Design for in-process verification (DFIPV) method for quality assurance

Design for in-process verification (DFIPV) method incorporates IPV and quality assurance into design and process planning. The method seeks an optimal production sequence in which costly defects are detected as early as possible while observing the manufacturability constraints. A quantitative index which incorporates the cost of quality assurance and added value is defined. The method formulates the index including the total cost of IPV and quality assurance, and minimizes the index to determine the optimal sequence. The resulting production sequence not only guarantees the manufacturability but also minimizes the cost of potential repairs, integrating IPV with the design for manufacturing (DFM) paradigm. The optimal sequence is sought using two previously established methods: dynamic programming, and an adaptation of the scheduling method that employs Petri nets and heuristic search