Evolution of Design for X Tools Applicable to Design Stages: A Literature Review

Abstract

Design stage is very critical as many decisions impacting the downstream development activities and the product cost are made in this stage. Over the years, numerous “Design for X (DfX)” concepts/methods have been developed in order to increase the efficiency at the design stage, and reduce the total product cost and development lead time. Design for manufacture, assembly, quality, maintenance, environment, obsolescence and recyclability, etc. are among these. Despite the availability of these numerous concepts/methods, a “big picture” to illustrate the relations and the interactions among these X factors remains absent. In the paper, we attempt to provide our version of this “big picture” along with maturity and trajectory of these factors as identified from the published literature.