Design for Facility over the Internet: a Case Study with Automtotive Connecting Rod Designs

* Currently a PhD student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. † Corresponding author. ABSTRACT This paper introduces a new methodology called ‘Design for Facility over Internet (DFF)’. This methodology provides an Internet-based environment for designers to perform manufacturability analysis of product designs with respect to the capabilities of existing manufacturing facilities, upfront into the design process. In the current work, only fixturing (machining datums) capabilities of a manufacturing facility are considered. A prototype DFF system for an automotive connecting rod, is developed. The system enables the designers to design the connecting rods by considering the fixturing (datums) capabilities of existing manufacturing facilities upfront at the concept design stage. The complete system implementation will also enable the manufacturers of connecting rods to create and update the database of their capabilities over the Internet. The DFF system analyzes the parametric design with respect to the fixturing capabilities and generates suggestions for a designer, to modify his design if required, to fit the capabilities of specified facilities.