DFA-SPDP, a new DFA method to improve the assembly during all the product development phases

Abstract

Design for Assembly (DFA) methodologies help the designer to take into account the assembly process during the development phases of a product (specifications, conceptual design and detailed design), thus improving the assembly process of the product. After a bibliographic review, it is verified that the most extended DFA methodologies are: Boothroyd-Dewhurst method, Lucas method, Hitachi AEM method and Modified Westinghouse method. All these methodologies help to achieve improvements in some of the development phases, but none of them assist the designer in all the phases of the process. This article presents a DFA methodology that considers the assembly process of a product during all the phases of its development (DFA-SPDP). For this purpose, DFA-SPDP method is created from the four most widespread methodologies. This methodology brings together the main quantitative parameters of the four methodologies in a single method. As a conclusion, applying DFA-SPDP method, the designer is supported throughout the process of developing a product, with information equivalent to that resulting from the application of the four methodologies.