Predicting Assembly Dimensions with Functional Build: A Case Study Using DOE

When using the functional build approach to manufacturing validation during new product development, manufacturers use preproduction assemblies to evaluate whether components within an assembly may build dimensionally correct products. This approach allows some individual component characteristics to not meet their original design specifications, provided the resultant assembly meets its requirements. In applying this functional build methodology, manufacturers assume that the preproduction assemblies provide data representative of what the manufacturer will encounter in the regular production process. This paper evaluates the predictive validity of the functional build approach by utilizing a design of experiment to examine the effect of two factors—build fixture and method of attachment—in constructing functional build preproduction assemblies of stamped sheet metal components. The results confirm the importance of using assembly fixtures that closely resemble regular production processing.

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