What is Design for Assembly (DFA)?

What is DFA?

DFA is a process that aims to streamline the design and structure of products to make them easier to assemble. When assembly is easier, workers spend less time and effort fiddling with screws, trying to align finicky parts, and then repairing pieces that break down the line.

All that translates to better assembly cost efficiency, which can be one of the biggest drivers of costs for complex parts. In fact, the more complex and delicate the parts (think aerospace products, automobile pieces, medical devices, industrial equipment, and electronics), the more you could potentially save by designing your products to be as easy to assemble as possible.

This is why the DFA functionality in DFMA software has helped companies achieve an average of 50% in product savings since we developed it more than 40 years ago and enhanced it since then.

Why should design for assembly matter to me?

Most engineers, when asked to rein in expenses, will turn to part costs. The thought is that swapping plastic for metal or cutting corners on manufacturing processes will generate savings that accumulate over time.

While that may be true, engineers must also ask, “At what cost?” Sometimes these compromises negatively affect the customer experience and the overall quality of your product. If you opt for a thinner plastic housing to save money, you might ultimately end up paying more when you factor in repairs for broken parts and the customers you lose due to the decline in quality.

You might be surprised to discover that prioritizing lower parts costs may mean your final products have more total parts; think three dozen screws and fasteners, rather than two simple halves that snap together. This trade-off can make assembly more difficult and time-consuming, eroding any savings you might have earned by opting for cheaper parts.

DFA, on the other hand, is a win-win strategy that saves you money and makes your customers’ lives easier. You’ll see immediate savings with a smoother, simpler product assembly, and your customers can receive faster product service and perhaps even a higher-quality product for less money if you choose to pass the savings along to them.

Simpler products are often more durable and less prone to defects, as well, which means less hassle for your customers and fewer service calls for your company.

What kind of savings are possible with DFA?

While we’ve already mentioned that 50% average figure, in reality, your situation is unique. For best results, we recommend combining both the Design for Assembly and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) functionality of DFMA software during different stages of your development process.

For instance, you can use DFA to arrive at the simplest assembly process and then use DFM to run a few different scenarios and find the best manufacturing options for the parts you’ll need.

To get an idea of what your company might be able to save, you can plug your variables (such as your industry and the scope of your projects) into this ROI calculator. The result should give you a ballpark estimate of your first year’s ROI, your ROI in subsequent years, and how long it might take to pay off your investment in DFA/DFM.

Don’t be surprised if your savings in real life outpace the calculator’s conservative estimates; we’ve worked with numerous companies whose savings are actually greater than 50%.

How can I get started using DFA in my company?

It’s easier than you think to start redesigning your products. All you need is the right software for the job and a team of experienced experts who can guide you through best practices step by step. You’ll find both in DFMA software and the experts at BDI.

Just contact us, let us know what you need, and we’ll help you get started!