EMAIL: INFO@DESIGN4EXCELLENCE.COM.AU
 


DFX
Design For Excellence
Competing on a global platform to produce goods that are low cost, high in quality and best in the field requires strategies that reach far beyond simple “reactive” problem solving and detection methods. Meeting these demands on a protracted basis invariably necessitates the use of innovative techniques in a structured “proactive” approach focused on the product design and development process.

Simultaneous Engineering Practices.

Organizations no longer have the luxury of waiting for problems to arise before they are resolved. Today they need to be resolved before they arise. That is, all “downstream” manufacturing problems must be fully resolved in the “up-stream” design stages, by bringing all the relevant facets of the manufacturing process together early in the design phase. This is called Simultaneous Engineering.

Why Use Simultaneous Engineering (SE)?

The difference between using a “reactive” and “proactive” approach can be clearly displayed in the following illustration.


By applying this approach numerous companies are able to identify a high proportion of problems at the design stage, where corrective actions are faster, easier and cheaper to take - resulting in numerous associated benefits.



  

Benefits of DFX

Application of the SE approach by organizations around the world reveals the following benefits:

•

time to market: 20%-90% less
• mfg. costs: 10%-40% less
• eng. changes: 60%-70% less
• separate parts: 10%-70% less
• defect levels: 200%-600 % less
• scrap / rework: 20%-75% less
 

But because the application of this approach can vary from company to company and from project to project it has come to mean different things to different companies. However two ingredients are essential to achieving these results everywhere: the need to apply cross-functional teams at the early stages of the product development cycle and the strategic application of appropriate tools and controls.
These ingredients are necessary for the timely exchange of information at the early design stages – the earlier the better!

Team Approach

While the deployment of teams in the manufacturing sector is not new, including the basic manufacturing inputs at the design stage in a self directing mode has not been easy to achieve. Nevertheless the inter-linking of human minds continues to be the most effective way of generating creative solutions to problems and represents the greatest on going challenge to industry.




 

   Tools and Techniques

A number of tools and techniques have been successfully used to help
integrate the information needed for successful PD processes.
Some of these are:
•

QFD / SQFD
• Key Characteristics
• TRIZ
• Pugh Concept Selection
• DFM/DFA
• VA/VE
• Mistake-Proofing
• FMEA
• PCP
• Taguchi Methods
 

Because product development processes vary, the mix of tools may also vary. Not only is it crucial to know what these tools do, but also when and how to use them.

Organization

The successful application of DFX requires a delicate juxtaposition of resources strategically appropriated from all areas of the organization. Commitment by management at these levels is essential to its successful implementation.

For expert consultation, training and facilitation in this field contact:

Lou Travella
Design 4 Excellence
Ph/Fx: 61 3 5221 6413
EMAIL: INFO@DESIGN4EXCELLENCE.COM.AU