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Design for Manufacture and Assembly

DfMA is about embedding efficiency throughout a product’s life-cycle, including design; production/manufacturing process; transportation to site; and assembly on site.

‘Kit of Parts’ for The Forge, London (Bryden Wood)

DfMA – The need to think differently about the role of the design team.

The construction industry is currently experiencing a revolution in its approach to design. The principle of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), in conjunction with the use of standardised designs, modular construction and digital engineering through tools such as B.I.M., will assist the industrialisation of the construction process.

A tipping point for DfMA

Five years on since the first edition, the DfMA Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work 2020 comes at a seminal point in the construction industry’s evolution. DfMA is becoming embedded as part of the default, with the UK Government’s presumption in favour of offsite manufacturing enshrined in the Construction Playbook and Value Toolkit, and big commercial players investing in factories and new processes.

Architects can be seen as the natural custodians of good design and have the potential to help lead in the adoption of DfMA. The case studies presented in the Overlay demonstrate that the value and sustainability benefits brought about through MMC can go hand in hand with great architecture.

Check out our short video with industry leaders discussing collaborative projects taking place between industry and government.

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DfMA – The Latest Thinking

Latest DfMA resources

Free-to-access training materials, videos, webinars and resources for your use.

Management Capabilities
Design for Manufacture and Assembly

DfMA Overlay Shorts

Our series of bitesize videos illustrating key ideas within the new DfMA Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work, featuring architects, designers and other professionals working at the forefront of DfMA and MMC.

Management Capabilities
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Management Capabilities
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Management Capabilities
Design for Manufacture and Assembly

DfMA case studies

View some of the latest DfMA case studies from our Partners and members

Key offsite topics

Offsite Manufacture
Topic
Offsite Manufacture

Bringing factory thinking to the construction process, to industrialise the…

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Offsite logistics
Topic
Logistics

Moving to an offsite approach has significant impacts on offsite…

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Onsite-assembly
Topic
Assembly

The onsite assembly process is the management and culmination of…

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Design-For-Maintenance
Topic
In-use / Maintenance

Implementation of decisions taken at the design stage through the…

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