The Effectiveness of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly as Applied to the Design of the AH64D Helicopter

This study examines the effectiveness of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) methodology used by the design, manufacturing, quality, and supporting engineers for the development of the Longbow Apache Helicopter. Data were obtained through the Integrated Product Development (IPD) team for several redesigned areas of the Longbow prototype Helicopter Crew Station. Results of the study show that DFMA can be an effective design approach, as indicated by a significant cost and weight savings.