Everyone knows what DFM Design For Manufacturing means — it means to change your initial design to make it easier to manufacture. Doing things like removing unnecessarily complicated featuresthat are not truly needed for the part’s function but significantly add to the effort needed to manufacturethe part. For example, if it’s easier to manufacture the part with a smooth corner, and your part’s functionality doesn’t need that sharp corner, then by all means allow the corner to be left as-manufactured in a smooth condition. That’s what DFM means.But DFMC is another step past that – it’s a step to design the part specifically so that it can be manufactured at the lowest possible cost based simply on making the different design choices. Design for manufacturing cheaply. Notice, I didn’t say “cheaper” nor did I say “thrifting” — these are similar but different monikers for applying economic optimization to the part but at different points in the part’s lifecycle — most importantly, they apply to stages after the initial design and release to manufacturing has occurred. If one can employ DFMC at the beginning correctly, there is much less need or perghaps none at all to take economic measures later on.Let’s take an example. So I make the corner smooth to avoid a costly manufacturing process, like hand deburring of a sharp corner. Sounds like good DFM to me. But it isn’t DFMC. DFMC would approach it from the perspective if one corner is good, then apply it to all corners — and apply it to all edges, all surfaces, undercuts, etc. Design to reduce oeprations — design to eleiminate where possible the entire need for extra operations.Another example is to use Near Net Feedstocks. If you need the finisihed part to have a 2 inch outer diameter, and the surface finish of the 2 inch tube meets your needs, then by all means DFMC to use a readily (and cheaply) available Near Net Feedstock dimension, and thereby avoid a manufacturing operation (outer diameter finishing) altogether.DFMC is an extra emphasis on reducing the design to its most basic, fundametnal requiremetns and functions. DFM is reducing the deisgn to allow for ease of manufacture. DFMC is reducing the design to avoid manufacture altogether.So let’s all go DFMC!