IBM Proprinter Case Study - Manual Assembly

The original goal of the design team was to completely automate the assembly process. In order to achieve this goal, parts and functions were combined to greatly simplify and reduce assembly steps. This was achieved by applying design for manufacturability rules and utilizing concurrent engineering. These steps had added benefits of making manual assembly less complicated, less time consuming, and less expensive.

When the Proprinter was assembled by hand, a skilled worker could build a complete printer in under three minutes. Parts were easy to assemble and clicked into place to signal propper seating. Parts were also designed so that they could only be placed in the correct position. Cables were shortened by making the connection to the card right at the component. These features all led to a higher quality product that was easier to assemble.

The Proprinter is designed for automated assembly Manual assembly is effective ,too


The Proprinter is designed for automated assembly	Manual assembly is effective ,too

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Last Updated: October 26, 1998, NEEDS Staff
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