Gao, S; Low, S P and Nair, K (2018) Design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA): A preliminary study of factors influencing its adoption in Singapore. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 14(6), pp. 440-456. ISSN 1745-2007
Abstract
Singapore has set an ambitious productivity improvement target for the construction industry. One recommendation is to adopt Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) technologies to achieve this target. This has, however, met with resistance from the private sector, with only 11.2% of prefabrication usage recorded as of 2001. This study explores the factors affecting the adoption of DfMA to better understand the strategies needed to effectively encourage private sector buy-in. In alignment with the Singapore 2017 Industry Transformation Map, this study adopts one of the three key thrusts of DfMA in construction which relates to the DfMA technologies. Correspondingly, the key factors affecting DfMA adoption were identified and classified in six categories. A questionnaire survey was used to gather information on the level of importance of these influencing factors. Thirty valid responses were received from a sampling frame of more than 120 individuals. The survey participants included developers, contractors and consultants. The results showed that a majority of the influencing factors identified have a significant and positive impact on the successful adoption of DfMA technologies in construction projects in Singapore, with reduction in construction time being the most important factor driving the industry to adopt DfMA. The government-related factors appear to play a less impactful role.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | design for manufacturing and assembly; influencing factors; prefabrication; Singapore |
| Index terms: | survey, private sector, strategy, productivity, influencing factor, Singapore, industry transformation, construction time, prefabrication, construction industry, sampling, questionnaire, construction project |
| Subjects: | management, production management, Geography, building construction, project controls, industry analysis, organization, data collection methods, risk assessment |
| Topics: | Project Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Construction Technology, Risk Management, Time Control |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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