Precise Machining & Manufacturing
Firstar Precision Corp employs Design-for-Manufacturability (DFM) throughout the product development process to ensure your final products are optimized for the state-of-the-art machining processes we utilize in our facility. Collaborating early in product development helps us achieve the best, most efficient designs possible, thus improving the overall quality, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of your project.
Optimizing Your Custom CNC-Machined Products with Design for Manufacturability
Design for manufacturability (DFM) is a lean manufacturing approach that focuses on designing products in a way that makes them easier and more cost-effective to manufacture. As the American manufacturing industry becomes increasingly focused on production efficiency and sustainability, DFM is more critical than ever for CNC machining service providers.
An Overview of the Design for Manufacturability Process:
Material Selection – Our product design experts begin by choosing materials that are widely available to help prevent any future supply chain issues from arising. Materials are also chosen for their ease of machinability in accordance with the complexity of the products at hand. We consider virtually all material properties and machining characteristics to maximize CNC machining efficiency while ensuring better precision and repeatability.
Achieving Geometric Complexity – We apply DFM to simplify product designs wherever possible. Reducing complex, intricate features and eliminating unnecessarily tight tolerances can lead to faster and more cost-effective CNC machining services. Complex features also tend to increase the likelihood of manufacturing errors, so simplifying products for manufacturability further ensures accurate and repeatable results.
Ensuring Precision Tolerances and Part Fitment – Designing with appropriate tolerances and fits is essential. DFM helps in selecting the right tolerances to ensure the part’s functionality while avoiding over-specifying tolerances that can lead to higher production costs.
Optimizing Tool Selection and Toolpaths – With every custom CNC machining project, we carefully consider the tools and toolpaths used to make the final product. This includes selecting appropriate tool sizes and types, optimizing toolpaths to minimize tool changes, and reducing machining time.
Optimized Workholding with Custom Fixturing – We carefully consider how every part will be fixtured during the CNC machining process. DFM promotes the design of parts that are easy to secure in the machine, reducing setup time and ensuring accuracy.
Minimizing Material Removal and Waste – Minimizing material waste is a key aspect of DFM. Through efficiency in design, we reduce the total amount of material that needs to be machined, which means shorter machining times, reduced raw material costs, and less scrap.
Part Consolidation – Our engineering experts apply DFM to combine multiple components into a single part when feasible. This simplifies assembly and reduces the total number of individual parts, facilitating substantially reduced labor and cost savings further down the production line.
The First Name in Precision Machining Solutions
Firstar consistently takes on the challenging contract manufacturing jobs that few providers in the industry can accommodate. We continue to expand our service offerings and search for better ways to serve our customers, maintaining our status as the authority for precision machined components. Based out of Brunswick, Ohio since 2000, Firstar is an ISO 9001:2015-certified American manufacturer.