Investigation of Design for Manufacturing (DfM) Metrics and Methods

在亚利桑那州立大学和加州大学伯克利分校的这个联合项目中，将开发一套指标和方法，通过产品开发的各个阶段来评估和优化制造设计。该项目的第一阶段将涉及使用几个标准（如理论可靠性和计算复杂性）调查面向制造的设计（DfM）度量和方法。将开发一种基于效益/成本分析的新颖DfM方法，以考虑设计质量与其制造成本之间的权衡，同时考虑市场因素和公司的战略目标。每个设计替代方案或竞争产品的关键性能或效用因素将用于计算设计效益评级，类似的相关制造因素将用于计算可制造性评级。然后，价值工程技术将用于探索设计变更，以提高设计的整体价值和/或在备选方案之间进行选择。在项目的最后一年，将实现一个DfM Shell，作为一个独立于域的测试平台来验证、改进和比较DN方法。特定领域的设计和制造代理将链接到测试平台。特别的重点将放在三个过程：CNC加工，注塑成型和熔丝沉积。六个工业合作伙伴将为几个可制造性案例研究提供零件设计和工艺知识。该项目的主要好处是：(1)为制造公司提供了快速提高产品质量以满足不断变化的市场条件的工具；(2)良好的可制造性分析理论基础；(3)一个评估DfM当前和未来商业软件可靠性的框架。

In this joint project between Arizona State University and University of California at Berkeley, a set of metrics and methods will be developed to evaluate and optimize design for manufacturing through all phases of product development. The first phase of the project will involve investigation of Design-for-Manufacturing (DfM) metrics and methods using several criteria, such as theoretical soundness and computational complexity. A novel DfM approach based on Benefit/Cost analysis will be developed to consider trade-offs between the quality of a design and its manufacturing cost, while taking into account market factors and a Company's strategic goals. Key performance or utility factors of each design alternative or competing product will be used for computing a Design Benefit Rating, and similarly relevant manufacturing factors will be used for computing a Manufacturability Rating. Then techniques of value engineering will be used to explore design changes to improve the overall value of the design and/or to choose between alternatives. In the final year of the project, a DfM Shell will be implemented to serve as a domain independent testbed to verify, refine, and compare DN methodologies. Domain-specific design and manufacturing agents will be linked to the testbed. The particular focus will be on three processes: CNC machining, injection molding, and fuse deposition. Six industrial partners will provide the part designs and process knowledge for several manufacturability case studies.The primary benefits from the project are: (1) tools for manufacturing companies to improve rapidly the quality of their products to meet changing market conditions; (2) sound theoretical foundations for manufacturability analysis; and (3) a framework to evaluate the reliability of current and future commercial software for DfM.