Plastic part design

Using DfM During Product Development to Control Part Costs and Quality

1 min read

Updated: 03/06/2019

It’s generally accepted that roughly 80% of a part’s total cost is determined during the design/development phase, and cannot be reduced – or is extremely difficult and expensive to change – once the design is finalized. However, by utilizing a Design for Manufacturability (DfM) approach and the specialized expertise of a plastics engineer, deliberate design decisions can be made to help manage/reduce total part and production costs.

Focus on Product Development

Product development is an area where the value of partnering with an injection molder with experience in DfM really shines. Specially trained DfM engineers come alongside the design team to evaluate the processes necessary to optimize all facets of manufacturing for a particular project, with in-depth scrutiny of:

Potential moldability issues within the part design
Part design modifications to simplify tooling
Opportunities for appropriate materials substitutions to enhance part quality and/or reduce overall costs

Further, since DfM is based on project-specific details, the production and cost efficiencies are “real world” and can be readily applied to a project. Questions are answered upfront about:

Tolerances
Functionality
Tooling
Materials performance
Potential operational constraints

DfM and Injection Molded Plastic Parts and Components

For injection molded plastic parts and components, DfM is instrumental in informing design decisions well before they impact project quality and costs, including:

Less reliance on secondary operations, such as assembly or finishing
Minimizing wall thickness whenever possible
Using gates designed for insertion into the thickest part wall with minimal to no trimming
Incorporating adequate draft to ensure proper release from the mold
Accommodating generous radii at part geometry intersections to enhance melt flow and reduce stress

Designing a part with a focus on manufacturability is a proven strategy for reducing costs, preventing rework and improving time to market. The relationship manufacturers choose to pursue with an injection molder will dictate how well DfM is integrated into the process, and the level of collaboration between the two will define success.

Kaysun is committed to true partnerships, and we lend our expertise to every phase of a project including the most expensive part — tooling. Learn more in our eBook, Tooling Design for Injection Molding. Click the button below to access your copy now.

About the Author: Ken Glassen Nearly four decades of plastics and plastics engineering expertise gives Ken the knowledge, experience, and insights necessary to lead design and engineering teams to successful outcomes for even the most complex injection molding projects.