The DFX shell: A generic framework for developing design for X tools

Abstract The Design for X (DFX) shell is a generic framework which can be easily extended or tailored to develop a variety of DFX tools quickly with consistent quality. A number of formal but pragmatic constructs are provided. Bills of materials are used to describe and analyse the overall product structure and product characteristics. Flow process charts are used to describe and analyse the overall process structure and process characteristics in relation to individual product elements. Standard operation process charts are modified to describe and analyse the overall process structure in relation to the product structure. Appropriate performance measures are used to evaluate the interactions between the elements of products, processes and resources. This paper discusses a systematic DFX development procedure. The DFX development procedure consists of seven steps, and each step focuses on a major building block of the DFX shell.