Challenging the Conventions of DfM

It’s that DfM time of year again. Not that DfM is specific to any time of year, but NMI’s annual event on this topic is coming up this week in Bristol. Entitled “Application Aware – Challenging DfM Conventions”, it promises a focus on the end product, and includes speakers from the Telecommunications Industry.

I am pleased to see there is a panel session on “Philosophy of DfM – Significantly More Than Tools”. My personal philosophy of Design for Manufacture, or any element of Design for X (DfX), is that it is dependent on a mindset – a mindset that encompasses the entire product creation cycle. In a climate of increased outsourcing it is easy to lose a sense of how Design, Test, Manufacture, Reliability, and Analysis are all inextricably linked.

Design for Manufacture begins at the Design stage, although strictly speaking I would say it begins in the Study Phase as in my view there needs to be a strategy in place from the outset of the project. It is not simply a case of applying tools (or design rules) but taking into account data from similar projects, including known issues with the end product.
NMI’s DfM event takes place on Thursday 12 November at ST Microelectronics / ST Ericsson in Bristol.
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DfX Associates (comprising Reliability Consultancy Limited and DfT Solutions Limited) will be attending the event, where I will be exhibiting with my colleague Eric Cormack. Please come and see us if you would like to have a chat about any aspect of Design for Manufacture.