Reduce the number of parts
- Each additional part increases the chance of an assembly error – reducing the number of parts is an effective quality management strategy
- Part consolidation reduces the cost of stocking, reordering, and tracking parts
- Evaluating the materials specified and the way parts can help you find part consolidation opportunities
Design for easy fabrication and assembly
- Avoid right-hand/left-hand parts – when possible, design products so that parts can function as either
Avoid designing parts that require orientation in the assembly process
- Parts that do not have to be oriented for assembly can help avoid quality problems. This can be as simple as drilling additional holes in a part. Often the extra cost of making parts symmetrical can pay for itself many times over.
Specify optimal tolerances
- Feature-by-feature assessment of tolerance requirements can help determine where tight tolerances are specified unnecessarily, adding unnecessary cost to your project
Determining Materials to Specify
- Careful evaluation of material options against application requirements can result in considerable cost savings.
- Although cost per pound needs to be factored in, processing and manufacturability considerations often are a bigger consideration in determining overall project cost.
Finishes
- All too often exterior finish requirements are carried through to interior parts unnecessarily.
- Finish requirements should be evaluated closely to determine if they make the most sense for your project.