Principles Of Concept Design And Design For Manufacturing

Some stages involved in product development are ideation, concept testing, design, business analysis, commercialization, and more. But it is the conceptual design phase that shapes the design for manufacturing the product, the value of the product, and its use.

In this piece, we are considering two key components of a product’s design phase. First, we are considering concept design and design for manufacturing.

It is possible to assume they are both parts of designing a product. Hence, they are the same. We will show you what they stand for and how they differ.

What is Concept Design

Concept design was defined by a Danish agency, FORA, as the solution to a problem that still needs to be solved. This article comprises more details about new concept designs in product development. It further describes concept design as a solution to a problem that has been solved unsatisfactorily.

For instance, after the ideation stage, the conceptual design phase is next in line. It is the stage where an initial idea that has reached personal and audience satisfaction gets a tangible visual form.

The visual form could be 2D drawings or 3D models. That design would be the prototype for the product launch. However, you must consider the product from design, user, and manufacturing perspectives to achieve the best design.

Concept design is the product’s big picture and most creative stage. It specifies what problems the product will solve and how it will solve them. Hence, it would be best to consider aspects of the product, like technology, styling, and user experience.

Importance of Concept Design

Concept design is important for developers to stay on track during production. For example, if developers build a product without the concept design, the product that they will bring to the market may not bring value to the target users.

Concept design services are a good lubricant for preventing dead ends during the product development phase. Once it is clear who and what a product is for, you can mitigate hindrances during product development.

Concept Design Essentials

A concept design company is best formed by bringing together designers and members of other teams. This team must have a good amount of client and user experience. The reason is that they will be responsible for identifying the problem that the product should solve.

The next conceptual design phase is to draw up the concept design with visuals and text. For example, the visual could be a simple sketch of the layouts or menus. While the text, the concept design statement, is a brief of the concept.

Multiple design option is a recommended approach that is not very cost-effective. However, it provides options for determining a concept. Some options are cost, aesthetics, effectiveness, and user-friendly structure.

To achieve a rounded concept design, the team must consider competitor research for existing opportunities in the market. Above all, your team must review the new concept design. This review is best done through research and prototyping.

Design for Manufacturing and Common Outcomes

DFM is an important design principle that helps to save time and cost. It contains guidelines that, when followed, will shorten the time for the manufacturing stage. There are four key outcomes of a rightly applied DFM.

Firstly, DFM makes designing products for efficient assembling. For instance, a product shipped to consumers unassembled needs to be well-designed for consumers to put together. Likewise, DFM makes assembling during manufacturing easy.

Choosing the right material early will save a lot of time and money. Hence, you can achieve standardization of materials and components through DFM. Some material components to consider are flammability, conductance, and other mechanical properties.

DFM will help reduce the number of manufacturing operations required. For instance, using injection molding for small-volume products is not sustainable. Fractory offered this insight alongside other points on Design for Manufacturing and Assembly.

Lastly, it maximizes the cost of production and minimizes the number of parts needed in manufacturing. Therefore, DFM is a profitable design technique because it improves ROI. It gives business room to transfer the low cost of production to customers when aiming to beat competitors.

Differences Between Concept Design and Design for Manufacturing

Designing for manufacturing is a process that many designers overlook when creating products. During concept design, you give a visual form to your idea.

While DFM is where you prepare your finalized design for mass production or first-batch manufacturing. Hence, you optimize it for lower cost and faster production.

Hottest Questions on Concept Design and DFM

Check out commonly asked questions about the essentials of concept designs and designing for manufacturing.

Final Words

Product development is often riddled with errors. However, concept design can make a production process near perfect. In addition, you can use research and prototyping to find possible loopholes  in a new concept design.

Product developers can be abreast of product details with text and visual representation. These details span from user needs to how the product can meet those needs.

Another design concept for every business is Design for Manufacturing (DFM). This concept is often for optimizing the manufacturing stage.

Using these two design philosophies to build a product will help you prevent lethargy during production. In the end, they reduce time spent during production and increase ROI.

Is your business pumped about transforming an idea into a product? Do you need a detailed prototype for your conceptual design phase? 

LA NPDT is a prototyping agency that will help you transform your idea into a sellable product. Our team is here to help you make a difference in any marketplace. You can reach us via our website lanpdt.com or call directly at 318-243-5789 for your concept design services.