There are a number of factors that can impact the cost of metal fabrication. At EVS Metal, we take into consideration a wide variety of potential influences before we make a decision on the best processes for any given project. Below, we’ll take a look at two of the most important elements we analyze before moving forward with producing a part or product.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM; also known as Design for Fabrication)
This is one of the factors that most greatly influence our decision-making process. DFM is an engineering concept that places heavy emphasis on the ease and efficiency of end-product manufacture as part of the core design process. One of the primary reasons to integrate DFM theory into a product’s initial design is because it can greatly impact its ultimate cost to manufacture.
Design for Assembly (DFA)
When a product is designed from the start with assembly in mind, it means that it has been optimized to take into consideration all aspects of how an item fits together and how it will affect the overall manufacturing process.
U Mass professor Geoffrey Boothroyd developed three basic DFA criteria that he later expanded upon with Dr. Peter Dewhurst. Together, they introduced these ideas to the manufacturing world, which can be summarized as follows, and are three questions we integrate into our engineering process at EVS:
- Does the part move with respect to other parts already assembled?
- Must the part be made of a different material or be isolated from all other parts already assembled?
- Must the part be separate from all other parts already assembled because necessary assembly or disassembly would otherwise be impossible?
Keeping these principles in mind help keep costs down by minimizing both material waste, and waste that is the result of lost time.
Putting DFM and DFA Concepts to Work
EVS Metal’s designers and engineers take DFM and DFA standards and criteria into consideration from the very start of every project. This means our team works together across departments and functions, from engineering to quality assurance. This process results in consistently reduced fabrication and manufacturing costs for our company that we are then able to pass down to our customers.
Want to learn more about how EVS’s focus DFA & DFM can help with your next metal fab project? Get a quote online, or call us at 1-888-9EVSMET.
