Industry Definition of Design for Manufacturing DFM means to make product designs that are manufacturable. DFM relates product design to all aspects of the manufacturing process in order to optimize the m anufacturability of the initial design. DFM is a product development process involving multifunctional teams made up of representatives f rom manufacturing as well as all other functional entities in the product development process. DFM is the process of designing products that optimally fits the manufacturing capabilities of th e participating organization. DFM is communication and collaboration between manufacturing and design in order to produce quali ty products with minimal manufacturing hindrances. DFM is the use of CAD packages, expert systems and other computational tools in order to design a nd develop products which are relatively easy to manufacture. DFM is a process to reduce time to market, increase quality, improve process performance, increas e profitability, and ultimately to increase corporate competitiveness by addressing manufacturing issues early in the concept design and prototype phase of the product design and development pro cess. Back