DfX optimises specific design characteristics, such as manufacturability and cost. DfSS is a broader, data-driven development methodology. Both translate customer requirements into robust, reliable, and manageable designs and processes.
Symbol supports design teams with DfX and DfSS methodologies to develop robust products, processes, and systems.
Design for Excellence, also known as DfX, focuses on designing products and processes that are reliable, efficient, and manageable from the outset.
Within CIMM Level 5, DfX is combined with Design for Six Sigma. Customer needs are translated into measurable design criteria and critical parameters. Risks, variation, and potential causes of failure are investigated early, before production or implementation begins.
The goal is not to solve problems retrospectively, but to integrate quality and reliability directly into the design.
DfX optimises specific design characteristics, such as manufacturability and cost.
This consists of several focus areas, including the following four.
Design for Excellence integrates requirements regarding quality, cost, manufacturability, safety, sustainability, and maintenance throughout the design process. This results in products that perform optimally throughout their entire lifecycle and consistently deliver customer value.
Design for Manufacturing configures products so that they can be produced simply, reliably, and efficiently. Fewer parts, standardisation, and simple operations limit errors, production time, material usage, and production costs in series manufacturing.
Design for Cost manages expenses from the concept phase by integrally weighing material selection, functions, tolerances, production, logistics, maintenance, and disposal without unnecessarily reducing desired quality and customer value.
Design for Serviceability makes products easy to inspect, maintain, disassemble, and repair. Replaceable parts, available documentation, and accessible components support extending lifespan and complying with repair regulations that apply from 31 July 2026.
Design for Six Sigma (DfSS) is a data-driven development methodology with which organisations design new products and processes to be reliable, robust, and manageable from the outset.
Customer needs are translated into measurable requirements and critical design criteria. Methods such as QFD, DFMEA, DMADV, tolerance analysis, reliability engineering, and DfX are used to investigate and reduce risks, variation, and causes of failure early on.
In this way, DfSS prevents problems from only being solved after introduction and creates future-proof solutions with structurally predictable performance.
DfSS is a broader, data-driven development methodology. This approach consists of various components, including the following focus areas.
Requirements Engineering structures functional, technical, and legal requirements. QFD systematically translates customer needs into measurable product and process characteristics, monitors interrelationships, and supports clear priorities, traceability, and design decisions throughout the development process.
Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis (DFMEA) identifies potential failure modes, causes, and effects already during the design phase. Teams assess severity, occurrence, and detectability, prioritise measures, and reduce risks before the design is frozen and goes into production.
Tolerance analysis investigates how dimensional variations accumulate and affect functionality. By statistically aligning tolerances, quality, manufacturability, and cost are balanced, and unnecessarily strict product specifications are purposefully avoided in the design.
Reliability focuses on fault-free functioning throughout the intended lifespan. With reliability models, life tests, and failure analyses such as ALT and HALT tests, weak components are found, risks are reduced, and maintenance strategies are substantiated for predictable product performance in use.
A DfSS process begins with understanding and documenting customer requirements. Using QFD, these are translated into concrete, measurable requirements. Subsequently, DFMEA identifies the most important risks, failure modes, and uncertainties. For the greatest risks, DMADV projects are initiated to eliminate causes or purposefully mitigate risks. DfX also supports the design of robust, manufacturable, and cost-efficient products.
Symbol’s Master Black Belts, with expertise in engineering and New Product Introduction (NPI), guide organisations in developing, applying, and embedding this approach.
Within CIMM Level 5, this contributes to reliable, future-proof products and managed introduction processes with demonstrable customer value and quality.
Symbol helps organisations design robust products and processes by applying both Design for Excellence and Design for Six Sigma during the design process.