NEW DFMA Global Manufacturing Profiles — 200k+ cost data points across 20+ countries. Read the blog
home « resources

DFMA® Frequently Asked Questions

    General

  • What is DFMA®?
  • DFMA® (Design for Manufacturing and Assembly) is a product-development method used to cut total cost and time-to-market by simplifying parts and processes. It combines DFM—optimizing how each part is made—with DFA—optimizing how parts go together—so teams reduce part count, shorten assembly time, improve quality, and accelerate launches across engineering, operations, and supply chains.
  • What does DFMA® software do?
  • DFMA® software is built around two modules that work together:

    DFMA: Product Simplification (Design for Assembly) — evaluates product structure, highlights parts that exist only for handling or fastening, and points to consolidation opportunities to reduce part count and assembly time.

    DFMA: Should Costing — provides process-based should-cost estimates for parts by combining geometry, material, process selection, and regional cost data to show what a part should cost and why.

    Used together, they help teams design simpler products, understand cost drivers early, and support fact-based design and sourcing decisions.
  • What industries/products does DFMA® software work best with?
  • DFMA® is used on a broad range of electro-mechanical products that combine metal and plastic parts. Customers apply it in automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, medical devices, electronics, and consumer products, among others. In practice, DFMA is most impactful where assemblies are complex, volumes are meaningful, and design changes can materially influence cost, quality, and launch risk.
  • Is DFA (Design for Assembly) an exercise in Value Engineering?
  • Design for Assembly and Value Engineering are related but distinct practices. DFA assumes that the intended product functionality is fixed and focuses on minimizing part count and assembly effort while preserving performance. To reduce cost, DFA encourages the use of fewer, multi-functional parts in place of more complicated assemblies. Value Engineering, by contrast, may add, change, or remove functions based on value delivered. Many organizations use both: DFA to simplify how the product is built, and Value Engineering to refine what the product needs to do.
  • Do you provide training that covers the DFMA® methodology but not the software?
  • We do not offer methodology-only training. DFMA® is data-driven and designed to be applied using the software tools rather than manual calculations. Our workshops and training courses always combine DFMA principles with hands-on software exercises, typically using your own products or realistic examples so that the learning is practical and immediately applicable.
  • What are the benefits of using DFMA®?
  • Organizations use DFMA® to achieve:

    • Lower total product cost through part consolidation, better process choices, and transparent should-costs.
    • Simpler, faster assembly with fewer parts, tools, and handling/orientation steps.
    • Shorter time-to-market by surfacing manufacturability and cost issues at concept and early design, instead of during tooling or pilot builds.

    DFMA also improves collaboration between design, manufacturing, and sourcing by giving everyone a shared, quantitative view of cost and manufacturability—reducing late redesigns and surprises in launch. Typical projects see double-digit part-count and assembly-time reductions, with additional savings in tooling and supply-chain complexity.
  • Can DFMA® help in reducing time-to-market for new products?
  • Yes. DFMA® brings cost and assembly reality into the earliest design discussions. By evaluating product structure and manufacturing cost drivers at concept and early design, teams catch issues before tooling is cut or suppliers are locked in. That reduces late engineering changes, rework, and build failures—leading to more predictable schedules and faster ramps to stable production.
  • How does DFMA® contribute to sustainability and environmental goals?
  • DFMA® supports sustainability by encouraging designs that use fewer parts, less material, and simpler, more efficient processes. Simplified assemblies can reduce scrap, energy use, packaging, and logistics overhead. DFMA also promotes designs that are easier to build correctly, service, and ultimately disassemble or recycle. Because the same practices that cut cost also reduce waste and complexity, DFMA naturally aligns economic and environmental goals.

    • Purchase/Licensing

  • How much does the software cost?
  • Pricing depends on which DFMA modules you need, the number of users, and any implementation or training support. Because scope varies widely, we prepare tailored quotes instead of publishing a single list price. To begin the process, please visit the Contact Us page and share some information about your products and team. A representative will respond shortly.
  • What type of software licenses do you sell?
  • We offer floating and node-locked licenses, both of which are available as annual subscriptions. A floating license is hosted by the customer on a server they control and has a defined number of simultaneous users. A node-locked license is tied to a specific computer or virtual machine. Floating licenses provide greater flexibility for larger or distributed teams, while node-locked licenses are ideal for individual users or frequent travelers who need offline access.
  • Do you offer a trial version of your software?
  • Yes. At our discretion, we offer 30-day trial licenses with full functionality to eligible organizations. This allows potential users to explore the software’s capabilities with their own products and workflows before committing to a purchase. To request a trial version, please contact our sales team through the Contact Us page.
  • Do you offer a discount for academic institutions?
  • Yes, we provide discounted pricing for eligible institutions that are interested in using DFMA® in labs or coursework. Academic licenses are sold as annual subscriptions and can support both classroom and project work. Please submit a Contact Us request to receive academic pricing information.

    • Software Usage

  • Do you provide training to assist in learning how to use the software?
  • Yes. We offer DFMA training at our office in East Greenwich, RI, as well as on-site workshops at customer locations. Standard courses are typically two–three days and cover both DFMA: Product Simplification (DFA) and DFMA: Should Costing, blending methodology with hands-on software practice. Training can be tailored to your products and roles so that design, manufacturing, and sourcing teams all leave with a common approach. Please see the Services page for more information.
  • Is it necessary to have manufacturing expertise to use the DFMA® software?
  • For DFMA: Product Simplification, users don’t need deep manufacturing expertise; the question-and-answer workflow and built-in assembly data guide them toward simpler concepts and highlight penalties for handling and fastening.

    For DFMA: Should Costing, a basic understanding of relevant manufacturing processes helps users interpret and fine-tune estimates. The software builds a process chart automatically and provides default assumptions; the exposed cost-driver inputs act as a learning tool for less experienced users and a precision instrument for experts.
  • What manufacturing processes does your software cover?
  • DFM Concurrent Costing® includes cost models for a wide range of processes, including:

    • Assembly fabrication and automatic assembly
    • Machining (covering many methods and operations)
    • Sheet metal
    • Injection molding, blow molding, foam molding, thermoforming
    • Die casting, sand casting, investment casting, powder metals
    • Plastic and metal extrusion
    • PCBA and additional user-defined processes

    Together, these cover the majority of electro-mechanical applications and can be extended or customized where needed.
  • Where do you get your cost results data from?
  • DFM Concurrent Costing® does not look up historical prices. Each estimate is built “from the process up” using cycle time calculations based on geometry, selected processes, and assumptions about machines, labor, and materials. The core result is a process-based cycle time multiplied by cost rates to produce a manufacturing cost estimate.

    For organizations that need region-specific views, DFMA Global Manufacturing Profiles add pre-built country profiles with typical wages, overhead structures, energy, and related inputs for 20+ countries, supporting apples-to-apples comparisons of should-costs and total landed costs.
  • Does your software come with data?
  • Yes. DFMA® ships with libraries for materials, machines, operations, and process parameters so you can complete DFA and DFM studies out of the box. These libraries are fully editable, allowing you to align rates and options with your own manufacturing footprint or supply base. All library data is stored in XML format and can be updated either via the user interface or external tools. For global costing, DFMA Global Manufacturing Profiles add country-level data you can layer on top of your internal rates.
  • How often do you update the data libraries used by the software?
  • We review and update the standard DFMA libraries periodically, focusing on process assumptions and typical cost drivers. In practice, machine and operator rates change more slowly than many users expect, while raw material prices are often governed by customer-specific contracts. DFMA therefore lets you maintain your own rates and profiles—either by editing libraries directly or by using Global Manufacturing Profiles as a starting point for regional cost inputs.
  • Can the software take advantage of information from 3D CAD models?
  • Yes. DFMA® supports import of standard CAD formats such as STEP, STL, and IGES. In Product Simplification (DFA), CAD is primarily used to capture basic envelope dimensions and part relationships. In DFM Concurrent Costing, additional geometry and feature details from CAD can be mapped to cost-driver inputs, reducing manual data entry and improving consistency. Users can also select features directly on the model where supported.
  • Should I expect a supplier quote to match the cost estimate I generate in DFM Concurrent Costing®?
  • Not exactly. DFM Concurrent Costing® estimates are intended to represent the manufacturing cost burden to a supplier, not the final price they choose to quote. Market conditions, commercial strategy, and contract terms all influence quoted prices. In practice, DFM results are most powerful as a fact-based reference point for design tradeoffs and supplier negotiations, highlighting where genuine cost-reduction potential exists.
  • What kind of support is available if I encounter issues while using the software?
  • We offer comprehensive support services to assist users with any issues they encounter while using the software. Support options include online resources such as user manuals and video tutorials, as well as direct support via email and phone. Our technical support team is staffed with experienced professionals who understand both DFMA methodology and the software tools. Our goal is to ensure that users have the resources and guidance they need to use the software effectively.
  • Can DFMA® software be customized to fit specific industry needs?
  • Yes. DFMA® software is highly customizable and can be configured to meet the specific needs of different industries and applications. Common customizations include company-specific data libraries, preferred process sets, tailored cost reports, and integration with other internal systems. Our team works closely with customers to understand their requirements and implement configurations that maximize the value of DFMA in their environment.
  • How long does it typically take to become proficient in using DFMA® software?
  • The time to proficiency varies based on individual experience, the complexity of your projects, and the level of training undertaken. After a focused training class and a handful of real-world projects, most users become comfortable with the workflows within a few weeks. Teams that embed DFMA® into their standard development process and continue to apply it to new products typically build deeper expertise over several months.

    • Technical

  • What are the system requirements for your software?
  • Please refer to the bottom of our Support page for current PC system requirements. This page provides detailed information on the hardware and software specifications needed to run DFMA® software effectively. Ensuring that your environment meets these requirements will help you achieve optimal performance and avoid potential issues.
  • Does your software use a database?
  • No. The software does not use a central database to store analysis data. Each analysis is saved as a separate DFA or DFM file that can contain numerous parts or products. The only centralized data storage is in the material, machine, operations, and process parameters libraries, which do not track user-generated analysis results. This file-based approach provides flexibility and allows organizations to manage their analysis data according to their own security and archival policies.
  • Does Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. monitor or have any form of access to user activity/data?
  • No. There is no line of communication between the DFMA® software and Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. We only have access to analysis files or libraries if a user chooses to provide them as part of a support or consulting engagement. In those cases, we typically operate under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). User privacy and data security are of utmost importance to us, and we take all necessary measures to protect the confidentiality of customer data.
  • Can DFMA® software be deployed as a cloud application?
  • Yes. The data libraries used by the software and the license server can both be hosted in cloud locations, and DFMA® can run in many virtualization or cloud-hosted Windows environments. Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. does not currently provide a hosted service or manage cloud deployments on behalf of customers, but we can offer guidance to IT teams on typical deployment patterns and compatibility considerations.
  • Does DFMA® include global manufacturing cost data?
  • Yes. DFMA Global Manufacturing Profiles provide country-level manufacturing cost inputs—such as typical wages, overheads, energy, and related factors—for 20+ major manufacturing centers worldwide. These profiles integrate with DFMA: Should Costing, enabling engineers and sourcing teams to compare should-costs and total landed costs by region, including tariff effects, and to explore “where to make” decisions early in design.

What is DFMA®?

Learn how DFMA® simplifies parts and processes to cut total cost and time-to-market, and see typical outcomes from real-world projects.

more >

DFMA® Software and Services | Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc.