ABSTRACT
Design for assembly (DFA) should be considered at all stages of the design process, but especially during the early stages. As the design team conceptualizes alternative solutions, it should give serious consideration to the ease of assembly of the product or subassembly. The team requires a DFA tool to effectively analyze the ease of assembly of the products or subassemblies it designs. The design tool should provide quick results and be simple and easy to use. It should ensure consistency and completeness in its evaluation of product assemblability. It should also eliminate subjective judgment from design assessment, allow free association of ideas, enable easy comparison of alternative designs, ensure that solutions are evaluated logically, identify assembly problem areas, and suggest alternative approaches for simplifying the product structure-thereby reducing manufacturing and assembly costs.
