Modularity

Modularity and
and
Product
Product Architecting
Architecting
ME 546 - Designing Product Families - IE 546

Timothy W. Simpson
Professor of Mechanical & Industrial
Engineering and Engineering Design
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
phone: (814) 863-7136
email: tws8@psu.edu

http://www.mne.psu.edu/simpson/courses/me546
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T. W. SIMPSON

Degree of Market Turbulence

Recall:
Recall: Pines
Pines Five
Five Steps
Steps to
to Mass
Mass
Customization
Customization
Provide Quick
Response

5
4

Modularize

3
2
1

Create Point-of-Delivery Customization

Embed Customizability

Customize Services

Degree of Organizational Turbulence

Sources:
Pine, B. J., II, 1993, "Mass Customizing Products and Services," Planning Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 6(8).
Pine, B. J., II, 1993, Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition, Harvard Business School
Press, Boston, MA.
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T. W. SIMPSON

Overview
Overview of
of Todays
Todays Lecture
Lecture
MODULARITY IS THE KEY enabler for successful
product family design and product platforms.
What is product architecture? What types exist?
What is modular design? What is its role in product
family and product platform design?
What is an interface? What is a module?
What are the different types of modularity?
What is a function? What is a function structure?
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T. W. SIMPSON

Architecture
Architecture

Beach

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Source - www.coolhouseplans.com

Contemporary

T. W. SIMPSON

System Architecture
System Boundary

Slide adapted from O. de Weck & T. Simpson, MIT ESD 39s

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T. W. SIMPSON

Architecture:
Architecture: Definition
Definition
Architecture

The embodiment of concept, and the allocation of

physical/informational function (process) to elements
of form (objects) and definition of the structural
interfaces among the objects

Consists of:
Function
Related by Concept
To Form

Function

Form

Concept

Slide adapted from O. de Weck & T. Simpson, MIT ESD 39s

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T. W. SIMPSON

Function-ConceptForm
Function: provide for
1) meeting place
2) visible main speaker
3) processions
Concept: church (Basilica)

Form

raised

Function: provide for

1) meeting place
2) visible large cast
Concept: amphitheater

Function: provide for

1) meeting place
2) each participant visible to others
Concept: meeting room

Form Often Follows Function

Slide adapted from O. de Weck & T. Simpson, MIT ESD 39s
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T. W. SIMPSON

Product
Product Architecture
Architecture
Product architecture is:

the scheme by which the function of a product is allocated to

physical components (Ulrich, 1995)

Purpose of product architecture is:

to define the basic physical building blocks of the product in

terms of what they do and what their interfaces are to the rest
of the device (Ulrich & Eppinger, 2000)

More formally, a product architecture is (Ulrich, 1995):

the arrangement of functional elements
the mapping of functional elements to physical components
the specification of the interfaces among physical components

Sources:
Ulrich, K., 1995, "The Role of Product Architecture in the Manufacturing Firm," Research Policy, Vol. 24(3), pp. 419-440.
Ulrich, K. T. and Eppinger, S. D., 2000, Product Design and Development (2nd Ed.), McGraw-Hill, NY, NY.
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T. W. SIMPSON

Example:
Example: Coffee
Coffee
Maker
Maker
Overall
Function

Brew
Coffee
Electricity

Supporting
Sub-Functions

Auxiliary
Functions
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Water
Ground
Coffee

Coffee
Beans

Store
Water

Heat
Water

Heat
Coffee

Store
Grounds

Mix Coffee
and Water

Store
Coffee

Grind
Beans

Coffee

Shut-off
Heater

T. W. SIMPSON

How
How to
to Create
Create aa Function
Function Structure
Structure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Formulate the overall product function

Split up overall function into sub-functions
Determine simplified functions structure
Identify material, energy, and information/signal flows
Add secondary/auxiliary functions and flows

Source: Pahl, G. and Beitz, W., 1996, Engineering Design: A Systematic Approach (2nd Rev. Ed.), Springer-Verlag,
New York.
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T. W. SIMPSON

Morphological
Morphological
Matrix
Matrix
Search for solution principles to
fulfill sub-functions

Identify as many solutions for each

sub-function and auxiliary functions as
possible

Combine solutions to embody

physical concepts
Use morphological matrix to identify
combinations of solutions
Each combination of solutions will fulfill
overall function

Use expertise and heuristics to

eliminate infeasible solution
combinations
Morphological Matrix [PB96]
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T. W. SIMPSON

Heat
Coffee

Filter

Heat
Water

Mix Coffee Store

and Water Coffee

S11

Si1

Store
Store
Grounds Water

Brew
Coffee
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Morphological
Morphological Matrix
Matrix for
for Coffee
Coffee
Maker
Maker
S12

Osmosis Dissolve

S1j

S1m

Ionize

Stir

Si2

Sij

Sn1

Sim

Sn2

Snj

Snm
T. W. SIMPSON

Modular
Modular and
and Integral
Integral Architectures
Architectures Defined
Defined
After we identify solutions for each function, we can
combine them to identify modules in the architecture
Modularity is defined as (Ulrich and Tung, 1991):
1. there is a one-to-one correspondence between functional
elements and physical structures ...AND...
2. unintended interactions between modules are minimized
(i.e., component interfaces are de-coupled).

The opposite of modular is referred to as integral

A modular architecture (ideally) has:

One physical component/function; de-coupled interfaces

while an integral architecture has:

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Coupled interfaces; many functions/physical component

T. W. SIMPSON

Coupled
Coupled vs.
vs. Uncoupled
Uncoupled
Designs
Designs
Axiom: Maintain the interdependence of functional
requirements (N. P. Suh, Principles of Design, 1990)

Coupled
Design

Uncoupled
Design

Reference:
Billy Fredriksson, Holistic systems engineering in product development, Griffin , Saab-Scania, Nov. 1994/95
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Slide adapted from O. de Weck & T. Simpson, MIT ESD 39s

T. W. SIMPSON

Types
Types of
of Modularity:
Modularity: Slot
Slot
In a slot architecture, each module
has a different interface with the
overall system.

Why different interfaces?

So that various components cannot be interchanged

Examples:

SCSI, Ethernet, and parallel ports on laptop

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Types
Types of
of Modularity:
Modularity: Bus
Bus
In a bus architecture, there is a
common bus to which modules
connect via the same interface.

What are the advantages of this type of modularity?

Examples:

Modem and Internet cards on laptop; CD and disk drive

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T. W. SIMPSON

Types
Types of
of Modularity:
Modularity: Sectional
Sectional
In a sectional architecture, all
interfaces are the same type but
there is no single element to
which modules attach.
What are advantages and
disadvantages of a sectional
approach?

Examples:

Legos

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Using a sectional architecture,

the assembly is built up by
connecting the modules to each
other via identical interfaces.
T. W. SIMPSON

Sectional
Sectional Modularity
Modularity at
at
Nippondenso
Nippondenso

Nippondenso can make 288 different panel meters from

variations of 8 modules (17 different parts)

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ST.IMPSON,
W. SIMPSON
2001

Products,
Products, Modules,
Modules, and
and Attributes
Attributes
Products

Product 1

Modules
A1
B1
C1

Different
products

Product 2

Types
Typesof
of
Modules:
Modules:

D1

Common
Common
A1
A1

A1

Variant
Variant
C1,C2
C1,C2

B2
C2

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Module
Attributes

Unique
Unique
B1,
B1,B2,
B2,D1
D1

T. W. SIMPSON

Example:
Example: B&D
B&D Versapack
Versapack Toolkit
Toolkit

Common
Variant

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Variant

Unique

T. W. SIMPSON

Creating
Creating aa Module-Based
Module-Based Product
Product Family
Family
1. Decompose products into their representative functions
2. Develop modules with one-to-one (or many-to-one)
correspondence with functions
3. Group common functional modules into a common
product platform
4. Standardize interfaces to
facilitate addition, removal,
and substitution of modules

Product
Family
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Common
Functions

Product
Platform

Specific
Function 1

Specific
Function 2

Specific
Function k

Derivative
Product 1

Derivative
Product 2

Derivative
Product k

T. W. SIMPSON

Example:
Example: Braun
Braun Family
Family of
of Coffee
Coffee
Makers
Makers
Electricity
Water
Ground
Coffee

Store
Water

Heat
Water

Heat
Coffee

Store
Grounds

Mix Coffee
and Water

Store
Coffee

Common
Function
Brew
Coffee

Coffee

Basic
Model

Water
Filter

Thermos
Karafe

Auto Shutoff, Clock

Adjustable
Heater

Frothing
Attachment

KF130

KF145

KF170

KF180

KF185

KF190

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T. W. SIMPSON

Developing
Developing Modular
ModularArchitectures
Architectures
What are some rules of thumb you, as an engineer, might
follow to develop a modular product architecture?

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T. W. SIMPSON

Some
Some Heuristics
Heuristics for
for Module
Module
Development
Development
Stone, et al. (1998) developed
a set of three heuristics to
identify product modules from a function structure:

Dominant Flow:
examines flows through a function structure, following flows until
they either exit from the system or are transformed
the sub-functions through which these flows are traced define a
module

Branching Flows:
examines flows that branch into or converge from parallel
function chains
each branch of a flow can become a module; modules interface
at point where flow branches or converges

Conversion-Transmission:
examines flows that are converted from one type to another
develop a module which converts an energy or material flow into
another form and then transmits it

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T. W. SIMPSON

Some
Some Heuristics
Heuristics for
for Module
Module
Development
Development
Zamirowski and Otto (1999) define two heuristics to aid
in module identification within a product family:

Shared Functions:
functional groups which share similar flows and functions
and appear multiple times within a product family should
be grouped into a single module
this module can then be reused across the product family

Unique Functions:
identify functions that are unique to a single product or
subset of products
group functions into modules to facilitate product variety

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T. W. SIMPSON

Advantages
Advantages of
of Modular
ModularArchitectures
Architectures
Facilitates product change and product variety
modules can easily be upgraded, degraded, and added-on
modules can easily be reused or replaced

Modular products can be quickly reconfigured to meet

changing market requirements
Improves economies of scale through component and
module sharing across products (economies of scope)

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T. W. SIMPSON

Disadvantages
Disadvantages of
of Modular
ModularArchitectures
Architectures
Easier to reverse engineer
Modular products tend to sub-optimal
Assembly costs are slightly higher

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T. W. SIMPSON

Advantages
Advantages of
of Integral
Integral Architectures
Architectures
Facilitates the optimization of holistic performance
characteristics and those that are driven by the size,
shape, and mass of a product [UE00]
Minimizes redundancy through function sharing
Minimizes number of parts which much be assembled

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T. W. SIMPSON

Disadvantages
Disadvantages of
of Integral
Integral Architectures
Architectures
Difficult to upgrade and reconfigure
Adjusting or fine-tuning a single function can be more
complex and difficult
Components and modules cannot be easily replaced if
worn or broken

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T. W. SIMPSON

Modular
Modular vs.
vs. Integral
Integral Architectures
Architectures
As product functionality overshoots customer needs,
modular architectures become more competitive

Performance

Compete through
superior functionality

es
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eg
t
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e
v
pti
u
sr
i
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Customer
Needs and
Expectations

Low

Compete through
speed, customization,
and convenience
Time

Adapted from:
C. Christensen and M. Verlinden, 2002, "Disruption, Disintegration, and the Dissipation of Differentiability,"
Industrial and Corporate Change, vol. 11(5), pp. 955-993.
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T. W. SIMPSON