8 Chapter 1

FIG. 1.6 Effects of DFMA and CE on product cost at Hewlett Packard. (Adapted from
Ref. 11.)

1.2 HOW DOES DFMA WORK?

Let's follow an example from the conceptual design stage. Figure 1.7 represents a
motor drive assembly that is required to sense and control its position on two steel
guide rails. The motor must be fully enclosed for aesthetic reasons and have a
removable cover to provide access to adjustment of the position sensor. The
principal requirements are a rigid base designed to slide up and down with guide
rails that will both support the motor and locate the sensor. The motor and sensor
have wires connecting to a power supply and control unit, respectively.
A proposed solution is shown in Fig. 1.8, where the base is provided with two
bushings to provide suitable friction and wear characteristics. The motor is
secured to the base with two screws and a hole accepts the cylindrical sensor,
which is held in place with a set screw. The motor base and sensor are the only
items necessary for operation of the device. To provide the required covers, an
end plate is screwed to two standoffs, which are screwed into the base. This end
plate is ®tted with a plastic bushing through which the connecting wires pass.
Finally, a box-shaped cover slides over the whole assembly from below the base
and is held in place by four screws, two passing into the base and two into the end
cover.
There are two subassemblies, the motor and the sensor, which are required
items, and, in this initial design, there are eight additional main parts and nine
screws making a total of nineteen items to be assembled.