Advanced Development (AD) is the “sandbox” between classical research and development (R&D) and Product Development (PD). Living in this grey zone, engineers in AD are typically in a role where they mitigate risk on technology being released from an R&D environment. Why this intermediate AD activity? The output from research teams still needs a good bit of work to prove its readiness for a production-ready development effort. When teams are on a product development track, the cost of failure is high. Scheduling risks can have a huge impact on company reputation, with cost overruns rippling through all facets of an organization. One way to maximize the value of the output from AD teams is to integrate Design for Manufacturing (DFM) thinking or planning into the process.

The Value of DFM Thinking

Having the output from the AD team that incorporates DFM thinking means the results of their effort can be more readily utilized by product development teams. When the AD team considers how the technology can be transformed into a producible, cost-efficient and high value product, the product development team can more rapidly convert the AD output into the final product design. It is about efficiency. When the AD team output is more ready to use, the PD team will not need to step back in the concept to convert a conceptually proven design into one that is both functional and producible.

When to Inject DFM Thinking?

Early and often. AD teams typically will start with the results of research that has a potential product goal. While the risk of failure is certainly higher and more tolerated in an AD team than a PD team, having a sense of how the technology will be converted into a manufacturable design helps to reject or advance concepts towards a viable product. While one does not want to excessively restrict the creative process involved in AD, understanding high level goals of the product usage, cost, potential user needs and volume targets enables the results from the AD team to be used more efficiently downstream.

Enablers to DFM Thinking

While AD team members are often selected for their highly advanced technical competencies, it is helpful if they have served in roles where they have been part of a product development team, or even a manufacturing engineering team. This kind of experience gives the engineer or designer an immersive exposure into the pressures and issues unique to delivering a manufacturable design. Without this kind of thinking in the AD process, AD staff members are likely to be viewed as providing output by “throwing something over the wall.” If the AD team members are not deep in DFM thinking, having access (formally or informally) to team members in the PD or manufacturing engineering worlds can help them sanity check what they are doing to ensure they working on an efficient path.

Bridging the Gap

One way to improve the readiness of AD output to be used downstream in PD environments is for the AD team leadership engaged in understanding and contributing to establishment of mid and long term strategic goals for the business unit. Having the AD team connected in this process means the output is more likely to be aligned with the business unit goals. After all, there needs to eventually be a “home” for the technology produced through an AD team.

We are all in this field to help create great products that delight our customers, and generate business value to our companies. By being efficient in incorporating DFM thinking into the AD process, we put our companies on a faster track towards product launch. Providing product development teams with a more manufacturable output has the added benefit of sustaining a productive and collaborative relationship between the output from the AD team and its internal customers in PD.

Mitch is the President and Co-Founder of Intelligent Product Solutions (IPS), a company that delivers a new model for software and hardware product development, integrating the full spectrum of design and engineering disciplines as a single source solution. Always espousing a hands-on approach to design, he holds a portfolio of United States and international patents and has more than 30 years of product design experience. Mitch can be reached at mitchm@ips-yes.com.

Edited by Stefania Viscusi