Track: Manufacturing

Abstract

This paper builds on Boothroyd’s and Dewhurst’s assembly analysis method, investigating ways of simplifying and improving the efficiency of product assembly [1]. The desktop (hole) punch produced by ACCO’s model A7074030 was examined for this work. Deploying the assembly analysis method in this context suggests an enhanced design for the desktop punch, which reduces assembly time, increases production efficiency, and reduces necessary components and parts. Autodesk Fusion 360 was used to draw the parts of the revised design, which were then assembled. After performing assembly analysis on both the preliminary and the revised designs, efficiency increased from 0.361 (preliminary) to 0.558 (revised), increasing design efficiency by 35.5%. Operation cost was reduced by 42.86% in this process. During this design revision, the number of components needed was reduced from 14 to 7, and the number of total parts required was reduced from 25 to 15.  This paper concludes that the modified design is more user-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective—and that this kind of targeted product design process has broader potential to impact product design and economics.  While manufacturing feasibility, operation cost, and scope limit study parameters, additional research employing this process with multiple products stand to address each of these issues.