Page 54 - DMGT501_OPERATIONS_MANAGEMENT

Operations Management

Notes 3. Design parts for multi-use
4. Avoid separate fasteners
5. Eliminate adjustments
6. Design for top-down assembly

7. Design for minimum handling
8. Avoid tools
9. Minimize sub-assemblies
10. Use standard parts when possible

11. Simplify operations
12. Design for efficient and adequate testing
13. Use repeatable and understood processes
14. Analyze failures

15. Rigorously assess value
DFM is a team-based approach that involves everyone associated with the development process.

Example: The US Navy's modeling and simulation processes for the Virginia-class
submarine reduced the standard parts list from 95,000 items for the earlier Seawolf-class
submarine, to 16,000 items.
DFX - Design for 'X': DFX is a special case of DFM, where a certain area, say 'X' is selected for
attention. Improvements in 'X' are proposed after detailed analysis of the process by a team of
cross-functional experts. The performance measures are established and items are identified
that will simplify the process and at the same time provide value to the customer.

Example: Escorts Ltd., a company that was making heating elements for electrical kettles.
The holder that screwed on the element to the kettle was made as a casting. The casting had to be
pre-machined, sized, cut and turned before it was ready for threading.

The technical requirements were not critical, as the function of the part was to protect the
consumer from contact with the electrical contacts and guide the external socket to the
corresponding part of the heating element. Standard tubes were found that met the dimensional
requirements for the component. This greatly simplified the process, avoided a number of
operations, reduced the number of parts, and also reduced costs.

Task Enlist a few companies that produce both customized and standardised
products. Name their products in each category.

2.11 Service Design

Services can be classified on the basis of the degree of contact with the customer. The extent of
customer contact can be defined as the percentage of time the customer must be in the system
relative to the time it takes to perform the customer service.

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