USING THE CASE METHOD TO FACILITATE LEARNING OF DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING AND COST

Abstract

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) is anintegral methodology for product development that aimsto simplify the manufacturing process, increaseproductivity, and minimize costs while maintainingproduct quality. DFMA is often difficult since significantmanufacturing knowledge is required. The importance ofDFMA is underlined by the fact that a large portion ofproduct manufacturing costs (materials, processing,assembly and indirect costs) is determined by early designdecisions. Therefore, it is important for engineeringstudents to understand the limiting factors and practicesrelevant to the application of DFMA. Although DFMAconcepts can be taught through conventional lecturemethods, true understanding of this multi-faceted andhighly integrated strategy requires real-world practice.The case method provides an effective pedagogicalapproach to help students understand and fullyappreciate the complexity of engineering practice, gainexperience and develop the skills necessary to deal withthis complexity, and make connections between varioustopics in their undergraduate curriculum. In this paperwe describe the effort taken in Mechanical Engineering atthe University of Waterloo (UW) to develop andimplement case studies to address this gap.