A Product Redesign Approach on The Basis of DFA Evaluation

A product redesign approach has been developed to facilitate the product modification processes. This approach combines the idea of Function Allocation (FA), Problem Recommendation Driven Mechanism (PRDM) and the Design for Assembly (DFA) methodology to develop an effective redesign approach. The DFA is used to evaluate a product from the viewpoint of assembly and product design. The FA is used to identify the essential functional hierarchy of a product and to allocate problems found from the DFA analysis to the hierarchy. The PRDM is used to help the designer to redesign at the appropriate level of the product structure. The combination of FA, PRDM and DFA is an effective redesign approach because functional area modification results in dramatic design improvements without sacrificing essential functions. A more general and effective redesign methodology that assists the designer in the course of design will continue to be explored.