Product Architecture

Question 1

A modular architecture has two specific properties?

Answer 1

1. chunks implement one or a few functional elements in their entirety
2. The interactions between chunks are well defined and are generally primary functions of the product

Question 2

what is a chunk?

Answer 2

The psysical elements of a product are typically organized into several major physical building blocks
—> chunks

Question 3

what is an integral architecture?

Answer 3

1. Functional elements of the product are implemented using more than one chunk
2. A single chunk implements many functional elements
3. The interactions between chunks are ill defined and may be incidental to the primary functions of the products

Question 4

Modular architectures comprise of three types?

Answer 4

1. Slot-modular
2. Bus-modular
3. Sectional-modular

Question 5

what is slot-modular architecture?

Answer 5

Each interface between chunks is of a different type
—> the chunks in the product can’t be interchanged
—>most common

e.g. automobile radio

Question 6

what is Bus-modular architecture?

Answer 6

A common bus to which the other chunks connect via the same type of interface

e.g. expansion card for personal computers

Question 7

what is Sectional-modular architecture?

Answer 7

• All interfaces are of the same type, but there is no single element to which all the other chunks attach
• connecting chunks to each other via identical interfaces
  e. g. piping systems, sectional sofas etc.

Question 8

what is function sharing?

Answer 8

Implementing multiple functions using a single physical element
—> eliminate redundancy
—> minimize material use
—> reduce cost of manufacture

Question 9

Design for manufacture?

Answer 9

Minimize the number of parts
—>component integration
—> DFM befinns in system-level design

Question 10

management style for modular architecture?

Answer 10

• Careful planning during the system-level design phase, but detail design is largely concerned with ensuring that the teams assigned to chunks are meeting the performance, cost and schedule requirements for their chunks

Question 11

management style for integrated architecture?

Answer 11

require less planning and specification during system-level design, but more conflict resolution and coordination during detail design phase

Question 12

4-step method to structure the decision process?

Answer 12

1. create a schematic of the product
2. cluster the elements of the schematic
3. create a rough geometric layout
4. identify the fundamental and incidental interactions

Question 13

First step of creating a schematic of the product?

Answer 13

1. Create a schematic of the product

Some of the elements in the schematic are physical concepts (usually basic product concept) and some will remain functional elements.

• Aim for fewer than 30 elements in the shematic
  —> take away minor ones
  —> group similar ones

Question 14

Second step of creating a schematic of the product?

Answer 14

2. Cluster the elements of the schematic
   - Assign each element to a chunk

Chunk strategy:
1. Geometric integration and precision
2. function sharing
—> one component, 2 functional element—> cluster
3. Capabilities of vendors
- cluster elements with same vendor
4. Similarity of design or production technology
- chunk together functional elements with similar design and production technology
e.g. likely to involve electronics
5. Localization of change
- if you anticipate changing a certain part due to new design aesthetics or technology, chunk them together
6. Accommodating variety
—> cluster things that can vary e.g. DC power supply due to differencies in the world

7. Enabling standardization
   - elements that could be useful in other products should be chunked to be able to produce higher quantitiess
8. Portability of interfaces
   - e.g. elements with electronic interactions can be easily separated from another

Question 15

Third step of creating a schematic of the product?

Answer 15

3. Create a rough geometric layout
   - using physical models, computer models or sketches
   - including the different chunks
   - realize that clustering in step 2 wasn’t geometrically feasable
   -

Question 16

Forth step of creating a schematic of the product?

Answer 16

1. Identify the fundamental and incidental interactions
   - most likely one person will design each chunk. It is important to coordinate their activity and exchange information
   - fundamental interactions
   —> connecting chunks together
   - incidental interactions
   —> physical implementation of functional elements or geometric arrangement of the chunks
   —> make an interaction graph
   —> interaction matrix

Question 17

what is delayed differentiation?

Answer 17

postponing the differentiation of a product until late in the supply chain
—> offer substantial reductions in cost of operating the supply chain

Question 18

two necessary conditions for postponement?

Answer 18

1. the differentiating elements of the product must be concentrated in one or a few chunks
   —> the differentiating attributes of the product must be defined by one or a few components
2. The product and production process must be designed so that the differentiating chunks can be added to the product near the end of the supply chain

Question 19

why is planning platform important?

Answer 19

to fulfill customers in different markets with the same basic components.

trade-off:
- distinctiveness and commonality

Differentiation plan:

• represent how versions of a product will be different from the perspective of the customer and the market
• differentiating attributes: characteristics important to the customer and that are intended to be different across products

Commonality plan:
- represents the ways in which the different versions of the product are the same physically
-

Question 20

strategy for managing the trade-off between differentiation and commonality?

Answer 20

1. platform planning decisions should be informed by quantitative estimates of cost and revenue implications
2. Iteration is beneficial
3. The product architecture dictates the nature of the trade-off between differentiation and commonality

Question 21

Related system-level design issues?

Answer 21

1. defining secondary systems
2. establishing the architecture of the chunks
3. creating detailed interface specifications

Question 22

what is product architecture?

Answer 22

The scheme by which the functional elements of the product are arranged into physical chunks

established during:
- concept development
OR
- system-level design

Question 23

Name some implications that product architecture are affecting!

Answer 23

1. product change
2. product variety
3. component standardization
4. product performance
5. manufacturability
6. product development management

Question 24

Key characteristics of product architecture?

Answer 24

1. modular

2. integral

Question 25

what is a modular architecture?

Answer 25

Each physical chunk implements a specific set of functional elements and has well-defined interactions with the other chunks

Question 26

which are the three types of modular architectures?

Answer 26

1. slot-modular
2. bus-modular
3. sectional-modular

Question 27

what is integral architectures?

Answer 27

The implementation of functional elements is spread across chunks, resulting in ill-defined interactions between chunks