WAKEFIELD, RI, Sep 20, 2017 – Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc., developer of internationally recognized Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) software, announces the availability of DFM Concurrent Costing, Version 3.0. Deployed as a cost-analysis tool for engineering and procurement teams, the latest software allows manufacturers to move beyond “price” models, based largely on past bids, to industrial cost models grounded in scientific test data and studies. The result is a highly reliable “should cost” view of the product that offers insight into hidden cost drivers and ways to optimize both design and production.

Machining: DFM Concurrent Costing 3.0 software from Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. is calculating the optimum machining time and cost for a rough cylindrical turning operation for a stainless-steel part. Recommended cutting speeds and paths are automatically taken from the DFM library and applied to the hardness of the stock stainless steel. In the window to the lower center, a management report is shown for material, setup, process, and reject costs. A wide range of materials and process alternatives, along with primary cost drivers, can be reviewed on this page, often leading to significant savings.

DFM 3.0 allows OEMs and their suppliers to explore bids in a neutral framework where machine types, speeds, processing sequences and optimum levels of automation are discussed. This better-informed environment encourages supplier suggestions and deeper, integrated partnerships built around expertise, best-cost practices and shared goals.

The differences between traditional price models and data-driven cost models can be very significant, affecting decisions about what regions or countries a product is moved to for manufacturing. Properly designed and costed products are more likely to stay at their original manufacturing location and near existing resources. OEMs and suppliers can collaborate around DFM software to address these and other strategic issues.

Casting: DFM Concurrent Costing 3.0 software from Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. is calculating the optimum machining time and cost for a finished cylindrical boring operation for a stainless-steel sand cast part. Recommended cutting speeds are taken from the DFM library and applied to the hardness of the stock stainless steel. In the window to the left, a management report is shown comparing a steel machining option against a more favorable casting option. Material, setup, process, rejects and tooling costs are provided. Such comparisons often lead to significant savings.

DFM analysis – done early in design or during prototyping—reduces time-to-market, impacts direct and indirect costs, and helps optimize product functionality. It can be used by individuals or teams in making trade-off decisions to lower costs.

“We see a rise in procurement personnel joining engineering for the supplier phase of design review,” says Keith Gilligan, Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. business development manager. “To better serve this new group of users, we’ve enhanced our Manufacturing Profiles feature.  Now you can compare manufacturing costs across US geographic regions, and then to those in  China, with just a few clicks. With more emphasis these days by OEMs on supplier involvement and improved logistics, the Profiles are proving useful. Producing close to your markets is increasingly favored by manufacturers looking to reduce risks and realize stronger profits.”

Plastics: DFM Concurrent Costing 3.0 software from Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. is calculating the optimum processing time and molding equipment for the part geometry shown in the upper left. Many factors are evaluated such as cooling rates and cycle times. In this case, a Battenfeld system was selected, along with ABS material. The Executive Summary report in the center window reveals product life volume, batch size, total cost, piece part cost, and initial tooling investment. DFM 3.0 allows multiple processes and materials to be compared or eliminated for a given product geometry. Such comparisons can lead to significant cost savings.

Highlights of the latest version include:

• The geometry calculators in DFM 3.0 have been simplified and incorporated into the software’s main response panels so that users are more supportively guided through a DFM Cost analysis of their parts.
• The default manufacturing operations and user-based process libraries have been streamlined and a new Test View panel has been added to all the formula windows. Development of customized operations and user processes is faster and easier.
• The overall look and feel of DFM software has been updated to provide a more cohesive user experience between Design for Assembly (DFA) and DFM should costing.  Performance of the DFA/DFM software link has been improved for more seamless data integration between software packages.
• Data export of management reports and graphs has been improved so teams can more easily use these DFM Cost results in their spreadsheets and presentations.
• New batch processing features make it easier and faster to print or export multiple reports and graphs simultaneously. Multiple CAD models can also be batch processed and geometry imported simultaneously.

Sheet Metal: DFM Concurrent Costing 3.0 from Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc. is used above for comparing production of a two-part and single part, low-carbon sheet-steel component. Amada turret presses have been automatically selected as the optimum system for manufacturing both design approaches. The Life Volume report in the lower window compares the costs of each design based upon their production run. A wide range of materials and process alternatives, along with primary cost drivers, can be calculated in DFM 3.0, leading to innovation and significant savings.

“We’ve re-built the software architecture of DFM 3.0 with the most advanced, up-to-date development tools available,” said Gilligan.  “It’s faster and easier to do an analysis now because the calculations occur instantly.  The new architecture makes it easier to integrate with existing company resources, such as Manufacturing Resource Planning.”

“DFM Concurrent Costing has provided global manufacturers with the most accurate and detailed product cost information for almost two decades,” says Nick Dewhurst, executive vice president of Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc.  “Our methods for generating manufacturing costs continue to provide superior results and ROI over other approaches.”

Boothroyd Dewhurst Inc. is offering its DFMA Short Course: Product Simplification & Costing using Design for Manufacture and Assembly, in Boston, MA, October 18-19, 2017.

About Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc.

Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc., was the first company to commercialize Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) methodologies and software tools, which make it possible to evaluate, estimate, and reduce the manufacturing cost of a product in the design phase through product simplification and cost estimation. Hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies, including Dell, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and Kohler, use DFMA to cut the costs of their manufactured products and achieve design innovation in their markets. The company was founded in 1983 and received the National Medal of Technology Award in 1991.

For more information about DFMA software, visit www.dfma.com.