Questions raised here include: Are there similar components on other products that can be combined to provide purchasing volume leverage What about alternate components, Not-Recommended-for-New-Design components, RoHs compliant, obsolete components, Lead-Times, etc.Additionally, many high-complexity and high-reliability product designs cannot tolerate field failures or high manufacturing scrap rates so DFQ (Design-for-Quality) is also a critical aspect of a product strategy.The DFX (Design-for-Excellence) process then brings these four primary disciplines together into a complete product strategy, taking their synergies in consideration for maximum product design and life-cycle performance.
There are many compelling reasons for doing a DFX review as an integrated process with your design and NPI process. When properly integrated into the project timeline, the amount of time and resources is minimal compared to the normal product development cycle. In the rush to get a product quickly to market, many product companies lack the necessary tools, methodology and collaboration expertise to bring all necessary functions (Supply Chain, Quality, Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, After-Market Services, Logistics) to make the DFX a natural extension of the product development process. DFX Benefits: The Designed For Excellence process has many benefits. Some of the obvious benefits include: Product Material Cost Reductions Lead Time Reductions Quality Improvements Product Risk Reductions The benefits of DFX are realized over the product life-cycle and can greatly impact competitiveness and market growth. Other benefits such as increased customer satisfaction, cost avoidance on recalls, and overall value creation are staggering to an organization long-term. ![]() Is your product design team ready for the Designed For Excellence process The following process outlines an approach that was develop ed and successfully deployed on several products at a leading electronics contract manufacturer. Developing Product Strategy: The DFX process starts with a detailed product strategy analysis. The product strategy analysis is often overlooked, but it is a critical enabler for many of the decisions that will need to be made in the individual reviews and will help to resolve conflicts of sub-optimization. Gathering Product Information: The product strategy analysis starts with the gathering of critical information in a checklist of questions that the DFX team must ask prior to starting the Design For Excellence process. The product design team will have some of the answers, however much of the information will need to be gathered from various departments. These departments include marketing, raw material suppliers, quality logistics, and management groups responsible for the product. The product strategy includes market, product specific information, importexport costs, supply-chain, fulfillment, test, manufacturing, quality systems, and product servicing. This information gathering and overall product strategy formation is a critical first step in setting up the supply chain, manufacturing, and global fulfillment strategies. General Technical Product Strategy: Developing a General Product Strategy is a key ingredient in the product strategy analysis. Questions regarding the expected life of a product, upgrades, and variations supported, cost targets, and aesthetic requirements for packaging, and more, will need to be answered. Product-specific information is specific details about the product. Is the product new or a subsequent revision of an existing product Is it a component, subsystem or complex systems integration product The answers to these and other product specific questions will lead you down the path of gathering critical pieces of information about the product being considered for DFX. Product Fulfillment Strategy: The product fulfillment strategy includes questions about the end customer and the overall product market landscape. Where will target customers be located geographically If the customer demand is dispersed, what minimum volumes are requirements for shipments What about tariffs, harmonized codes, intellectual property (IP), or trade agreements for each geographic location What are the customers delivery and availability expectations Do weight and size affect logistics costs Are options available for different configurations ordered Formalizing the supply chain with the lowest total cost will depend greatly on getting accurate answers for fulfillment and market requirements to address a competitive Global Product Fulfillment Strategy. Raw Material Strategy: The raw materials strategy is roughly defined during the product strategy analysis and will be further refined during the product Design for CostsComponents (DFC).
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