Abstract
Product architecture is defined as allocation of components to functions and their interfaces. But what makes this formulation insufficient for automobile architecture is their multi-layered allocation of components and the visual aspect of the architecture. This paper suggests, through an empirical study of two-wheeler models being manufactured by a prominent manufacturer, a multi-tiered framework along with a visual template for two-wheeler architecture which includes their visual schema as well. This paper investigates and demonstrates that this framework and template satisfy the requirements of product architecture by using examples from the domain of motorcycle design. Further, this paper investigates the utility of this framework for platforming strategy, innovation, adoption of new technology and standardization.
Highlights
Product architecture is defined as allocation of components to functions and their interfaces
Before ISO/ IEC/IEEE (2011)1 defined architecture of a system as “fundamental of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships and in the principles of its design and evolution”, Ulrich (1995)2 provided a simpler sounding definition for product architecture
Chuma (2006)9, in his study on system complexity and product organization, states that with rapidly increasing complexity, new organizational forms become inevitable So, with huge variation in architecture of vehicles and with ever-increasing complexity of automobile design, a new framework for architecture becomes inevitable, which can address this complexity, the visual aspect and the issue of layers or levels. With these unique characteristics of automobile architecture and considering the quest for a framework incorporating them with concrete and identifiable elements, when we look for the layered frameworks for product architecture, we get two formulations
Summary
Product architecture is defined as allocation of components to functions and their interfaces. Before ISO/ IEC/IEEE (2011) defined architecture of a system as “fundamental of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships and in the principles of its design and evolution”, Ulrich (1995) provided a simpler sounding definition for product architecture It is a scheme by which the function of a product is allocated to physical components. Crawley (2007) defines architecture as “the embodiment of concept, and the allocation of physical/informational function to elements of form, and definition of interfaces among the elements and with the surrounding context”. Rechtin and Maier (2002) define it as “a collection of different things, which together produce results unachievable by the elements alone” Going by these definitions, any product (or, in our case automobile) itself is a system which is a set of systems performing their respective functions. (a) Balance of various functions by managing the contradictory demands of functions: Though this applies to various other architectures, this becomes critical for automobiles because the absence of this contradiction management will render the automobile dysfunctional
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