Shaping the Future of Manufacturing Efficiency

For over four decades, Boothroyd Dewhurst Inc. (BDI) has redefined innovation in manufacturing with its cutting-edge DFMA^® software. Continuously evolving to meet the demands of a rapidly changing technological and industrial landscape, DFMA^® empowers manufacturers with advanced tools for streamlined design, precise cost analysis, and accelerated decision-making.

Global leaders in manufacturing depend on DFMA^® to stay ahead in an era where efficiency and quality define success. By leveraging next-generation cost simulation and data-driven insights, DFMA^® addresses complex manufacturing challenges with unmatched accuracy and agility.

Under the visionary leadership of President Nicholas Dewhurst and Executive Vice President Keith Gilligan, BDI remains a driving force in modern manufacturing. Committed to pushing boundaries and delivering transformative solutions, BDI helps companies achieve breakthrough performance, unparalleled profitability, and a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Origins of DFMA

In the early 1970s, University of Massachusetts Professor Geoffrey Boothroyd and his colleagues embarked on pioneering research that would lay the foundation for the DFMA^® (Design for Manufacture and Assembly) software. Initially, their goal was to equip designers with a method to quantify product designs for ease of automatic assembly. Over time, this approach broadened to encompass manual assembly, enabling manufacturing engineers to justify automation proposals. This methodology was grounded in two fundamental principles:

1. Reduce the number of assembly operations by minimizing the number of parts.
2. Simplify the assembly operations to make them easier to perform.

These principles were a significant departure from the prevailing “producibility guidelines” of the era, which directed designers to focus on simplifying individual parts to make them easier and cheaper to manufacture. Dr. Boothroyd’s groundbreaking research revealed that this practice often resulted in substantially higher overall product costs compared to using fewer, multi-functional parts.

Company History

The publication of this research sparked considerable commercial interest. In 1980, Dr. Peter Dewhurst joined Dr. Boothroyd to develop a software package called “Design for Automatic and Manual Assembly” (DFA) for the Apple II Plus. The success of this project attracted the attention of major corporations like IBM and Digital Equipment, leading to the development of a PC version and the incorporation of Boothroyd Dewhurst Inc. (BDI) in 1983. Prominent companies such as Ford and General Motors estimated savings in the billions of dollars thanks to DFA.

As DFA software gained traction, the need for precise knowledge of the cost savings it offered became apparent. In 1985, Drs. Boothroyd and Dewhurst conducted additional research that resulted in the creation of a “Design for Manufacture” (DFM) module. This module enabled early and accurate should-cost estimates of various design proposals. Together, DFA and DFM formed what is now known as DFMA^®. The immense benefits provided by DFMA^® software led President George H. W. Bush to award the founders of BDI the National Medal of Technology in 1991.

President George Bush awards the founders of Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc., the National Medal of Technology "for their concept, development and commercialization of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA), which has dramatically reduced costs, improved product quality, and enhanced the competitiveness of major U.S. manufacturers." For more information about the Medal of Technology, please click here.