Identification and measurement of product modularity - an implementation case

Abstract

Product modularity offers extended benefits to the manufacturing companies with respect to reduce lead-time, improves assemble ability, promotes product family design and enhances customers' satisfactions. This product design and development strategy also offers an opportunity to mix and match all the components of a product into a standardised modular product. The objectives of this research are to introduce and measure the concept of product modularity within manufacturing companies. In addition, a mathematical framework is also highlighted within the scope of this research, which can be used to measure the product modularity level within manufacturing companies. To measure and validate such product modularity level, necessary product design data from a case manufacturing company's product's is collected and analysed by using design structure matrix (DSM) tool. The necessary product modularity level is measured through clustering the collected data related to the components interdependences within the case company's product portfolio. This research is concluded with future research directions on product modularity.