Product Family Structure Research Articles

Market-Driven Modularity: Design method developed under a Design Science paradigm

This paper uses Design Science Research to build a method, entitled Market-Driven Modularity (MDM), intended to conceptually design modular product family structures that justify the economic benefits of customization. Through a series of detailed design and evaluation procedures, the proposed method is designed and further improved, as well as the theoretical framework underlying its development is adjusted. The main result of this research is the proposal of a holistic approach to product family design, particularly when the front-end issues are involved. In terms of contributions, two emerged from the abductive process of design: (i) the systematic integration of four classes of design problems prevalent in the literature; and (ii) the use of throughput for selecting the design parameters instances to compose the product family structure. Regarding the shortcomings, three arose from the artifact's evaluation: (i) the potential inability of modularity in dealing with aesthetic variety and low heterogeneity of customers' needs; (ii) the incompleteness of constructs, ‘functional requirements’ and ‘product family architecture’; and (iii) the assumption of not considering the uncertainty in the product family design. These findings counterpoint the tendency of Design Science Research in usually making practical rather than theoretical contributions.

An investigation on the network topology of an evolving product family structure and its robustness and complexity

Products continuously change over time through product innovations satisfying new customer needs and technologies. The successive emergence of new products within a product family can be considered as product family evolution that necessarily involves changes in a product family design structure. Although product family design has been widely discussed in the extant literature, inherent evolving properties in a product family design structure have not been sufficiently explored in an analytical manner. To tackle this issue, this research aims to characterize underlying properties in an evolving product family structure based on a network science approach. First, a product family structure is represented as a network to describe relationships among the components of a product family structure. Then, topological properties and patterns in a product family structure network at each time period are investigated through a case study using the smartphone models of a major company. The results show that each product family structure network follows the topological properties observed in other real networks; the product family structure network evolves with both scale-free and small-world properties and with common and specific motifs during each specific time duration. Also, findings from this study suggest that a design structure with a scale-free network topology with commonality can have topological robustness due to a decrease in structural complexity.

Configuration Model Research Based on Product Family Configuration Unit

Explaining how to set up configuration model from the Angle of product family, for the composition of product configuration model of product family structure was analyzed, put forward the definition of product family configuration unit, and used it as the basic elements of product family configuration model. Using various granularity of product family configuration units set to do the unified expression for function, the principle and structure of all products contained in the product family. And did further analyze for the characteristic, types, and associated constraints of product family configuration units. Finally, described the modeling process of product family configuration model. Do verification by the dumper.

Modularization Analysis Approach of Product Family for DFMC Based on Complex Network

Customers requirements are mapped into function modules, matching with structure modules and signing the corresponding structure entities. Main structure of product family can be depicted as a directed complex network. Parameters such as node betweenness, edge betweenness and Q function values are calculated through simple-path detecting algorithm, for obtaining distributing curve of Q and clustering dendrogram which we can gain division results from. The results are adjusted and optimized according to the parts usage times and structure entities with sign. As an example, the product family of industry steam turbine is analyzed with this algorithm and some practical results are obtained.

A Framework for Life Cycle Cost Estimation of a Product Family at the Early Stage of Product Development

A cost estimation method is required to estimate the life cycle cost of a product family at the early stage of product development in order to evaluate the product family design. There are difficulties with existing cost estimation techniques in estimating the life cycle cost for a product family at the early stage of product development. This paper proposes a framework that combines a knowledge based system and an activity based costing techniques in estimating the life cycle cost of a product family at the early stage of product development. The inputs of the framework are the product family structure and its sub function. The output of the framework is the life cycle cost of a product family that consists of all costs at each product family level and the costs of each product life cycle stage. The proposed framework provides a life cycle cost estimation tool for a product family at the early stage of product development using high level information as its input. The framework makes it possible to estimate the life cycle cost of various product family that use any types of product structure. It provides detailed information related to the activity and resource costs of both parts and products that can assist the designer in analyzing the cost of the product family design. In addition, it can reduce the required amount of information and time to construct the cost estimation system.

Product Configuration Flow from Obtaining Customer Requirement to Providing the Final Customized Product

The paper analyzes the m odular structure of product family by decompos ing the product family into generic modules. Then, the module model denoted by attribute variable is established for each generic module. Based on the classification of customer requirement and erection of product decision tree, the description and explanation type of customer requirement can be used to restrict the sub branch of decision tree in order to find out the certain product family satisfying customer. In approach of quality function deployment , the customer requirement i s mapped to the module attribute, w hich can determinate the value and weight of module attribute variable. After retrieving the candidate set of modules which are nearest to the customer requirement on the module accordingly, the candidate modules are combined efficiently under the constraints relative to modules and attributes, In this way, many invalidate module combinations can be avoided and hence the efficiency of product configuration is promoted.

Product Family Modeling Method for Rapid Response Design

Design resources reuse is very important to the rapid response design. In this paper, a design resources reusable model based on product family is established to meet the rapid response design. Firstly, parameters transmission structure of product family is constructed based on Generic Bill of Materials (GBOM) and product master model, and then the reused design resource library is established by the instantiation to master model. Finally product configuration management and variant design is realized on the basis of the reused design resource library. In the developing process of the rapid response design system of machine tool component, the Linear Motion (LM) rolling guide variant design subsystem is developed by the application of the above methods to realize the variant design and configuration management of LM rolling guide. The result shows that the method can provide a reliable guarantee for establishment and effective management of corporate design resource base.

Research on Structure Rationalization Method of Product Family and its Application

In product configuration of mass customization, the structure of product family is one of the key factors which affecting the efficiency of configuration. Applying complex network theory and algorithm to mass customization field, a structure network of product family is constructed. The evolving rule of used number of class module variation with the number of product is obtained. The instantiation module number contained by a class module variation with the number of product is obtained. The evolving rule of used number of instantiation module variation with the number of product is obtained. A structural rationalization method of product family is presented. As an example, all methods are applied to a steam turbine product family, and the methods are verified.

Customer requirements mapping method based on association rules mining for mass customisation

Customer requirements analysis is the key step for product variety design of mass customisation. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a widely used management technique for comprehending the 'Voice of the Customer' (VOC), however, QFD in excess depends on human subjective judgement during extracting customer requirements and determination of the importance weights of customer requirements. And also, QFD process and related problems are complicated. In this paper, based on generic data structure of product family (GBOM), association rules analysis is introduced to construct the classification mechanism between customer requirements and product architecture. The new method can map customer requirements to the items of product family architecture respectively, accomplish the mapping process from customer domain to physical domain directly, decrease mutual process between customer and designer, improve the product design quality, and thus furthest satisfy customer needs. Finally, an example of customer requirements mapping of the elevator cabin is used to illustrate the proposed method.

Customer requirements mapping method based on association rule mining for mass customization

Customer requirements analysis is the key step for product variety design of mass customization(MC). Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used management technique for understanding the voice of the customer (VOC), however, QFD depends heavily on human subject judgment during extracting customer requirements and determination of the importance weights of customer requirements. QFD process and related problems are so complicated that it is not easily used. In this paper, based on a general data structure of product family, generic bill of material (GBOM), association rules analysis was introduced to construct the classification mechanism between customer requirements and product architecture. The new method can map customer requirements to the items of product family architecture respectively, accomplish the mapping process from customer domain to physical domain directly, and decrease mutual process between customer and designer, improve the product design quality, and thus furthest satisfy customer needs. Finally, an example of customer requirements mapping of the elevator cabin was used to illustrate the proposed method.

Impact of joint product usage and family structure on joint decision to purchase a vacation by Malaysian spouses

This article examines the role of family structure on joint decision to purchase a vacation by Malaysian spouses and the moderation effect of joint product usage. The impetus for this research emanates from the fact that a number of family decision-making studies have recognized joint decision between husband and wife, but none of these has considered the impact of family structure on joint decision between spouses. A field survey of Malaysian couples was conducted to understand the impact of family structure (namely, strong vs weak cohesive family and modern vs traditional family) and joint usage on joint decision. The results show that family structure has significant impact on joint decision to purchase a vacation. The greater impact of strong cohesive family and modern family over weak cohesive family and traditional family respectively are not dependent on joint usage. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

FORECAST METHOD OF USED NUMBER OF PARTS AND COMPONENTS BASED ON COMPLEX NETWORK

Applying directed complex network to model the main structure of product family, according to in-degree bi-logarithmic coordinate distribution curve and distribution rule of nodes of the network, in-degree evolving rule of nodes of the network is presented, analytic expression of in-degree probability density of nodes is derived. Through the analysis of relation between existing kinds of component and existing product number, an expression of the relation between kinds of component and product number is built. A forecast method of increment of component number and parts based on the increment of product is presented. As an example, the component number of industry stream turbine product family is forecasted, forecast result is verified and forecast error is analyzed.

Development of a production cost estimation framework to support product family design

The main task of a product family designer is to decide the right components/design variables to share among products to maintain economies of scale with minimum sacrifice in the performance of each product in the family. The decisions are usually based on several criteria, but production cost is of primary concern. Estimating the production cost of a family of products involves both estimating the production cost of each product in the family and the costs incurred by common and variant components/design variables in the family. To estimate these costs consistently and accurately, we propose a production cost estimation framework to support product family design based on activity-based costing (ABC), which consists of three stages: (1) allocation, (2) estimation, and (3) analysis. In the allocation stage, the production activities and resources needed to produce the entire products in a family are identified and classified with an activity table, a resource table, and a production flow. To help allocate product data for production, a product family structure is represented by a hierarchical classification of products that form the product family. In the estimation stage, production costs are estimated with cost estimation methods selected based on the type of information available. In the analysis stage, components/design variables possible for product family design are investigated with resource sharing methods through activity analysis. As an example, the proposed framework is applied to estimate the production cost of a family of cordless power screwdrivers that share different components within the family.

A Design Method for Product Family under Manufacturing Resource Constraints

Product variety is required for satisfying customer needs, and at the same time, efficient usage of manufacturing resources is mandatory for competitive and environmentally conscious manufacturing. For coping with these requirements, product family concept is effective, which enables variety of products based on well designed similar product property with associated manufacturing processes. In this study, a modeling framework for relationship between product functionality and manufacturing resources is discussed. Based on this framework, a design method is investigated for product family structure which realizes required product functional variety with efficient utilization of manufacturing resources. Application examples are discussed for automotive components.