Design-for-Manufacturing-and-Assembly (DfMA) for the construction industry: A review

Applying Design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) principles in building has gained attention in recent years. Studies reported that the application of DfMA in building projects can significantly enhance overall productivity. However, the literature on DfMA in the construction industry is still limited. This paper aims to provide an updated and comprehensive review of DfMA approach and its applicability in the construction industry. Web of science, and Google Scholar databases were used to obtain relevant articles from the literature. The study is based on a systematic review of 52 selected articles through search keywords for DfMA. The bibliometric results mapped the research publications by year, journal, and country in which the DfMA study is conducted. The thematic analysis results revealed the research themes and trends. In conclusion, the DfMA literature has increasingly focused on integration and sharing of information during project life-cycle to optimize design, manufacturing, and assembly, and to address issues relating to the integration of off-site manufacturing with on-site assembly. Finally, the review is concluded by providing recommendations for researchers and practitioners, and by identifying future works and opportunities for the application of DfMA in the construction industry. The results of this paper can help future theoretical and empirical research and developments.