Panel Discussion: Getting Started in DFMA—And Getting It Right

A distinguished panel of manufacturing experts with experience in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly will discuss how companies can get started—and succeed—in DFMA. Among other issues, panelists will discuss if DFMAs it more suited to small, medium, or large companies and where to begin: Small projects, a small part of a larger project? Begin with a new product or the redesign of an existing product.

James Dawson
New Product Introduction (NPI) Engineering Manager
Peko Precision Products Inc.

James is New Product Introduction Engineering Manager at Peko Precision Products Inc., a full-service contract manufacturer, where he has spent 16 years in mechanical and electrical engineering and project management. His education in electrical and mechanical engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, coupled with extensive hands-on automotive experience, give him a well-grounded perspective in working on challenging problems. He leverages his and his company’s track record with Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) when securing new customers and projects, as well when supporting existing customers in maximizing.

Jon Freckleton
Associate Professor Emeritus
Rochester Institute of Technology

Jon E Freckleton PE [retired] is an Associate Professor Emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from U. Mass, competed short courses in DFMA form U. Mass and Ford Moor Co., and attended many Boothroyd Dewhurst (BDI) user conferences. He held several management positions at Xerox over a 15-year career there, including DFMA Project Manager. He then taught classes for undergrads and grad students RIT for 25 years on DFMA, as well as GD&T, Non-traditional Manufacturing, Production Tooling, among others. He has also made DFMA presentations ed worldwide for RIT, SME, and BDI.

David G. Meeker
Speaker, Consultant, and engineering instructor
MIT and BU

David G. Meeker is a nationally recognized authority Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) and its role in developing new products. His expertise is not only in DFMA; it extends to benchmarking, cost estimating, and designing for disassembly and recyclability. Mr. Meeker has worked in commercial and defense industries applying new product-development techniques to improve quality, time to market, and reduce cost. His clients have included Sencorp, Precor, Boeing, Pfizer, Becton Dickinson, QinetiQ, and General Electric. He also served as a principal engineer with HP, Compaq, and Digital. He has taught product design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University. Mr. Meeker holds BS and MS degrees in engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University. He was a national instructor of DFMA for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and in 2015 he received the DFMA supporter of the year award at the Annual International Conference on DFMA

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Course Includes

  • 3 Lessons