The product development process begins with the definition of needs and ends with the production of a product to meet those needs. Through the process, many design decisions are made which affect the ultimate configuration, appearance, and function of the product. Oftentimes, these decisions are made without a rational basis or realistic assessment of the impact of the decision. The outcome of this research project will be a methodology to assess the manufacturability of machined components and to identify areas where redesign is necessary. This methodology will be structured such that it can be implemented early in the design process and will allow the user to optimize the component design so that it can be efficiently and economically manufactured. This approach to evaluating manufacturability utilizes the concept of information content from the principles of axiomatic design. The specific areas of research which are involved with developing this methodology are definition of a metric by which manufacturability can be measured and development of a design representation scheme which facilitates the evaluation of manufacturability. The outcome of this work will contribute to the ongoing effort to establish a rational basis for design decisions and to the need to develop strategies which more closely couple the design and manufacturing activities.
