Abstract
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
(DFMA) principles are aimed at ‘doing it right the first time’
in the minimum possible time with the least or optimal
number of parts. However, this depends on the operating
environment and thus differs from place to place. This
normally presents challenges to engineers tasked with
product development, compounded by poor macro-economic
conditions. Research carried out at a boilermaking company
in Zimbabwe at a time when the country was facing an
economic crisis revealed that due to inadequate
infrastructure, the company would have lost the potential to
supply ethanol storage tanks. The research was aimed at
exploring the potential and maximizing the economic value of
DFMA by modifying them to suit the environment and in so
doing, helped the company to secure the business opportunity
for the sustainable production and supply of storage tanks.