Abstract
M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
Manufacturing challenges originate from product design requirements that exceed available technology and manufacturing capabilities, or from assembly requirements that represent limitations to the ease at which product manufacture may occur. These challenges result in engineering designs having to be constantly modified to match technology or process capabilities. In order for manufacturing companies to attain competitiveness through their engineering design activities, adopting the design for manufacture and assembly philosophy is paramount. It is a philosophy that is capable of bridging the gap that exists in understanding manufacturing related challenges for more efficient and cost effective operations. Various design guidelines and considerations were evaluated to develop a design for manufacture and assembly framework, with the purpose of providing a common language between designers and the manufacturing engineers. Current manufacturing technologies were evaluated as a means of elaborating on the needs, challenges and opportunities in industry better. Data was collected to validate the framework by means of communication case studies between design departments, industry specialists and manufacturing workshops during site visits. The concept of the design for manufacture and assembly framework should have the potential of being applied on a global scale for companies, willing to outsource manufacturing work internationally.