MAIN PROJECT and E-PORTFOLIO

Design for Manufacturability (ME 270)

Fall 2018

Compiled by Dr. Leon Liebenberg, in collaboration with

Bharath Raghavan, Amir Amiri, Nattasit Dancholvichit, Chi-Ting Lee,
Alex Pagano, Feri Sabet, Alan Papalia, and Jasvir Virdi

Oct 2018

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A. BACKGROUND

Each team will do one comprehensive Main Project based on re-design for manufacturability. Every
2 weeks or so, team members will submit progress reports. The final project deliverable will be a
team e-portfolio that covers all aspects of the team project.
Main Project deliverable due dates and times
Lab week Deliverable Aspects to be covered in deliverable
(see pages 4 – 11 of this document)
Sept 14, Submit your team’s completed “Project Selection” form on Compass -
by 10 a.m. in the “Main Project” folder
Sept 17, Upload the team’s fully completed “Purchase Order” form on -
by 6 p.m. Compass in the Main Project folder (follow online directions)
Monday Oct 8 Progress report #1 on Main Project; online submission by 8 a.m. #1, #2, #3
Thursday Oct 18 Progress report #2 on Main Project; online submission by midnight #4, #5, #6, #7; #8, #9
Thursday Nov 15 Progress report #3 on Main Project; online submission by midnight #10, #11, #12, #13
Thursday Nov 29 Progress report #4 on Main Project; online submission by midnight #14, #15, #16, #17
Thursday Dec 6 Final project e-portfolios; online submission by midnight

The top 5 projects (as adjudicated by the instructor and the teaching assistants) will be invited to
present their e-portfolios to the rest of the class. The class will vote for a best team project and the
winning team will receive an award.
Main project grade breakdown:
- Four progress reports: 50%
- E-portfolio: 50%
The Main Project grade will contribute 20% to your final grade.

B. MAIN PROJECT: Re-design for Manufacturability

Perform a detailed re-design for manufacturability of an existing product. You will redesign at least
one important component or sub-assembly in this product to make for improved manufacturing and
assembly. The redesigned component/s must then be fabricated in the Innovation Studio or in the
MechSE workshops. You cannot spend more than $50 on fabricating this improved design. (Each
team will be provided with a cash card that is redeemable only in the Innovation Studio, where you
will do the necessary fabrication.) Your project work must then be detailed in your team’s e-
portfolio.
For the above task, find a mechanical or electromechanical product that costs less than $40. (Each
team will be provided with a cash amount that must be used for purchasing this product.) A list is
provided on the next page of 20 acceptable products. If you wish to purchase products from this list,
then you must provide your teaching assistant with your top 3 preferred products. Only 3 teams per
product will be allowed; the instructor will allocate products to teams. If you do not want to select
products from the list below, then you should suggest to the instructor a product which you and your
team would like to purchase. The instructor must give his approval before you make any purchases.
Note: The purchased product remains the property of the UIUC upon completion of your project, as
the UIUC will pay for it.

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List of acceptable products that need to be redesigned
a. AZIO KB505U Large Print Tri-Color LED USB Keyboard.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=azio%20large%20print%20keyboard&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&T
op+Nav-Search=
b. Celestron 10x25 EclipSmart Solar Binoculars.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=celestron%20eclipsmart&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-
Search=
c. Mxy Kikker wind-up toy. https://www.amazon.com/MxyKikker-Wind-Up-
Toy/dp/B00WAK1NWW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1536350676&sr=8-5&keywords=kikkerland+toy
d. Crank-Action Hand Drill. https://www.mcmaster.com/#hand-drills/=1e309rj
e. Create-your-own-hammer. https://www.mcmaster.com/#hammers/=1ebfmzr
f. HUBSAN X4 Plus H107P Quadcopter.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=hubsan%20x4%20plus%20h107p&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ps
g. Mini flashlight. https://www.mcmaster.com/#flashlights/=1e30fd2
h. OctoPad Universal Weighted Support Base. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1382718-
REG/octopus_camera_ca_001_octopad_universal_high_stability.html
i. Office stapler. https://www.mcmaster.com/#staplers/=1e30ax8
j. Plier clamp. https://www.mcmaster.com/#pliers/=1e30h2k
k. Push-button switch. https://www.mcmaster.com/#electrical-controls/=1e30g2p
l. Push-to-Grip Suction-Cup Lifters. https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-suction-cups/=1e30ilh
m. Retracting Rotary-Blade Utility Knife. https://www.mcmaster.com/#shears/=1e30mwm
n. Revo Bluetooth Selfie Stick. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1174261-
REG/revo_ac_ssb200_bluetooth_selfie_stick.html
o. Scosche boomBARS Wireless Speaker for Bikes.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=scoschke%20boombars&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-
Search=
p. Spieltek VR-M1 Virtual Reality Smartphone Headset. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1274668-
REG/spieltek_vr_m1_virtual_reality_smartphone.html?sts=pi
q. Tacklife SDP50DC Cordless Rechargeable Screwdriver. https://www.amazon.com/Tacklife-SDP50DC-Cordless-
Rechargeable-Screwdriver/dp/B073536KXJ/ref=gbps_img_s-
4_f585_6cc13fec?smid=A2AOEXJSX641Z1&pf_rd_p=15778096-ff9e-4630-9c8c-f54d9cd5f585&pf_rd_s=slot-
4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_main&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=KDR60DBYQA53JH833JGG
r. Verbatim Commuter Series Mini Travel Mouse. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1300257-
REG/verbatim_98113_mini_travel_optical_mouse.html
s. VicTsing Aluminium Garden Hose Spray Nozzle. https://www.amazon.com/VicTsing-Aluminium-Adjustable-Watering-
Resistant/dp/B07DWH5RL9/ref=gbps_img_s-4_f585_39cd8a09?smid=A14L9DIA3NK9B0&pf_rd_p=15778096-ff9e-4630-
9c8c-f54d9cd5f585&pf_rd_s=slot-
4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_main&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=C4ECJ82D81BX11G6XKNB
t. XYZprinting da Vinci 3D Pen. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1268170-
REG/xyzprinting_3n10xxus00e_da_vinci_3d_pen.html

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Aspects to cover in your Main Project (adapted from: Philpott, M. Design for Manufacture
and Assembly):
1. Disassemble the product and take Example: Bill of Materials for an office stapler
pictures as you go along. Make a
Bill of Materials indicating the
Part Number (e.g. “4”), Part Name
(e.g. “screw”), Quantity (e.g.
“10”), and Notes (e.g. “brass self-
tapping”). Also produce a drawing
showing an exploded view of the
product,
and a
product
tree
analysis.

Example: Exploded view of a camping stove, detailing salient components

and sub-assemblies

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2. Obtain technical specifications and data from manufacturers’ websites and search
market data (e.g. trade journals) for your specific product as well as its main
competitors. For your product, estimate current sales volume and market share, and
make some market predictions (guess as necessary).
3. Estimate the manufacturing cost based on sales price or other available information
(e.g. 1/3rd of sales price). Also, identify where the designers of your product intently
used design-for-manufacturability techniques (and identify the specific techniques) to
improve manufacturing cost, function and quality.
4. Develop a Quality Function Deployment, QFD (or “House of Quality”) matrix to
identify key customer requirements and to translate them into quantified design
requirements; and to establish how well your product and competing products satisfy
these requirements (and where they fall short). Complete all “rooms” of the QFD
“house” (use Excel, Google ‘free QFD Excel templates’, or QFD software).
Hints: There are many free software tools / templates available to help you draw a
QFD matrix, e.g. https://www.edrawsoft.com/qfdtool.php
http://qfdpro.com/qfd_template_free.html

Example: House of Quality

(or QFD) for an office
stapler

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5. Create a raw list of customer requirements
(list everything you can think of) with Example: Needs statement for an electric wok
subjective phrases and statements, no
objective metrics/numbers/values. Be sure
to also consider aesthetics. Refine the list
into about 5 ‘most important’ customer
requirements and add them to the QFD
chart. Add Customer Importance ratings for
each of these (next column). Translate these
to a set of ‘Design Requirements’ (across
the top of the matrix). These must be
measurable; include units of measure and a
target value (you can guess something
‘sensible’). It usually requires between 1-3
design requirements to sufficiently capture
and translate a customer requirement into
suitable metrics.
6. Add the “Direction for Improvement”. Fill
in the matrix of relationships using symbols
or numbers. Include your assessment of
Technical Difficulty / Newness. Complete
the absolute and relative importance
analysis. Identify the top three design
requirements and comment on their
validity. Complete Customer rating and
technical benchmarking sections. For the
technical benchmarking you can be creative
and use best guesses. You should do actual
physical tests on your product (and on a
competitor’s product, if available).
7. Considering your QFD findings, identify areas to concentrate your design effort to
achieve improved market share based on design for manufacturability. Therefore,
consider ease of manufacture (fabricability and assemblability), cost of manufacture,
methods-of-manufacture (as process operations and steps or operations and sequence),
and producability (to facilitate faster production rates and better yield, with fewer
rejections).

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8. Develop a comprehensive Product Primary elements (“trigger points”) of a PDS
Design Specification (PDS) for the
new product model and proposed AESTHETICS
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY TESTING

new manufacturing system. List all COMPANY

CONSTRAINTS
PROCESSES

28 “trigger points” and use them as ERGONOMICS

QUALITY &
RELIABILTY
DISPOSAL
MARKET
SIZE & WEIGHT
CONSTRAINTS

headings, as numbered (i.e. 1-28). CUSTOMER TIMESCALES

SAFETY MAINTENAMCE

STANDARDS PRODUCT SHELF LIFE

PRODUCT
LIFE SPAN PERFORMANCE
ETHICS &
SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT
TARGET
MATERIALS QUANTITY PRODUCT LIFE IN
COST SERVICE

MANUFACTURING SHIPPING
FACILITY
COMPETITION PACKAGING

9. Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) analysis:

- Manufacturing Analysis:
o Using your bill of materials Excel spreadsheet, add columns for
“Manufacturing Process” and “Material”.
o Evaluate each physical part one by one and complete these two
columns. If unsure, ask manufacturing/material experts or Mr Kyle
Cheek (Mechanical Engineering Laboratory), as available. For off-the-
shelf items such as fasteners, bearings, springs, electronics, etc., write
“purchased” in the ‘Manufacturing Process’ column. If multiple
processes are required list the process routing in order; e.g. Sand Cast-
Machine-Heat Treat-Paint. Under “material” include the grade (e.g.
plastic-ABS, sheet steel - 1020CR, etc.).
o In the Notes column add comments if you see a part or feature that
may have additional cost implications.
- DFA Analysis:
o Analyze the existing design using DFA analysis.

Typical criteria in a DFA analysis (Otto and Wood)

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 o Add an additional column to your bill of material Excel spreadsheet
“Opportunity to Combine or Eliminate?” (As in Table I, DFA section
of Chapter 12 of your text book.)
o Ask the DFA questions in Chapter 12 of your text book of each part to
identify opportunities for simplification by reducing the number of
parts.
o What are (a) the Number of Parts in the assembly, and (b) the
“Theoretical Minimum Number of Parts” in the assembly?
o Add any ideas that you have for combining and/or eliminating parts in
the “Notes” column of your spreadsheet.

10. CAD modeling of the Existing Product

- Develop a CAD model for the main part under investigation (e.g., the fuselage
of a radio-controlled quadcopter – do not try and CAD the entire aircraft!).
This CAD model should be to sufficient level of detail for aPriori cost
analysis. The model will not be manufactured and there is no need for
engineering drawings, however, details such as correct wall thickness, and
appropriately shelled out features to reflect true volume of material need to be
included. Purchased off-the-shelf items can be downloaded or if not available,
outline modeled.
- Develop an Assembly model of your product; use sub-assemblies where
appropriate. Detailed hand-drawn sketches may be used to complement your
CAD drawing of the main part under investigation.
11. Manufacturing Cost Analysis of the Existing Product
- Run each of your manufactured Screenshot from an aPriori costing analysis
part files (i.e. not purchased
parts) through aPriori using
the identified material and
manufacturing processes in
your bill of materials
spreadsheet. (Focus on the
main part under
investigation.)
Use aPriori to check how
minor changes in accuracy /
tolerances affect final cost.
Add columns to your
spreadsheet and copy across
the following summary cost
results for each part:
o Material Cost
o Piece Part Cost
o Total Amortized
Investments
o Fully Burdened Cost

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 o Total Capital Investments
- For each of your purchased parts, use catalog system such as
mcmastercarr.com to find a similar part with associated cost. In general,
consumer product companies will purchase directly from standard-part
manufacturers at a fraction of the price that you will find in these catalogs so
perhaps take ¼ of the price as a rough estimate. Add these values to the “Fully
Burdened Cost” row in your spreadsheet with zero in all the others.
- Run your assembly model through aPriori’s assembly module. Add an
Assembly Process row to your spreadsheet under the last part in your bill of
materials but before your ‘Totals’ row and copy across the “Amortized
Assembly Fully Burdened Cost” from aPriori to your bill of materials
spreadsheet in the Fully Burdened Cost column. Add the equations under each
cost column to the ‘Totals’ row.
- Briefly discuss your finding, including the following: Total manufacturing
costs and the sales price of this product. (Switch to another VPE, such as
China, if you think it better explains your results).
- Review your highest cost components, manufactured or off-the-shelf, and
consider particularly how these high-priced items may be combined or
eliminated in your new product.

12. Generate and Evaluate New Concepts

- Use your QFD analysis of the Customer Requirements and Competitor
Products, and your DFMA analyses, to help you brainstorm ideas for a new
competitive product. Each team member should sketch 3 ideas.
- Select the most promising ideas (say 3 to 5 or so) to develop more refined
designs, each sketched to the same level of detail. (Note: this is best done by
one person so that sketching style/quality does not play into the decision-
making process.)
- Create a Pugh Matrix, complete the analysis, select a concept and refine until
converged to a final solution.
Example: Pugh matrix for comparing 7 concept designs with a base design of
a cyclone dust collector

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13. CAD modeling of the New Product
- Develop full 3-D CAD model of your main redesigned part; show how this part will
be assembled with the whole product. This CAD model needs to be to sufficient
level of detail for accurate aPriori cost analysis.
- Show screenshots of the main part in your e-portfolio as well as some screenshots of
the assembly model both exploded and unexploded. (In case of complex products
such as a radio-controlled quadcopter, detailed hand sketches could be used in the
place of CAD drawings of the whole assembly.)

14. 1st Physical prototype of the redesigned component or sub-assembly

- Create the first prototype of your redesigned component or sub-assembly. Ideally this
will have some level of proof-of-principal functionality. Although a first prototype
has great value even if only a physical non-functional model, you are tasked with
having to develop a functioning first prototype. Use rapid prototyping and other
resources in the Innovation Studio and purchase off-the-shelf parts where required.
- Show descriptive photos of this prototype in your e-portfolio.

15. Perform a rudimentary design of experiment method to test your product with the
redesigned component (or sub-assembly).
- Step 1: Identify the performance variables, design variables, and uncontrolled factors.
State all high-level physical principles to clarify and understand the product testing.
- Step 2: Define the target values for the response and boundaries for the design
variables.
- Step 3: Plan the prototype testing by developing an experimental matrix, choosing the
number of trials, levels for each design variable, number of replicates, and how the
responses will be measured. Also, determine the experimental apparatus and methods
for eliminating uncontrolled variables.
- Step 4: Execute experiments by randomizing the trials and replicates; record the data to
the accuracy needed for the analysis.
- Step 5: Analyze the results by constructing a regression model or a response diagram/s.
Calculate the average of the variances of the replicates; determine the overall standard
deviation from the average variance and compare the standard deviation to coefficients
of the regression model. After determining the significant results, use the regression
model and/or graphs to make design changes to the redesigned component (or sub-
assembly).

16. Manufacturing Cost Analysis of your New Product

- Run your part (or assembly) model through aPriori’s assembly module.

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 - Initialize each part and run piece-part manufacturing cost analysis for each, selecting
appropriate materials and processes as you go.
- Add any additional mechanical assembly tasks, fastening, riveting, re-orientations,
etc., to complete the cost analysis.
- Review the Assembly Cost Details screen and iterate on any part designs that seem
unexpectedly high.
- Generate an aPriori “Assembly Cost Report” using the Reports tab in aPriori. Make
this report available in your e-portfolio.
- Discuss your findings, including the following:
o Compare the new model cost results to the original product cost results.
o Give an honest evaluation of your new model based on the physical prototype,
and the results of the cost analysis.
o How well did you meet the requirements of your PDS in all aspects but
particularly in terms of meeting target sales price and satisfying each of the 10
most important customer requirements identified in your QFD chart? Go
through each, one by one, and explain how your new design has improved or
reduced customer satisfaction.
o Include an updated PDS in your document submission.

17. Compare the original product with the redesigned product featuring prototypical components
(or sub-assemblies) in terms of cost, function, and quality. Use annotated drawings and
photographs, and also compare assembly times, costs, environmental effects, etc.

Original design of a motor drive assembly (dimensions in inches)

Re-design of the above motor-drive assembly after DFA analysis.

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C. E-PORTFOLIOS
Your project team must submit one final e-portfolio and publish it on social media of your
team’s choice. Each student will contribute equally to the creation of the e-portfolio.
- What? The e-portfolio must be an online visual-based representation of your main project.
The portfolio will contain different categories for which a team member will have
individual responsibility. (See “Mandatory Contents of the Portfolio” below for more
details.)
- Why? The portfolio will help you to display your (individual and team’s) level of
competence in analytical, computational, design, prototyping, fabrication, and drafting
skills. An online portfolio is a great way to convey your personality and highlight your
accomplishments and experiences in an easy-to-digest, take-it-at-your-own-pace format.
- How? Document the required evidence, complete any additional work, and present using
any free online tools available, such as Wix, WordPress, Tumblr, or Issuu.
- Things to collect: It should contain a record of your individual and team mates’ design
notes, sketches and drawings, conceptual designs, people interviewed, calculations,
pictures of products and of the manufacturing process, descriptions of practices design-for-
manufacturability techniques and prototype redesign, etc.
- Acknowledgements: Although an individual student’s category in the e-portfolio must
emphasize that student’s individual skills, you may use in your category limited material
that was produced by your team mates. However, you need to acknowledge the specific
team member/s who produced the material (such as a drawing or an analysis) if it was not
you.
Mandatory Contents of the Portfolio: You must show general competence in design-for-
manufacturability by including evidence of each of the following in the portfolio:
o Communication: Present your main project by stating project theme and topic, project
objectives, DFM methodology (by following the project steps given before), and final
solution (showing pictures, drawings, videos, etc.).
o CAD/CAM: Show evidence of a well-considered redesign for final production. Your
redesign must be shown using CAD software such as Creo, SolidWorks, or Autodesk
Inventor / Fusion 360).
o Reflection: Each team member must provide an anonymous written reflection of no less
than 300 words on your entire learning experience in ME 270:
- In addition to discussing the material presented in the portfolio, you must include a self-
evaluation (i.e. describe your strengths and weaknesses),
- reflect on what you think you learned in the course in each of the main subject areas and
how your learned it,
- what were the course highlights and course challenges for you (and why), and,
- how you see the knowledge acquired in ME 270 to be applied in real life engineering
practice.

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 Inspiration / Tips
https://evanwahl.wixsite.com/portfolio
http://www.portfoliohandbook.com/
http://www.laurashumaker.net/
https://issuu.com/alexdenniston/docs/portfolio_090329
http://www.arbrowning.com/
https://seelio.com/p/3pr/kirsten-lim

D. GRADING
All assignments will be scored using the 10-point scale described below. For problems worth
more than 10 points, scores will be scaled accordingly.

9 to 10 A very good (and neat, legible) to excellent problem solution containing, perhaps,
points a minor error. Small errors include minor analytical errors. Comprehensively and
rigorously address all problem requirements. Discussions are appropriate,
provided critique is incisive, and suggestions are novel.
7 to 8 A good (and neat, legible) solution, containing one major error or a few small
points analytical errors, for example.
Major errors could include improper use of basic principles, failure to use
appropriate solution format, or non-provision of manufacturing strategy (if
relevant).
Problems are addressed in adequate format, though marginal. Discussions are
brief and incomplete, provided critique is minimal, and suggestions are adequate.
5 to 6 A poor solution might contain two major errors or one major error and several
points small errors.
Non-adherence to basic principles or accepted solution principles or
manufacturing strategies.
Problems are addressed in meager manner and are significantly incomplete.
Discussions are overly brief or incorrect, and suggestions are lacking or
unacceptable or incomplete.
1 to 4 A very poor solution represents a minimal attempt at the solution.
points General non-adherence to basic principles or accepted solution principles or
accepted manufacturing strategies.
Problems are addressed in an incomplete and unacceptable engineering manner.
Discussions are poor or irrelevant. Recommendations are unacceptable,
incomplete, and poor.

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