costs while keeping quality high, making DFM even more valuable for industries such as Hi-tech and medical devices.

New technology, smart devices, changing consumer needs, and shrinking product lifecycles have added many challenges to the growing tech world.  Manufacturing companies are finding it harder to keep up with the complex supply chain structure. Competitive pricing, and the constant pressure to keep up with industry standards are other problems.

With an inflow of medical devices, manufacturing costs and standards are a growing topic of concern. As the industry grows, medical devices are growing more complex. DFM allows manufacturers to design high-quality medical devices much faster while sticking to safety standards.

How DFM Shortens Product Development Cycles

DFM also leads to greater operational efficiency and inspires collaboration amongst global suppliers across departments and vendors. As industries across sectors expand and create more complex designs, DFM can be used to achieve launch goals. Companies need methods to simplify processes, reduce costs, increase quality, and get rid of delays.

DFM can be used to shorten product development cycles. A good DFM will help identify and get rid of design flaws. This avoids issues and costly re-designs.

A rough design will often turn out to be more difficult to apply. This leads to higher costs and slower product development. Simplifying the processes involved in each of the stages can shorten product development cycles.

A good DFM will help calculate costs upfront and lower the total cost of ownership. DFM allows expenses to be managed in the design stage itself. With DFM, designs can be discussed, and more cost-effective solutions can be applied when needed. That being said, quality control is the most important aspect of any product. Each part and process needs to be tested to ensure that the quality meets industry standards.

DFM can add value to product designs across various industries. Different design options can be explored, and processes can be optimized to lower costs and increase quality.

Design for Manufacturing Example

A well-known manufacturer of air handling systems needed a cost-effective solution for attaching adjustable louvers to their units. The louvers required a reliable, mechanical attachment that could allow for smooth adjustments while maintaining durability over time. Bead Electronics worked with the manufacturer to develop a hinge pin using hollow pins, saving the client 70-80% in production costs. Despite being 80% lighter than machined pins, the hollow pins maintained the mechanical strength necessary for the durability and adjustability of the louvers.

About Bead Electronics

Bead Electronics is a global manufacturer of electronic connector pins and has been manufacturing in Connecticut for over 100 years. The award-winning company carries over 500 patents and is best known for inventing its manufacturing process called swaging. Swaging is a high-speed, virtually scrap-less, cold-forming process capable of producing a wide range of range of consistent, cost-effective metal electronic components. The family-owned business is led by its fifth generation.

Click here to speak to a connector pin specialist today.