From Dedicated to Platform-Based Co-Development of Products and Manufacturing Systems

Book chapter, 2011

Present manufacturing challenges connected with change and variation promote the joint development of products and manufacturing systems based on different platform approaches. This paper contributes by further exploring the setups for the organization, the planning, and the arrangement of the co-development of products and manufacturing systems in the presence of such platform approaches. It presents two examples that illustrate waypoints on the road from a dedicated manufacturing system for one dedicated product to a pervasive platform approach for products and manufacturing systems. Special attention is given to the interfaces and the interactions that exist within and between products and manufacturing systems. As a result of this paper, different setups for the co-development of products and manufacturing systems can be characterized and positioned, enabling companies to devise their individual strategy for co-development.