I believe friends in the engineering industry should be familiar with the DFM feasibility assessment report.
Feasibility assessment reports are commonly mentioned in the product domain, such as in electronics, plastic injection molding, and component manufacturing factories.
Essentially, it is a report assessing the feasibility of implementing a proposed manufacturing project. The content includes design reviews, process challenges, clarification of product requirements, and more.
What content should a professional feasibility assessment report possess?
I, as a professional in the plastic mold industry, share my experience with everyone. The main points are summarized as follows:
1. Introduction
a. Product drawings in 2D, 3D, and drawing numbers are presented to represent the scope of this evaluation, including explicit specifications. This is to inform the client that the review is based on these drawings.
b. Overview of the Manufacturing Process: If the product involves pre and post processes, a simple flowchart can be created. This is generally used to illustrate key steps, production equipment, and technologies used.
2. Mold Assessment
a. Mold Type
Mold Type Evaluation
-Two-Plate Mold / Three-Plate Mold
-Use of Hot Runners
-Number of Cavities
-Mold Frame Material
-Core Material
-Injection Method
-Estimated Mold Lifespan
-Ejection Method
b. Product Evaluation
Includes displaying the finished product's weight, parting line position, gate location, and a simplified mold layout. More detailed suggestions could include a mold flow analysis, but typically DFM (Design for Manufacturability) is used for preliminary evaluations. Mold flow analysis is more complex and should be proposed only if time permits or if requested by the client.
3. Design Review
Design review encompasses a more diverse range of aspects, primarily focused on addressing issues.Focuses on design issues and the rationality of inspection criteria.
a. Tooling Review
Suggest appropriate product structure modifications for mold opening, such as marking the positions for mold release, chamfering, addressing undercuts or any structures that hinder mold opening. Also, raise any issues with the choice of material for the finished product. All the above aspects require proposed amendments.
b. Specification Review
Dimensions too stringent, issues in tolerance design, measurements unfeasible with the current methodology, or any dimensional specifications that are unattainable.
c. Cosmetic Review
Identify potential locations for burrs, estimate burr quantity, gate residue, pinhole positions, and cavity number markings. Also, address overly stringent aesthetic specifications, such as unachievable mirror finishes.
4.Surface Texture Marking
Surface textures on various faces of the finished product resulting from manufacturing processes, such as EDM with VDI-18; polished surfaces like SPI-B1, and so on.
e. Reliability Testing Review
Determine if standards are excessively rigorous or specific tests are impractical.
No need for extensive explanations, just state the issues and suggest modifications. Generally, it's advisable not to disclose too much information about in-house process capabilities. Also, for brevity, and since there will be a review meeting, focus discussions on aspects of concern to the client.
4. Shipping Instructions
Provide visual guides and succinct descriptions for packaging and containerization, ensuring client approval.
The DFM report's key purpose for the client is to aid in quotation preparation. Thus, it should encompass not only product design concerns but also major cost-influencing factors. Focus on mold opening evaluation, shipping details, and identifying overly rigorous specifications is crucial.
Of course, a more detailed DFM is feasible, but the focus here is on preliminary quotation assessment, aiming for rapid execution without compromising quality.
