How can you avoid common design errors that affect product manufacturability and assembly?

1 Define your requirements

Before you start designing, you need to have a clear and detailed understanding of what your product needs to do, how it will be used, and what constraints and specifications it must meet. This will help you avoid unnecessary features, over-engineering, or incompatible components. You should also consider how your product will be manufactured and assembled, and what methods, materials, and tools will be available. You can use tools like QFD (Quality Function Deployment) or FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) to help you define your requirements and prioritize them.

2 Use standard parts

One of the easiest ways to improve manufacturability and assembly is to use standard parts whenever possible. Standard parts are those that are readily available, have consistent dimensions and tolerances, and conform to industry standards. They can reduce your design complexity, material waste, inventory, and lead time. They can also simplify your assembly process, as they can be easily fitted, fastened, or aligned. You can use catalogs, databases, or online platforms to find and select standard parts that suit your needs.

3 Minimize part count

Another way to enhance manufacturability and assembly is to minimize the number of parts in your product. This can reduce your fabrication costs, assembly time, and error rate. It can also improve your product performance, reliability, and maintenance. You can minimize part count by eliminating redundant or unnecessary parts, combining or integrating multiple parts into one, or using multifunctional parts that serve more than one purpose. You can use tools like DFA (Design for Assembly) or DFM (Design for Manufacturing) to help you analyze and optimize your part count.

4 Optimize part geometry

The shape, size, and features of your parts can also affect their manufacturability and assembly. You should optimize your part geometry to make them easy to produce, handle, and join. You should avoid complex or irregular shapes, sharp edges or corners, thin walls or sections, or deep holes or cavities. You should also avoid features that require special processes, such as undercuts, threads, or splines. You should use simple and symmetrical shapes, smooth and rounded surfaces, uniform and thick sections, and shallow and wide openings. You should also use features that facilitate assembly, such as chamfers, fillets, or bosses.

5 Choose appropriate materials

The materials you use for your parts can also have a significant impact on their manufacturability and assembly. You should choose appropriate materials that meet your functional and aesthetic requirements, as well as your manufacturing and assembly methods. You should consider the properties, availability, cost, and compatibility of different materials, and how they will affect your product performance, durability, and quality. You should also consider the environmental and ethical implications of your material choices, and how they will affect your product life cycle and disposal.

6 Test and iterate

The final and most important step to avoid common design errors that affect manufacturability and assembly is to test and iterate your design. You should validate your design assumptions, verify your design functionality, and evaluate your design performance. You should use various methods and tools, such as simulations, prototypes, or experiments, to test your design under different conditions and scenarios. You should also collect feedback from your stakeholders, such as customers, manufacturers, or assemblers, to identify and address any issues or opportunities for improvement. You should then refine and revise your design accordingly, and repeat the testing and iteration process until you achieve your desired outcomes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?