With trade challenges reshaping supply chains and production strategies, manufacturers face unprecedented challenges in maintaining competitive operations.
Manufacturability—how easily products meet design specifications, quality standards, and cost targets during production—has become critical for competitive operations.
In this article, we'll explore designing for manufacturing and its impact on production timelines, costs, quality, and manufacturing methods in today's complex trade environment.
What is Design for Manufacturing, and Why Does It Matter Now?
Design for manufacturing optimizes a product's design to make it easier and more cost-effective to manufacture.
Also known as design for manufacturability, design for manufacturing considers the entire chain of decisions across design, engineering, manufacturing, and operations rather than treating it as a design-stage-only activity.
While early design decisions affect manufacturing costs, recent research by Barton et al. shows that final costs depend on how design, manufacturing, and business factors work together. This makes design for manufacturing essential for controlling costs throughout development.
How Does Design for Manufacturing Differ from Design for Assembly?
Design for manufacturing (DFM) encompasses broad manufacturing processes, while Design for Assembly (DFA) specifically focuses on optimizing product assembly and disassembly. DFM addresses material selection, manufacturing processes, and supply chain considerations. DFA targets part count reduction and component assembly efficiency.
Both approaches contribute to sustainability through efficient design and reduced material waste.
What Are the Core Principles of Design for Manufacturing?
Design for manufacturing principles focus on simplification, standardization, and manufacturing optimization. This includes:
- Component-level flexibility: Breaking down products into their fundamental components and designing each with adaptability in mind, allowing for strategic sourcing decisions that can quickly adjust as trade policies shift
- Design simplification: Minimizing part count and complexity while maintaining functionality, reducing assembly steps, and standardizing components where possible
- Assembly optimization: Designing for efficient assembly with minimal manual steps, standardized components, clear assembly paths, and reduced need for specialized tools
- Material and process selection: Choosing readily available materials and cost-effective manufacturing processes suitable for production volume while considering supply chain reliability and appropriate tolerances to avoid unnecessary manufacturing costs
- Quality management: Implementing appropriate tolerances, standardized components, and robust design features to ensure consistent quality across production runs
- Iterative development: Conducting regular cross-functional design reviews and prototyping to validate manufacturability and identify improvements early
- Environmental considerations: Designing products to withstand operating conditions while considering manufacturing environment constraints and lifecycle impacts
How Much Money Can Design for Manufacturing Actually Save?
A study by O'Driscoll (2002) found that design for manufacturing can reduce assembly defects by up to 68% and assembly time by up to 61%, delivering measurable cost savings. The research also found that it can reduce the number of assembly steps by as much as 53% and cut time to market by up to 50%.
As an example, the study highlighted Ciba Corning Diagnostics, which reduced subassembly parts by 48% and costs by 22%, showing how these principles deliver real savings.
What Operational Advantages Does Design for Manufacturing Provide?
The main advantage of design for manufacturing is creating products that can be made in different locations without major changes, giving you flexibility when trade policies or business conditions shift.
Additional operational advantages include:
- Reduced manufacturing costs through optimized design and efficient material usage
- Enhanced competitive advantage from improved quality and reduced costs
- Better regulatory compliance through early consideration of standards
- Improved safety through better manufacturing processes
How Does Design for Manufacturing Improve Product Development?
Design for manufacturing improves manufacturing efficiency and product quality through simplified designs and reduced assembly complexity.
Technical advantages also include decreased scrap and waste from optimized manufacturing processes, enhanced product performance from optimized design elements, and better material choices.
What Manufacturing Processes Work Best for Design for Manufacturing?
Design for manufacturing requires selecting processes early in the design phase based on production volume, precision requirements, and cost targets. This early process selection can influence design decisions that optimize manufacturability and reduce complexity.
Essential factors to evaluate include:
- Your expected production volume requirements
- Required precision and tolerances
- Expected product lifespan
- Cost per unit at different volumes
- Setup and tooling investments
- Initial equipment investment costs
- Operator training requirements
- Implementation timeline
- Integration with existing processes
Each technology supports different designs for manufacturing strategies:
- 3D printing: Enables complex geometries without assembly, ideal for prototypes and low-volume products designed for rapid iteration
- CNC machining: Supports high-precision designs with tight tolerances, suitable for moderate volumes where design flexibility is important
- Injection molding: Best for high-volume products designed with standardized features and simplified assembly
- Sheet metal fabrication: Efficient for structural designs that prioritize cost-effectiveness and material optimization
How Do You Select Materials That Support Design for Manufacturing Success?
The key is to select materials that balance product performance requirements with manufacturing process compatibility and supply chain reliability.
Key factors to consider include:
- Alternate sourcing preparation: Design with materials that have viable alternatives from multiple regions, allowing quick adaptation when trade conditions change
- Product functionality requirements: Consider material properties like durability and strength from metals (aluminum, steel), lightweight options from plastics (ABS, polycarbonate), or specialized solutions from composites
- Cost and availability: Evaluate not just material costs but also lead times, minimum order quantities, and storage requirements
- Manufacturing process compatibility: Assess processing requirements, tooling compatibility, production speed, and potential scrap rates
- Supply chain reliability: Plan for transportation costs, storage needs, and alternative material options to mitigate risks
- Sustainability considerations: Consider recycled materials, environmental impact, and waste reduction
- Regulatory compliance: Ensure materials meet industry standards and regulations
- Performance characteristics: Match material properties to product requirements while considering post-processing needs
What Should You Look for in a Design for Manufacturing Partner?
When seeking manufacturing partners, evaluate these critical areas:
- Global flexibility: Can they help you quickly adapt manufacturing strategies as trade policies shift?
- Component-level strategic thinking: Can they analyze products at the component level and make recommendations for maximizing flexibility?
- Track record: Do they have a history of delivering quality products on schedule?
- Compliance history: Are they committed to meeting regulatory requirements?
- Experience and expertise: Have they worked with your specific product type and manufacturing processes?
- Specialization: Do they have knowledge of your particular domain?
Kingstec’s Design for Manufacturing
For over 42 years, Kingstec has helped companies in North America and Europe grow with unmatched engineering and project management expertise, manufacturing relationships, and global logistics experience. We can help you:
- Navigate tariff challenges with strategic manufacturing solutions across Asian markets
- Implement manufacturing approaches that balance quality, cost, and tariff considerations
- Leverage world-class manufacturing and supply chain partners for cost-effective production
- Spot potential production process issues
- Ensure your product designs align with industry best practices
- Streamline operations and supply chains with a dedicated logistics team
- Optimize quality with best-in-class quality testing, standards, and protocols
- Create innovative, specialized OEM components with top-quality cables and wire harnesses, PCBAs, plastic and metal components, as well as box build, and turnkey solutions
Contact Kingstec for a free consultation.
