The integration of manufacturing and cost information into the engineering design process

In manufacturing systems engaged in the batch manufacture of discrete products, critical decisions on materials and processes are made during the design phase, decisions having significant impact on costs of production. A new computer aided design tool has been developed to enable product designers in small to medium size companies to incorporate manufacturability and cost criteria into their decision making. The paper describes the rationale of the system and its mode of operation. Experiments to validate its practicality and usefulness have yielded encouraging results.