Product design enhancement by integration of virtual design and assembly analysis tools

Assembly is a necessary and important part of any manufacturing process. Computer aided production engineering allows production engineers to create an on‐screen virtual manufacturing environment which graphically displays and simulates actual manufacturing processes. This is an attempt to analyse the assembly process for a computer mouse, using both the Boothroyd and Dewhurst design for assembly (DFA) and Tecnomatix’s Dynamo software package. A mouse designed in Unigraphics has been the product considered and the assembly process has been analysed. Some of the steps involved in the analysis are explained in detail and the observations and results are discussed along with redesign suggestions. These software systems can help identify some of the technical problems that can possibly be encountered in real life production and can effectively be used to guide the design process. Product assembly, analysis and visualization, which are the prime features of the software in use, enable us to improve the design and enhance the features of products at the conception and design stage itself. This can be a critical factor for maintaining a competitive edge in the fast growing industry today.